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 […]
Accountancy body urges CRO to extend filing deadline past November 25
Accountants and companies preparing for annual returns filing cut-off date facing ‘extreme pressure’ due to pandemic working conditions. The largest accountancy body in the country wants the Companies Registration Office (CRO) to offer deadline extensions for businesses facing “extreme pressure” to meet the November 25 cut-off for annual returns. Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) has written […]
Revenue warns of hidden costs when buying online from outside the EU
Revenue has reminded shoppers that they should check whether the advertised price of goods includes all tax and duty costs when buying online from outside the EU in the run up to Christmas. The tax collection agency said that where the price does not include these costs, additional charges may apply when the products arrive […]
Almost 40% of Irish firms don’t have a sustainability strategy
43% of Irish companies have firm plans to be carbon-neutral or achieve net zero, according to a survey by IT company DataSolutions. The findings show that 65% of businesses expect to achieve their goal by 2030. 105 IT leaders were surveyed as part of the research, which was carried out by Mediateam. On a more […]
Contactless payments hit new record highs
Contactless payments have hit new record highs, while the number of people using online banking continues to grow, according to figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. Almost 234 million contactless payments were made in the third quarter of the year, worth nearly €3.8 billion. The figures reveal the value of contactless payments was up […]
ISME sharply critical of UK threat to trigger Article 16
The body representing Irish SMEs has sharply criticised the UK’s threat to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, potentially over the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). In a letter to the British ambassador to Ireland Paul Johnston, seen by RTÉ News, ISME’s chief executive Neil McDonnell said that since the […]
Rents continue to rise as availability plummets
Average rents for residential properties were 6.8% higher in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2020, according to the latest rental report from the website Daft.ie. The average asking price for monthly rent between July and September was €1,516. That is up 2.6% on the first quarter of this […]
Supply chain disruption a major concern for businesses – Eurochambres survey
A lack of skilled workers, access to affordable energy, and increasing labour costs are among the main challenges facing businesses across Europe, according to the Eurochambres Economic Survey for 2022. The European Association, of which Chambers Ireland is a member, represents over 20 million enterprises in Europe through 45 national members and a network of […]
Unions lodge 3% pay claim for community, voluntary sector workers
Unions have lodged a pay claim for a 3% increase for thousands of workers in the community and voluntary sector. SIPTU, Fórsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are launching a campaign today to highlight precarious conditions in the area where the majority of workers are on fixed-term […]
Cross-border initiative to focus on climate change
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Stormont’s Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill will launch an initiative to bring together experts on both sides of the border to research how to address climate and biodiversity emergencies. Those involved with the All-Island Climate and Biodiversity Research Network (AICBRN) say it will “significantly ramp up collaborative research activity.” The launch […]
Triggering Article 16 would be ‘irresponsible’ – Taoiseach
The Taoiseach has said nothing is certain regarding the triggering of Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol by the British government and he warned of the dangers of self-fulfilling prophecies. Yesterday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said evidence suggests the British government is preparing to trigger Article 16 of the protocol. He warned […]
Trade-off between economic growth and climate action?
Greta Thunberg famously asked “how dare you?” in a speech in 2019. The emotional question was followed by “we are at the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth”. In the movement towards climate action, is economic growth an opposing force? I asked […]
Construction activity grows for sixth month in a row
Growth in construction activity accelerated in October, for the sixth month in a row, Ulster Bank’s latest Purchasing Managers’ Index shows. But construction firms said Brexit, Covid and shortages of delivery drivers and materials contributed to a record lengthening of delivery times and record growth in input costs. The Ulster Bank Construction PMI rose to […]
Spending on nights out and socialising soars in October – Revolut
New figures from financial technology company Revolut show that spending soared on get-togethers and nights out as Covid-19 restrictions lifted in October. Consumer spending was up by 5% across the board last month and Revolut said that Irish people appear happy to kickstart the economic recovery by spending the additional savings many accumulated during lockdown. […]
Enterprise sector faces emissions cut of 40% under plan
Businesses will have to reduce their emissions by around 40% under the Government’s Climate Action Plan, which also warns failure to act means firms risk being left behind. The blueprint says that the biggest share of enterprise emissions come from a small number of large alumina, food processing, beverages and cement manufacturing companies covered under […]
Govt approves 2% cap on rent hikes in rent pressure zones
The Government has approved a 2% cap on rent increases in rent pressure zones (RPZs). A RPZ is a designated area where rents cannot be increased by more than general inflation and applies to new and existing tenancies unless an exemption is being applied. The Residential Tenancies Board said RPZs are located in parts of the country where […]