Mortgage approvals continue to grow, driven by first-time buyers
New figures show that the number of mortgages approved were up 0.9% in April on a monthly basis, while they rose by over 98% compared with the same time last year. Banking & Payments Federation Ireland said a total of 4,362 mortgages were approved in April. First-time buyers (FTBs) were approved for 54.8% of the […]
Govt to layout roadmap to economic recovery with plan announcement
The Government will unveil its Economic Recovery Plan later today, which is expected to lay out a roadmap for the economy as it emerges from the impact of Covid-19. There will be many different aspects to today’s Recovery Plan. Much attention will be focused on the detail of the planned withdrawal of the Pandemic Unemployment […]
National Economic Plan to map out recovery plans
It is widely expected that the Cabinet will approve and publish the Government’s National Economic Plan next week. This will outline policies to promote the recovery of the economy and chart its future path. It is part of the Programme for Government and was originally expected in October. There was still a lot of uncertainty […]
Crypto assets a great concern, says Central Bank’s Rowland
The rising popularity of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin is “of great concern” according to the Central Bank’s Derville Rowland. “Crypto assets are quite a speculative, unregulated investment,” and people should be “really aware they could lose the whole of that investment,” the Central Bank’s Director General for Financial Conduct said in an interview with Bloomberg. […]
Momentum in economy building, Bank of Ireland’s Economic Pulse shows
Bank of Ireland’s Economic Pulse came in at 89.5 in May – back above its pre-pandemic level – which bodes well for a pick-up in spending as public health restrictions are lifted. Bank of Ireland said it had revised upwards its GDP growth forecast for 2021 to 5.8% from 5% in February. The Economic Pulse […]
Deadline for annual returns extended to 11 June
The Registrar of Companies has extended the deadline for the filing of annual returns to 11 June. The Registrar said it has taken the decision to further extend the deadline, “in light of difficulties experienced by presenters in filing annual returns in the run up to the filing deadline.” The CRO said it is continuing […]
ISME dissatisfied with non-vaccinated workers’ guidance
Small firms’ body ISME has accused the Government of exposing employers to potential legal action by failing to give them “robust” guidance on handling situations where employees choose not to be vaccinated. In a letter to Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar, ISME Chief Executive Neil McDonnell acknowledges the “absolute” right […]
Work-life balance top well-being concern for employers
A new survey has revealed that work-life balance is the number one well-being issue Irish employers are concerned about followed closely by mental health and burnout. The 2021 Global Well-being Survey was carried out on behalf of Aon by global market research company IPSOS. It found that 70% of employers in Ireland identified work-life balance […]
Govt to look at phasing out pandemic supports from October – Varadkar
The Government will begin to look at phasing out financial pandemic supports in the final three months of the year, the Tánaiste has told colleagues. Speaking at a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting tonight, Leo Varadkar indicated supports would remain in place throughout July, August and September. These months will be used […]
54% of consumers plan summer holiday this year – KBC Bank Ireland
Irish consumers do not plan to go wild on their holiday spending in 2021, a new survey from KBC Bank Ireland suggests. One in four plan to spend the same as in 2020 and while slightly more plan to spend more than to cut back (19% compared to 12%), the average outlay overall is likely […]
European Union to finalise huge farm policy overhaul
European Union agriculture ministers said negotiators are close to a deal that aims to reform the bloc’s huge farming subsidy programme, protect small farms and bring agriculture in line with environmental goals. The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will spend €387 billion – around a third of the EU’s 2021-2027 budget – on payments to […]
Number of people receiving PUP falls more than 29,000
The numbers of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment (PUP) this week has fallen by a further 29,174 to 333,993. In total €102m will be paid out to recipients of the PUP. This is on top of the further 177,969 who were on the Live Register at the end of April, the Department of […]
Survey suggests measures needed for affordable housing
A new survey has found that four out of every five adults think the Government should introduce new measures to improve the supply of affordable housing here. The research, carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes on behalf of employers’ group Ibec, also found that a third of respondents would like to be able to buy […]
Planning applications for residential units drop
The number of residential units submitted for planning permission fell by nearly a third in the first quarter of the year, according to a new report by Deloitte. The level of residential planning applications remained relatively stable at 77, but the level of applications granted dropped 26% year on year. The number of commencement notices […]
Central Bank to conduct major review of mortgage rules
The Central Bank of Ireland will begin a major review of its mortgage lending rules next month, the first since the measures were introduced in 2015. The review will consider the effectiveness of rules, whether they have achieved their aims and the evolution of the housing and mortgage markets since their inception. It comes amid […]
Guidelines for reopening of hospitality sector due out
Guidelines for the reopening of the hospitality sector are expected to be published today. They have been drawn up by Fáilte Ireland ahead of Friday’s Cabinet meeting which will look at a further easing of Covid-19 restrictions in June and July. The guidelines are expected to say that tables will have to be a metre […]
Gas supply driving power generation in April
Gas demand for power generation reached its highest level in six months in April as wind generation fell to its lowest in nine months, new figures show today. Gas Networks Ireland said that over 53% of Ireland’s electricity demand was met by the national gas network, a 4% rise on March. Wind’s contribution to the […]
What will be the result of the global remote work experiment?
A pioneer of remote work, IBM installed remote terminals in employees’ homes as early as the 1980s, and by 2009, when the idea of remote work was still a novelty for most, 40% of IBM’s global workforce worked at home. The technology company saved about $100 million in the US annually as a result of […]