Average mortgage interest rate dips in August – Central Bank
New figures from the Central Bank show that the average interest rate on new Irish mortgages at the end of August was 3.58%, down two basis points from July and down 53 basis points from the same time last year. This compares to the euro area average of 3.36%. At the end of August, Ireland […]
Google launches new AI mode search tool in Ireland
Google has announced the rollout of its AI mode in Ireland. The company has described the new tool as its most powerful AI search experience with more advanced reasoning and multimodality. From today, AI mode will appear as a tab on the search results page and in the Google app for Android and iOS. Google […]
Cost of petrol, diesel up as some Budget measures come into effect
Some Budget measures announced in the Dáil yesterday came into effect at midnight. Yesterday evening, TDs voted to reduce the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments to 9% from 13.5%. Also from midnight, around two-and-a-half cent has been added to the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel, while tobacco products have […]
Government uses Budget tax changes to try to fix housing
This Budget has a lot of significant measures aimed at addressing the housing crisis. The largest step will be reducing the VAT on sale of apartments from 13.5% to 9%. The idea is that it would kick start stalled projects which have received planning but have not proceeded because they are not currently financially viable. […]
Petrol and diesel to rise 2.5c per litre due to carbon tax increase, no electricity credits in 2026
There will be no one-off energy credits next year while increases in carbon tax will add around 2.5c to the cost of a litre of motor fuels from tomorrow. Between April 2022 and February 2025, Irish households received nine credits to their electricity bills, worth €1,500 and costing the State almost €3bn. However, as expected, […]
Dept of Health budget to provide for 3,300 extra staff
A record level of total funding of €27.4bn will be allocated to the Department of Health for 2026. The overall health budget next year will be over €27.3bn, which includes current and capital spending. It represents an increase of €1.5bn or 6.2%. Day to day spending will be over €25.7bn – an increase of 5% […]
At a glance: Here are the key points from Budget 2026
The Government has described Budget 2026 as “sensible” and one which will “protect jobs and protect growth” in Ireland given an uncertain global economy. But some Opposition members have described it as “very disappointing”, with “ordinary people left in the cold” given a lack of a distinct cost-of-living package and no changes to personal income […]
Funding for TB eradication programme doubled in Budget
A total of €2.3bn has been allocated to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for 2026. Aside from the €85m in additional funding for bovine TB eradication, there will be a €20m increase in spending on the ACRES scheme, with funding to reach €280m in 2026. The scheme supports over 53,000 farmers in […]
Pensions, social welfare payments to rise by €10 weekly
The Government has announced a weekly increase of €10 per person in a range of social protection payments from 2026, including: the State pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance, jobseeker’s allowance and one-parent family payment. A Christmas bonus of a double payment for recipients of long-term social welfare schemes will be paid again this year. The […]
Budget 2026 & the arts: ‘successor scheme’ announced to Basic Income pilot
Minister Jack Chambers today has confirmed that he is allocating €1.5 billion to the Department of Culture, communications and sport. This will “build on the progress we have made,” he said. The minister announced that in terms of the Arts, the government is committing to deliver a “successor scheme” to the basic income scheme for […]
Capitation rates paid to schools to be increased
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has announced an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to all schools. This will include, on a per pupil basis, €50 for primary and special schools (from €224 to €274), and €20 for post-primary schools (from €386 to €406). In addition, Mr Chambers said the Department’s €1.6bn capital […]
Govt to cut VAT rate on apartment sales from 13.5% to 9%
The Government will reduce the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments to 9% from 13.5%, from tonight until the end of December 2030. Announcing Budget 2026, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said this reduction will help address the “viability gap” in apartment construction. He said it is part of a social policy to […]
Minimum wage set to increase to €14.15 an hour in 2026
The Minister for Finance has announced that as of 1 January 2026, the national minimum wage will increase by €0.65 per hour to €14.15 per hour. Linked to that, the ceiling for the USC 2% rate band will be increased by €1,318 to €28,700. “This increase will ensure that full-time workers on the minimum wage […]
Budget 2026: LOI academies to receive €3m in funding
League of Ireland academies are set to receive €3m in funding from the Government. The details of Budget 2026 will be revealed later, but RTÉ Sport understands that the funding will fall short of the €4.45m requested by the FAI in their pre-budget submission. The administration of the multiannual funding is expected to come through […]
VAT for catering, hairdressing to be cut from 13.5% to 9%
The Government is reducing the VAT rate for food and catering businesses, and for hairdressing services from 13.5% down to 9%. The measure will come into effect from 1 July next year, and will cost €232m for 2026 and €681m in a full year. This VAT reduction is in line with a commitiment in the […]
Budget 2026 will ‘invest in our future’ and secure jobs, says Donohoe
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said Budget 2026 will “invest in our future” while also securing current jobs, prosperity and stability. As he began his Budget Day speech in the Dail chamber, he said the first budget of this coalition Government’s term would deliver for citizens and “tackle the serious challenges of meeting our […]
Govt commits over €5bn investment for housing delivery next year
The Government has committed over €5bn in capital investment for housing delivery next year. This is in addition to investment by the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies. In his budget speech, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced €200m of additional external funding for Home Building Finance Ireland, which provides finance to homebuilders across […]
Carbon tax is to be increased to €71 per tonne of CO2
Carbon tax is to be increased to €71 per tonne of CO2 emitted and will be applied to auto fuels with effect from tomorrow, and to all other fuels from 1 May 2026. The Government said the additional revenue arising from the carbon tax increase is estimated at €121m in 2026, and the full-year additional […]