Budget 2025: Here’s what we know so far
The Budget for 2025 will be announced this afternoon. Coalition leaders met yesterday evening to finalise the details. Here’s what we know will be included so far. The point at which people pay the higher rate of tax of 40% is expected to increase from €42,000 to €44,000. This will be largely to take account […]
Auto-enrolment pension scheme to begin in September 2025
The Government’s new auto-enrolment pension scheme will begin on 30 September 2025. The new start date was agreed by the Cabinet this week, and revealed by the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme. The scheme will mean that 800,000 workers will be automatically added into a private pension scheme, […]
Asking prices for homes rose 3.1% in third quarter
Asking prices for homes across the country rose 3.1% between July and September, according to listings website Daft.ie. It brought the typical listed price for a property here to €344,848. That is an increase of 6.2% compared to the same period last year and more than a third more than at the beginning of the […]
Free schoolbook scheme set to be extended to senior cycle
The extension of the free schoolbook scheme to the senior cycle is among the measures set to be announced in tomorrow’s Budget, following Government discussions last night. Funding is also set to be provided for 1,500 more special needs assistants in schools. Free public transport will be introduced for the under-9s, in a move long […]
Auto-enrolment pension scheme to begin in September 2025
The Government’s new auto-enrolment pension scheme will begin on 30 September 2025. The new start date was agreed by the Cabinet this week, and revealed by the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme. The scheme will mean that 800,000 workers will be automatically added into a private pension scheme, […]
Consumer sentiment unchanged in September
Consumer sentiment remained broadly unchanged in September when compared to the previous month. The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Index found that while recent months saw an obvious improvement from the low levels of the previous two years, the upward momentum has stalled. “Irish consumers feel things are not getting notably worse, but there is little […]
Ireland ‘most phished’ country in the world, survey finds
Almost two-thirds of Irish adults have experienced phishing, making Ireland the most phished country in the world, according to new research. Phishing involves the sending of fraudulent emails designed to trick people into disclosing personal information. The Irish rate of phishing is almost twice the global average according to the Worldwide Independent Network of Market […]
Mortgage approvals fell 12.5% in August – BPFI
The number of mortgages approved in August fell by 12.5% when compared to July. New figures from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) show 4,650 mortgages received approval during the month. While that was down on the previous month, it was up by 2.6% on the same period last year. Of the total, 2,862 […]
‘Crucial’ zoned land tax implemented ‘immediately’, says ESRI
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has said it is “crucially important” the implementation of the Government’s residential zoned land tax proceeds “immediately”. The levy is due to take effect from February next year and in the coming days ministers are to discuss how it can be introduced without affecting active farmers. ESRI research […]
Inflation still a big concern for many, research finds
More than a quarter of households remain concerned about inflation, new research has found. That is despite the annual rate of inflation falling back to 1.7%, down more than four percentage points in the last year. After inflation, the Bank of Ireland Savings and Investment Index found the cost of housing and rent was the […]
Cabinet due to sign off on measures to increase housing grants
Older people and people with a disability are set to be eligible for increased housing grants under measures to be signed off by the Cabinet. A review of the housing adaptation grants overseen by Minister of State Alan Dillon has outlined a number of recommendations which would see an increase in grant limits, increases to […]
Tourism activity still 6% below pre-Covid levels – ITIC
Activity in the tourism industry still remains 6% below its pre-Covid levels, two years on from the start of the easing of the pandemic. That is according to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), which points out that while business levels remain subdued, costs have at the same time been soaring. The organisation claims the […]
Domestic economy to grow by 2.3% this year
The domestic economy looks set to grow by around 2.3% this year, a new forecast has predicted. The latest Economic Eye from EY also expects that modified domestic demand, considered the best measure of the performance of the domestic economy, will rise by a further 3.2% next year. This is despite an expected contraction of […]
Two-thirds of organisations to increase pay next year – survey
Two-thirds of organisations plan to increase salaries in 2025 which is down from the 86% that did so in 2024, according to a new survey. The latest HR Barometer from employment consultants Adare shows that the average planned salary increase next year is 3.6%, close to the 3.7% actual increase in 2024. The survey found […]
CIF says 60,000 houses a year needed to meet demand
The Construction Industry Federation is holding its annual conference in Croke Park in Dublin today, which will focus on addressing population growth. The CIF is calling for a greater allocation of ring-fenced capital as well as maintenance investment in Ireland’s water, wastewater and electricity infrastructure in Budget 2025. It says at least 60,000 houses a […]
Regulatory environment biggest issue facing growth of the funds sector, research finds
The regulatory environment and availability of the necessary talent are among the biggest factors influencing future growth of the funds and asset management industry here, a new study has found. 82% of firms surveyed said the domestic regulatory environment was among the top five factors impacting the expansion of the sector over the next five […]
Euro zone business activity contracts unexpectedly in September
Euro zone business activity contracted sharply and unexpectedly this month as the bloc’s dominant services industry flatlined while a downturn in manufacturing accelerated, a survey showed today. The downturn appeared broadbased with Germany, Europe’s largest economy, seeing its decline deepen while France – the currency union’s second biggest – returned to contraction following August’s Olympics […]
Homes being sold for 10% more than asking prices
Bank of Ireland said new analysis shows that competition for homes intensified during the summer with almost 40% of transactions now being settled at a minimum 10% premium over the original asking price. The bank noted that the average mortgage approval for house purchase was €318,300 in July, up 6.2%. Bank of Ireland said this […]