Residential vacancy rate falls to new low of 3.8%
The national residential vacancy rate fell to a new low of 3.8% in the final three months of last year. New figures from GeoDirectory and EY show that the west of Ireland had the highest vacancy rates. Leitrim topped the list at under 12%, followed by Mayo at 10.6% and Roscommon at 10.3%. The lowest […]
€1.5m fund for not-for-profits working in communities
A €1.5 million fund to foster inclusive, resilient communities and strengthen social cohesion across Ireland has been announced. The fund, run by Rethink Ireland, in partnership with law firm Mason Hayes & Curran and the Department of Rural and Community Development, will provide cash grants and business support to not-for-profits working in communities nationwide. The […]
Data centres to be required to make their carbon emissions public
Data centres are going to be required to make public their carbon emissions and use of renewables, under a new draft policy from the regulator responsible for the energy sector. The proposal is part of a decision published by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in an effort to provide “clarity” for the sector. […]
Record employment levels in state agency supported firms
New figures show that jobs in client companies of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta, are now at their highest ever level, at over 546,763 jobs, which is a 1.3% increase on 2023 figures. The Annual Employment Survey 2024 shows there was a fall in job gains last year. Gross job gains for […]
Household spending pace accelerates in January
Bank of Ireland said its customers increased their debit and credit card spending in January, with the pace of household spending growing by 6.1%, up from 4.5% in December. The bank’s consumer spending trends research shows a surge in summer holiday planning, with travel agencies reporting a 50% increase in sales from December, while airline […]
Exports hit record level of €224 billion last year, with exports to US up 34% – CSO
Exports of goods from Ireland to the US surged by 34% last year, driven by a significant rise in pharmaceuticals, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show. President Donald Trump is examining placing tariffs on drug products sold to the US which could have significant ramifications for manufacturers here. Overall Ireland had an […]
Cabinet to discuss move to allow local authorities zone more land for housing
Local authorities will be able to zone more land for housing under changes to the National Planning Framework which will be discussed by a Cabinet committee later. The Cabinet Committee on Housing will examine immediate Government priorities in advance of the publication of a new comprehensive housing plan later this year. Tomorrow, a move to […]
Grid capacity prevents more wind energy savings
Spending on gas for electricity in Ireland was cut by almost one billion euro last year, as wind energy supplied 32 per cent of Ireland’s electricity. Irish wind farms saved €748 million euro on gas, which would have been predominantly imported, and a further €268 million in carbon credits in Ireland. An additional €213 million […]
EU poll shows strong support for AI protections at work
A new Europe-wide survey shows strong public support for EU action to address the risks and maximise the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. The European Commission Eurobarometer surveyed 1,006 people in Ireland, as part of 26,400 in total across the EU, about their attitudes to the use of AI and the future […]
Reduced VAT rate should concentrate on food and catering sectors – Donohoe
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that the promised VAT reduction for the hospitality sector should be “concentrated on the food and catering” sectors. Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty asked whether the rate would drop to 11% or 9% as no number was specified in the Programme for Government. The Minister told the Dáil […]
Euro zone industry shrinks faster than feared in December
Euro zone industrial production shrank by more than expected in December, indicating that the sector’s two-year recession is far from over even if some sentiment and order figures have pointed to bottoming out. Output in the 20 nations sharing the euro was down by 1.1% in December from the previous month, data from Eurostat showed […]
The price of romance on the rise, CSO figures show
New analysis from the Central Statistics Office has found that the cost of a typical St Valentine’s Day gift or night out has increased over the last five years. The CSO said its research was based on a comparison of prices collected in February 2020 and December 2024. It found that while a bottle of […]
Irish mortgage rates at lowest level since April 2023 – Central Bank
New figures from the Central Bank show that the average interest rate on new Irish mortgages in December fell to 3.8% – the lowest rate since April 2023 – and down from 3.97% in November. The Central Bank said the equivalent euro area average decreased by eight basis points to 3.35% in December. It noted […]
Introduction of tariffs not good for Ireland, IDA chief told
Briefings for the CEO of the IDA said he needed to be prepared for questions on President Donald Trump’s plans for tariffs which were described as “counterproductive” and “in no ones’ interests.” In Q&As and other documents from late last year, Michael Lohan was advised to emphasise that Ireland needed to focus on what “it […]
Rents should be freely adjusted between tenancies, OECD recommends
Rents should be freely adjusted between tenancies in a significant change to existing restrictions, a major new report on Ireland by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recommended. The finding comes as the Government reviews existing limits on how much tenants pay as there are concerns they are discouraging institutional investors from […]
Irish CEOs optimistic about economy’s growth this year
Three quarters of Irish CEOs expect economic growth to pick up in the coming year, according to the latest CEO Survey from PwC. That compares to 50% of Irish CEOs last year, and is a significant improvement on the 2020 low of 16%. Almost two thirds of business leaders here also expect the global economy […]
Tánaiste to attend EU trade meeting on US tariffs
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris will join an emergency meeting of EU trade ministers via video conference later to respond to US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on European steel and aluminium imports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned the tariffs and promised “firm and proportionate” countermeasures, although […]
Flexible work remains essential for attracting talent – study
Recruitment firm Cpl has released its salary guide for 2025 detailing the expected pay levels for a wide range of roles across 20 different sectors. The guide is also emphasising that financial incentives alone no longer suffice and that flexible working remains an essential offering when it comes to attracting top talent. According to Cpl, […]