Payment card fraud hits €24m in 2020 – BPFI
New figures show that debit and credit card fraud losses rose by 9% to reach €24.1m last year with over 275,000 fraudulent debit and credit card transactions. The Banking & Payments Federation Ireland figures show that 96% of the losses was accounted for by online card fraud which rose by 21% to €23.1m. With shopping […]
Early stage firms benefit as VC funding rises again
Venture capital funding to Irish firms rose by 19% to €231m in the three months to the end of September, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association’s latest VenturePulse survey. The figures also show a renewed interest among investors in start-ups companies, following a sharp drop in early stage investments last year. The overall in […]
Turning Black Friday green: Shoppers encouraged to buy Irish
An important date in the retail calendar, December 8 was the traditional day for country people to venture to the city to do their Christmas shopping. The festive atmosphere, the twinkling lights, and a visit to see Santa Claus, it marked the start of the Christmas trading season in Ireland. Shopping patterns, however, have dramatically […]
Ministers to discuss specific Covid supports for hospitality sector
Senior Government ministers will meet later today to discuss the introduction of specific measures to support the hospitality sector. The Cabinet Sub Committee on Economic Recovery will also consider the ongoing Covid supports amid continued concern about the rise in Covid case numbers and increasing pressure on hospitals. The Government and its public health advisers […]
Risks of cost overruns in NDP, warns IFAC
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) has said the planned increases in public investment under the National Development Plan (NDP) will help Ireland achieve its climate and housing goals. However, it warns that projects will have to be better run to avoid substantial cost overruns. The NDP raises public investment to an average €11.8 billion […]
Working from home resumes to help curb spread of Covid
Employees should work from home from today unless it is necessary to attend the workplace in person. The measures are among the latest Government restrictions being put in place to stem the spread of Covid-19. Just two months after a gradual return to the workplace began, the situation is going into reverse. Under the latest […]
Irish and British leaders to discuss Covid and protocol
Political leaders in Ireland and Britain are holding a meeting today at which they will discuss Covid-19 and UK-EU talks aimed at breaking the deadlock in the row over the Northern Ireland Protocol. The issues will be debated at a meeting of the British-Irish Council, which is being held in Wales. The council brings together […]
Business community concerned about prospect of more lockdowns
Chambers Ireland said today that there is a growing unease within the business community regarding the Government’s pandemic planning. Ian Talbot, Chambers Ireland chief executive, said there was a serious concern across the network that the country is moving towards another post-Christmas “circuit-breaker” lockdown. “Businesses are paying the price for a continued lack of action […]
Food firms being hit with price rises of up to 30%
Small and medium sized food companies in Ireland are being hit with input cost rises of almost 30%, according to research from the representative group Love Irish Food. Companies said costs were rising across the board, but the most significant hikes were being experienced in the areas of transportation, followed by raw materials and energy […]
Covid pushes ESG up the agenda in Irish boardrooms
A new survey shows that board level discussions of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters are up 30% since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey, from the Diligent Institute and Institute of Directors in Ireland, reveals that ESG is being treated with increasing importance by business leaders. 59% of respondents said that ESG […]
Euro zone Q3 GDP rises 2.2% on quarterly basis as expected
Euro zone gross domestic product (GDP) rose 2.2% on a quarterly basis in the three months from July to September, the European Union’s statistics office Eurostat said today. This confirmed its previous flash estimate from the end of October. Eurostat said economic growth in the 19 countries sharing the euro was 3.7% higher than in […]
Govt announces return to remote working ‘unless absolutely necessary’
People should work from home unless it is absolutely necessary they attend in person, the Taoiseach has said. Announcing a series of measures aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19, Micheál Martin said the Cabinet has agreed to pause the “phased and cautious return to the workplace”. The Government position since September had been for […]
At a glance: Here are the updated Covid-19 restrictions
The Taoiseach has announced fresh restrictions as Covid-19 infection rates surge across the country. Micheál Martin said without the success of the vaccination programme, there is “no doubt Ireland would be in full-scale lockdown”. However, he said new curbs have been introduced in a “collective effort to keep our economy and society open” and keep […]
23% of Local Property Tax returns yet to be made
Returns for around 23% of properties liable to the Local Property Tax (LPT) have not yet been made, nearly a week after the deadline for submission. Revenue said it has received LPT returns for 1.5 million properties, representing 77% of the expected numbers of properties that returns for the tax should not have been made […]
Cabinet to consider work from home proposal
The Cabinet will today consider a proposal that would strongly advise people to work from home. The move is being described as far-reaching and people will be advised to attend a workplace only when it is necessary. It follows close to five hours of discussions among the Taoiseach, ministers and health officials at the Cabinet […]
Further PUP reductions from today
Recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will see the amount they receive reduced further from today. The move is part of the ongoing process of gradually winding down the payment. Those currently receiving €300 a week will see their payment fall to €250, while those on the €250 rate will see it drop to […]
Christmas shopping? Know your rights
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, unless you get scammed by rogue traders. With just five weeks to go until Christmas, it is important to know your consumer rights when it comes to buying presents – both in store and online. With talk of stock shortages and shipping delays due to the pandemic […]
Employers likely to struggle to fill Christmas jobs – Indeed
Employers in retail and hospitality are likely to struggle to fill Christmas jobs, according to data published today by jobs site Indeed. It found that whilst postings for seasonal roles are just 2% lower than 2019, before the pandemic, the number of people searching for seasonal jobs is down 24%. Postings of available roles and […]