FSU says staff ‘at breaking point’ over exits of Ulster Bank, KBC
The Financial Services Union, which represents bank workers, has said its members are at breaking point dealing with the increased workload caused by the exits of Ulster Bank and KBC. The union has commissioned a survey of its members, which shows that 88% of respondents feel stressed at work either on a regular or very […]
CCPC clears Bank of Ireland-KBC deal but imposes conditions
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has cleared, subject to a number of legally binding conditions, the proposed €5 billion acquisition by Bank of Ireland of KBC Bank Ireland’s performing loans and deposits. The clearance of the proposed deal would see Bank of Ireland buy KBC’s performing loan assets, including performing mortgages, and commercial and […]
Leitrim-based Cora Systems to create 300 jobs
Irish software company, Cora Systems, is to create more than 300 jobs, half of which will be in Ireland. The positions will be in a range of specialties including research and development, global sales and marketing, and professional services. 150 of the roles will be based in the firm’s Carrick-On-Shannon headquarters, or nearby under a […]
Greencore reports return to profits, higher H1 revenues
Convenience food group Greencore has reported a return to profitability and higher revenues for the first half of its fiscal year. Greencore said its profit before taxation increased from a loss of £1.8m the same time last year to a profit of £1m this year, on the back of higher group operating profit and lower […]
Start-up activity drops 12% amid rising costs
5,600 new companies were registered in Ireland in the first three months of the year, down 12% on the same time last year. New data from CRIF Vision-net suggests that some people are holding off on launching new businesses due to rising costs, and supply chain problems. “What we are seeing is a bit of […]
Irish firms suffering with renewed supply chain problems
Irish businesses are once again having to restructure their supply chains, amid renewed disruption caused by the resurgence of Covid-19 in China, the Ukraine war and soaring fuel costs. Economists have warned that if continued, the global difficulties will contribute to lower economic growth and higher inflation. Central to the problems are the ongoing heavy […]
Wholesale prices rise by 5.2% in April – CSO
Wholesale prices for goods used in manufacturing and construction rose at an annual rate of 5.2% in April, according to the Central Statistics Office. This was up from an annual rate of 4.4% in March. The price index for products destined for the domestic market rose by 7.1% on an annual basis while goods destined […]
SME optimism drops amid Ukraine war and inflation
Irish SMEs are feeling less optimistic about the future, according to a new report by peer-to-peer lender Linked Finance. Its latest SME Confidence Index for the first quarter of this year, shows that companies are more wary about current business conditions amid the war in Ukraine and rising inflation. The index, which is based on […]
Taoiseach in Belfast to meet political and business leaders
The Taoiseach is in Belfast today to meet politicians and business leaders as efforts continue to break the Stormont impasse over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Micheál Martin will meet party leaders for talks and will host a delegation from the business community. The DUP is refusing to restore power-sharing until its concerns about the protocol […]
Hauliers given more time to apply for fuel cost support
Hauliers are to be given more time to apply for an emergency support scheme put in place by the Government to assist them with the soaring cost of fuel. Those who have not yet applied for the assistance will now have until 6 June to lodge their completed applications. Under the Licensed Haulage Emergency Support […]
Aer Lingus owner IAG orders 50 new Boeing planes
Aer Lingus and British Airways owner IAG is to order 50 Boeing 737 MAX jets for delivery between 2023 and 2027, in a vote of confidence in the struggling US planemaker. The order for 25 737-8-200 and 25 737 MAX 10 jets to be used for short-haul operations at IAG-owned airlines is worth $6.25 billion […]
Amid hiring surge, 79% of businesses struggling to fill vacancies
A new report has revealed record levels of hiring by Irish businesses but also shows that many are struggling to fill vacancies. According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, employers of all sizes plan to expand headcount significantly. The study shows that Ireland has recorded the highest net employment outlook in Europe, closely followed […]
Fórsa says improving pay ‘must be our priority’
The General Secretary of Fórsa, the country’s largest public sector trade union, has said that improving pay must be his union’s priority. In an address to delegates at Fórsa’s national conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, Kevin Callinan said that runaway inflation was leading to a cost of living crisis. “Our job is to do what […]
Gas generated over half of Ireland’s electricity in April
Gas reliably generated more than half the country’s electricity in April as the contribution from wind generation dropped to about one third, new figures show today. The figures from Gas Networks Ireland show that gas generated 52% of Ireland’s electricity in April, up 27% on March’s level of 41% and 37% on the first quarter […]
Fáilte Ireland launches drive to tackle staff shortages in tourism sector
A national campaign to address staff shortages in the tourism and hospitality sectors is being launched today by Fáilte Ireland. The €700,000 marketing drive will run across national radio, print, online platforms and social media. The aim of the initiative is to attract more people to jobs in the sector as the tourism industry faces […]
UK inflation hits 9%, highest since modern records started
British inflation leapt last month to its highest annual rate since 1982, piling pressure on finance minister Rishi Sunak to step up help for households facing a worsening cost-of-living crisis. UK consumer price inflation hit 9% in April, the Office for National Statistics said. This surpassed even the peaks of the early 1990s recession that […]
Cost inflation top threat to growth in food sector
Rising input costs and inflationary pressures have been identified as the top threat to business growth in the food sector here. In a survey of 70 small and medium sized food firms carried out by the food business representative group Love Irish Food, and professional services firm, PwC, 97% identified those areas as presenting the […]
Bank CEOs to meet Central Bank on account transfers
The chief executives of the main banks here are to meet representatives of the Central Bank today to discuss plans for the departure of Ulster Bank and KBC from the market. The regulator summoned the remaining banks to a meeting in recent weeks as it called publicly on them to do more to facilitate hundreds […]