Ireland among top countries for jobseekers globally
Ireland is among the most attractive countries for international jobseekers, according to new research from job website Indeed. Just over 11% of searches for jobs in Ireland in June of this year originated from outside the country placing it in 14th place in a list of countries ranked in terms of the proportion of job […]
Grocery inflation drops to lowest rate since November 2022
Grocery inflation rose by 12.8% in the 12 weeks to August 6 – the lowest level of growth since November 2022 and the third drop in a row, new figures from Kantar show. Kantar said that take-home grocery sales in Ireland increased by 6.8% in the four weeks to August 6 as the average price […]
Finance Minister expects to see deposit rates rising soon
The Minister for Finance has said he anticipates the rate of interest which is paid on savings accounts will increase in the weeks ahead. Michael McGrath said that while these are “commercial decisions for the banks”, he expects to see an increase. “The banks have not fully passed on increases in interest rates to mortgage […]
Euro zone inflation fall confirmed, easing pressure on ECB to hike
Euro zone inflation slower further and even underlying price pressures appear to have peaked, Eurostat data showed today. Today’s figures will ease pressure on the European Central Bank to keep raising rates after its fastest rate-hike cycle on record. The ECB has lifted rates from deep in negative territory to two-decade-highs in just a year […]
6 in 10 don’t know about tax relief on dietary needs – survey
A new survey shows that six in ten people are unaware they can get tax relief on the cost of special foods if they have to restrict their diet as a result of a medical condition, such as Coeliac disease or diabetes. The latest Taxback Taxpayer Sentiment Survey examined awareness of the relief which allows […]
Euro zone set for growth over next ‘couple’ of years – Lane
The euro zone economy will keep growing in the coming years and is unlikely to experience a deep or sustained recession, European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane said today. The economy of the 20-nation bloc sharing the euro has broadly stagnated for the past three quarters as manufacturing is deep in recession. Economists see […]
SMEs struggling to fill skills gap – Chambers Ireland
Small and medium sized companies here are struggling to find adequately skilled individuals to fill a variety of roles, a Chambers Ireland Skills Gap survey has found. Nine in ten respondents said they were facing significant challenges in recruiting employees with the right skills and qualifications. Chambers Ireland conducted the survey to coincide with the […]
Awareness of EU taxonomy system low among Irish firms
New research has found that many Irish financial services firms are not aware of a European Union system that is designed to help companies, investors and policymakers to figure out which economic activities are sustainable for the environment. The EU’s Taxonomy Regulation aims to assist those involved in business to make educated choices about product […]
Over 11,000 extra tourist beds needed by 2032 – ITIC report
An estimated 11,500 additional tourism beds will be required here in the next decade if Ireland is to meet projected demand, a new report on the sector has concluded. The report was carried out by economist Jim Power on behalf of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation. It partly bases its projections on estimates for growth […]
House prices post first month-on-month growth this year – CSO
Residential property prices recorded their first monthly increase this year in June, growing by 0.6% compared to May, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. But annual residential property price inflation slowed again to 2.2% in June from 2.6% in May, the CSO added. Property prices in Dublin were 0.9% lower on an annual […]
EU greenhouse gas emissions fall 3% in first quarter of 2023
Greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union fell by nearly 3% in the first quarter of 2023, even as the bloc’s economy grew slightly, statistics agency Eurostat said today. The EU’s emissions over the January to March quarter amounted to 941 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalents, down 2.9% from a year earlier, while the […]
Industrial output jump gives euro zone growth small boost
The euro zone’s vast industrial sector rebounded in June, giving overall growth a small boost to end an otherwise weak quarter on a positive note, data from Eurostat showed today. Industrial production in the 20 nations sharing the euro expanded by 0.5% on the month, beating expectations for a 0.2% rise. Gross domestic product was […]
Exports down 3% in first half of 2023, imports up 2% – CSO
New figures from the Central Statistics Office figures show that the country’s unadjusted exports increased by €1.8 billion to €19.5 billion in June compared with the same time last year. When seasonally adjusted, exports of goods grew by more than €2.4 billion compared with May, the CSO said. Today’s figures show that unadjusted imports for […]
44% of people now work from home at least 1 day a week – ComReg survey
A new consumer survey shows that 44% of respondents now work from home online at least one day a week. The Commission for Communications Regulation’s latest Broadband Connectivity consumer survey also shows that a third of respondents work from home online at least three days a week. ComReg noted that working from home online is […]
Historically low housing stock levels impacting market – Sherry FitzGerald
The stock of second-hand homes available on the market has reached a historic low, according to estate agents Sherry FitzGerald. Its analysis shows that there were 13,750 homes – excluding new builds – listed for sale in July, representing just 0.7% of the entire private housing stock in the country. Sherry FitzGerald says it amounts […]
Plans to double public service apprenticeship places
The Government has announced plans for nine new apprenticeship programmes in the public service. If realised, the proposals will lead to the doubling of apprenticeship places in the public service including local authorities over the next two years. Currently there are around 373 such apprenticeships in operation, up 103 since 2021. The development of a […]
Irish economy will outperform EU peers – Mastercard
The Irish economy will continue to outperform its EU peers, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute, as consumer fundamentals remain strong. It said Irish consumers have been relatively resilient despite the huge inflation shock. A tight labour market with strong employment growth and historically low unemployment at 3.8% in June has supported the economy. Mastercard […]
Conveyancing delays leading to failed property sales – IPAV
Growing and serious delays in the conveyancing process are leading to property sales falling through, estate agents are reporting. A survey conducted by the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) has found that four out of every five agents say they have seen sales fail because of the problem. 26% said it occurred frequently, […]