Is AI making our brains lazy?
Have you ever googled something but couldn’t remember the answer a short time later? Well, you’re probably not alone. Multiple studies have shown that “digital amnesia” or the “Google effect” is a consequence of having information readily available at our fingertips. It happens because we don’t commit the information to memory in the knowledge that […]
9 out of 10 small businesses use AI tools – survey
New research from the Small Firms Association (SFA), shows that 9 out of 10 small firms are using artificial intelligence (AI) for one or more business processes. The most popular uses for AI were reported to be automation of simple tasks and data analytics reporting. The study found that the main barrier to deeper adoption […]
Home Building Finance Ireland grows loan approvals 13% to €3 billion
Home Building Finance Ireland, which was set up by the Government to fund the delivery of new homes, has grown total loan approvals 13% to €3 billion at the end of June this year. HBFI’s H1 2025 performance update, published today, shows new loan approvals of €336m in the first 6 months of the year. […]
Trump hits dozens of countries’ goods with steep tariffs
US President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on exports from dozens of trading partners including Canada, Brazil, India and Taiwan, pressing ahead with his plans to reorder the global economy ahead of today’s trade deal deadline. He set rates including a 35% duty on many goods from Canada, 50% for Brazil, 25% for India, […]
Government to discuss impact of EU-US trade deal
A meeting of the Government’s Trade Forum will discuss the impact on Ireland of the EU-US trade deal. Officials from the Department of Finance are due to give a preliminary analysis of what impact the 15% tariff will have on the Irish economy. It is also expected that a joint statement could be issued today […]
Food prices up an estimated 4.6% in July – CSO
Food prices are estimated to have risen by 4.6% over the last 12 months, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office. Food prices rose by 0.2% in the last month, the CSO added. The CSO today published a flash estimate for inflation which showed the cost of living has risen by 1.6% in […]
Ireland ranked most competitive country in euro area
Ireland has been ranked as the most competitive country in the euro area but the country has slipped back in its global standing. The latest annual World Competitiveness Rankings from the International Institute for Management Development reviewed 69 economies. It has listed Ireland as the world’s seventh most competitive economy in 2025, down from fourth […]
Call for pensions to be able to tap into private markets
Changing pensions rules to allow investments in private markets would benefit consumers and the country, according to the CEO of one of Ireland’s leading investment firms. With the pension auto-enrolment scheme set to come into place at the start of next year, the Irish pension sector is set for its most significant change in decades. […]
Electricity demand set to grow by two thirds by 2050
Electricity demand is set to grow by two thirds by 2050, a new report shows. This increased demand will be driven in the short term by the needs of data centres, according to the report by Pinergy and global insight business Wood Mackenzie. In the long term, it states that electricity demand growth will be […]
US confirms 15% tariff for EU includes pharmaceuticals and semiconductors
The White House has confirmed that the 15% tariff agreed between the European Union and the United States includes pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. There had been some confusion over whether or not the products were covered by the trade deal after President Donald Trump said on Sunday that pharma was not included. European Commission President Ursula […]
How the ‘sandwich generation’ are caught up in cost of living crisis
If society were a family, the sandwich generation would be the middle child: steady, responsible and too often overlooked. These are adults who simultaneously care for ageing parents and young children, all while managing household budgets, work commitments and rising living costs. As Ireland’s population grows older and childbirth happens later in life, more families […]
Why does it take so long to get big projects done in Ireland?
Last week, the Government unveiled its ambitious National Development Plan (NDP) Review 2025, committing nearly €100 billion toward transformative infrastructure by 2030. While this represents a watershed moment for Irish development policy, the nation’s track record on infrastructure delivery remains deeply problematic. Complex procurement processes, bureaucratic bottlenecks and protracted planning procedures routinely stall critical projects. […]
Explained: Is the EU-US trade deal good for Ireland?
While there is still a lot to be ironed out in the trade deal between the European Union and the United States, there’s a decent level of detail that has been announced. The deal ends months of uncertainty and avoids a full-blown trade war between the two blocs. What’s included in the deal? It introduces […]
The pros and cons of the local property tax
Analysis: With most house owners facing higher property tax bills, a look at the advantages and disadvantages of the tax introduced in 2013 By Gerard Turley, University of Galway The local property tax (LPT) is in the news again. Councillors in Dublin City Council (DCC) recently voted to raise the rate of tax next year, […]
EU-US deal will stabilise transatlantic trade, says Gill
The tariff deal between the EU and the US will secure, stabilise and grow transatlantic trade and investment relations, the European Commission’s Spokesperson on Trade has said. Olof Gill said both sides are “working very hard” to get the details of the agreement signed. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said the 15% tariffs was […]
Orbán says Trump ‘ate’ EU chief ‘for breakfast’ in trade talks
The framework trade agreement which the United States and the European Union signed yesterday is worse than the trade deal that the United Kingdom reached with the US earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said. The deal imposes a 15% import tariff on most EU goods – half the threatened rate. The US and […]
Flogas to increase variable electricity charges from August
Energy company Flogas is to increase its variable electricity charges by around 7%, with effect from 25 August. Flogas said this marks its first price increase in three years and comes after a 15% reduction in its electricity rates last year. The company said its residential natural gas customers are unaffected by the price hike. […]
Estate agents expect house prices to rise by 5% in next year
Estate agents who are members of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) expect national property prices to increase by an average of 5% over the next 12 months, a dip from the 6% forecast in January. According to the latest SCSI Residential Mid-Year Market Monitor, more than half of agents believe the key factor […]