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MEPs to vote on minimum energy standards for buildings across EU

MEPs will vote later today on proposals to set minimum energy standards for buildings across the EU. Among the changes, the heating and cooling of new buildings will have to result in zero emissions from 2028 onwards. The energy rating of existing residential buildings will have to meet a minimum E rating by 2030 and […]

Finance Ireland to increase fixed mortgage rates by up to 0.75%

Non-bank lender, Finance Ireland, is increasing its fixed mortgage rates by up to 0.75%. The company said 5-year fixed rates will increase by 0.5%, while 3-year fixed rates will rise by 0.75%. The changes will take place from this Thursday. But the lender said that customers who have a loan offer by then will have […]

Fall in workplaces trialling four-day week, survey finds

There has been a fall in the number of companies implementing or trialling a four-day working week, according to a new survey. The study by recruitment company Hays Ireland shows that the number of workplaces that have either implemented or are trialling a four-day working week has dropped from 6% in 2022 to 3.5% in […]

In the money – Irish banks are boosted by rates bounce

The banking sector has been no stranger to dramatic developments in recent years. Indeed, the past 15 months have not been without their fair share of twists, which were reflected in the annual results of the main banks which were published over the last few weeks. As 2022 kicked off, the industry was still grappling […]

Hotels almost sold out for St Patrick’s weekend despite high prices

Hotel rooms in Dublin city are almost completely sold out ahead of St Patrick’s Day, with rooms also in demand for the Six Nations championship and Mother’s Day the same weekend. The Irish Hotel’s Federation (IHF) said there is only approximately 1% availability left, while room prices in the capital have jumped by 18% over […]

Irish mortgage rates increase in January after ECB hikes

Mortgage rates went up in January reflecting some of the effect of successive interest rate rises from the European Central Bank. New data from the Central Bank also shows an average gap between the variable rates charged by the main banks and non-bank lenders of just over 1%. The average interest rate on new mortgages […]

Warning issued about serious rise in investment scams

Consumers have been warned of a serious rise in highly convincing investment scams that are being carried out by fraudsters. The scams are particularly targeted at those over the age of 55, with a minimum investment of €20,000 or more. The FraudSMART awareness initiative from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) says the scams […]

Households saving rate stays high at 20% in Q4 – CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that households’ saving remained high during the last three months of 2022. The CSO said the Households Saving Rate stood at 20% in the fourth quarter of 2022 as people continued the higher rate of saving begun during the Covid pandemic. Before adjusting for seasonality or inflation, […]

23% of consumers struggling with higher grocery prices

Nearly a quarter of consumers are struggling to make ends meet due to rising grocery prices, according to research conducted on behalf of Love Irish Food. The study, carried out by Kantar, found that 23% of consumers are facing difficulties in covering the cost of shopping due to the jump in prices in the past […]

US and EU to begin talks on free-trade-like status

US President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to agree to begin negotiations on ensuring free-trade agreement-like status for the European Union, according to sources. The leaders are set to meet in Washington tomorrow. Reuters reported last week that the United States and EU were working to make European […]

Central Bank forecasts inflation to fall to 5% this year

Inflation is forecast to fall to 5% this year and household incomes are expected to improve, according to the Central Bank. In its latest Quarterly Bulletin, the bank expects the domestic economy to grow by just over 3% this year. It thinks inflation will be lower this year, due to falling energy prices, and expects […]

Temporary changes to how BIK is charged on company cars and vans

The Government has announced temporary changes to how Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) is charged on company cars and vans, after complaints that reforms introduced at the start of the year were leading to big increases in tax bills for those driving them. The changes that took effect from January 1st saw a shift to a new BIK […]

1 in 12 private vehicles in Ireland are uninsured – MIBI

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) will tell an Oireachtas committee later today that Ireland may now have the highest level of uninsured vehicles in the EU. The MIBI said the level of uninsured vehicles here is now three times that of the UK and four times that found across the EU and EEA. […]

87% of women feel more burnt-out at work since pandemic

The survey was carried out among 1,000 women and men across Ireland, with the findings published today to mark International Women’s Day. The data suggests that maintaining work-life balance post-pandemic is proving harder for women. Overall, three-quarters of those surveyed said demands on their personal time and daily routine at work have changed since the […]

Rising costs set to impact summer holiday plans for most

74% of Irish consumers expect rising costs to impact their summer holiday plans for this year, according to new research by global tech company Wise. When respondents factored in travel, accommodation and general spending, they expect to spend on average €2,800. Half of those surveyed plan to use their savings to pay for their trip, […]

More work needed on women moving into senior leadership roles

Listed companies here have on average 32% female representation at board level, new figures from the Balance for Better Business Review Group show. For the first time, Ireland is included in the list of top 10 countries in the EU for female board representation. However, the pace of progress in achieving gender balance at the […]

Grocery price inflation hits new record high of 16.4%

Shoppers spent an additional €113.56 per buyer in the 12 weeks to February 19 compared with the same time last year, new figures from Kantar show today. The increase comes as grocery price inflation hit a new record high of 16.4% in the latest 12 week period, up from a rate of 2.4% the same […]

Local Enterprise Week kicks takes place against challenging commercial backdrop

Up to 10,000 business people, and those hoping to establish a business, are expected to take part in more than 300 events over the coming days to mark Local Enterprise Week. The events are being organised by the network of Local Enterprise Offices around the country, which provide advice, information and support to individuals setting […]