Battery storage could cut electricity bills by €35m this winter
Operators of battery storage power plants say they could cut up to €35m off energy bills on the island of Ireland this winter if they were allowed to sell electricity onto the wholesale market. At the moment the energy storage plants are kept in reserve to provide emergency back up for the power grid. The […]
Profits at motor insurers rose to record €176m in 2021
Motor insurers here saw their combined operating profits increase to a record level for the fifth straight year in a row last year, as lower levels of activity on the roads due to the pandemic led to fewer claims. Operating profits in 2021 climbed to €176m, up €5m on the previous year, new data from […]
40% of consumers plan to make Black Friday purchase
Just under 40% of consumers plan to make a purchase in the Black Friday sales, according to new research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. On average, these consumers are set to spend €400. The findings show that over 80% plan on researching the advertised discount of the item before buying, with those over […]
Grocery inflation hits new high of 13.4% – Kantar
Grocery inflation rose to another record-breaking high of 13.4% in the last 12 weeks to October 30, new figures from Kantar show today. Kantar said that grocery sales for the 12 week period increased by 4.7% on the back of a 4.3% rise in shoppers returning to stores and an 8.7% increase in price per […]
90% of insurance reform actions done or ongoing – Govt
The Government will outline progress made on insurance reform later today, when it publishes its third Insurance Reform Implementation Report. It states that around 90% of actions in its Action Plan for Insurance Reform have been completed or are ongoing. Sinn Féin however has criticised the plan, saying that premiums for businesses and voluntary organisations […]
Tourism businesses called on to drive climate action
The Minister for Tourism will call on businesses in the sector to engage with sustainability targets for the sector, as it seeks to cut emissions as part of the Climate Action Plan. Catherine Martin will address over 200 tourism businesses at a climate action conference in Croke Park this morning, organised by Fáilte Ireland. The […]
Falling foul of price hikes – turkeys set to cost more this Christmas
Consumers are being advised that they will have to pay more for a turkey this year for Christmas. Farmer and journalist Hannah Quinn-Mulligan said an average 13lb (6kg) turkey is likely to cost close to €60 compared to around €52 last year. Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, she said the price jump is due to […]
Annual rate of inflation up to 9.2% in October
The annual rate of inflation rose to 9.2% in October, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show today. This compares to an annual rate of 8.2% in September and marks the highest rate of inflation since June 1984 when inflation was 9.7%. The CSO noted that consumer prices have been rising on an annual […]
EU agrees law to remove CO2 with woodlands, other carbon sinks
The European Union has agreed to a law to expand its forests, marshes and other “sinks” that absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), a measure that could allow the bloc to raise its target for cutting net emissions of greenhouse gases. Negotiators of the European Parliament and the European Council, which represents EU governments, agreed to a […]
ISME launches new Shop and Support Local campaign
ISME has today launched its 2022 Shop Local campaign calling on shoppers and businesses to “Think, Spend and Support Local”. The campaign has been developed to promote products and services from SMEs across Ireland. The focus of the campaign is for consumers to “Think Local” before they buy, then “Spend Locally” and “Support” with recommendations […]
Personal loan drawdowns jump 12%, BPFI report reveals
Just over 47,000 personal loans were drawn down in the third quarter of this year, up over 12% in volume and 11% in value when compared to the same period last year. The figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) show that both the volume and value of drawdowns between July and September reached […]
Insurance policies could be impacted by exit of banks, Insurance Ireland warns
Insurers have urged customers of Ulster Bank and KBC Bank Ireland to be aware of the risks for their insurance and pension policies posed by the departure of the two lenders. Insurance Ireland said customers of the banks whose policies are paid by direct debit need to be sure to update the payment details and […]
Commission proposes changes to EU’s debt rules
The European Commission has proposed changes to the EU’s onerous debt rules that would allow member states to negotiate their own debt reduction path, using the carrot of more flexibility if governments introduce reforms and investment. The Irish Government is understood to be supportive of the measures. The new measures will form part of the […]
Wages rise at over three times their pre-pandemic rate, study finds
Wages are going up at more than three times their pre-pandemic rate across euro area countries, according to a new study published by the Central Bank. However, the study also finds that wage growth may have levelled off in some countries as employers face “an increasingly uncertain and deteriorating economic outlook”. Central Bank economist Reamonn […]
Overseas tourism to Ireland expected to reach 75% of 2019 figure
International travel has recovered quickly from the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, with overseas tourism to Ireland this year expected to reach 75% of the 2019 figures – a year which saw more than 11 million overseas visits to the island and revenue of nearly €6bn. Despite challenges, research in ten key markets shows the desire […]
ECB to continue raising rates even as economy suffers
The European Central Bank will continue to raise borrowing costs even as the euro zone economy suffers because letting inflation stay high would be even more painful, two top ECB policymakers said today. The ECB has been raising interest rates at a record pace and steering investors towards more hikes ahead to bring double-digit inflation […]
‘Positive response’ to second Eurogroup term – Donohoe
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said eurozone finance ministers have agreed that an election to appoint the president of the Eurogroup will take place on 5 December 5, with a deadline of 24 November for prospective candidates to put their names forward. Mr Donohoe said he was “very privileged” to have received the support […]
Agri-food exports hit €15.4 billion last year
Irish agri-food exports were worth €15.4 billion in 2021, an increase of 51% since 2012, new figures show today. Irish produce was exported to more than 180 countries with the largest export being dairy, which exceeded €5 billion for the third year in a row. Agri-food exports accounted for 9.5% of total goods exports from […]