Archive for November 2020

With just 35 days to Brexit, a new survey from Enterprise Ireland reveals a worrying lack of customs preparedness by Irish companies. A survey by IHS Markit of 600 companies in Ireland, along with analysis of companies which have completed Enterprise Ireland’s Brexit Readiness Checker, shows that 52% of companies view customs and logistics as…

A new survey shows that the isolation of staff and a lack of cohesion of teams who are working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic are among the chief concerns of business leaders.  The survey from the Institute of Directors in Ireland shows that only 12% of respondents expressed concern about remote working productivity rates, which…

The Central Bank has today left its key rules on mortgage lending unchanged and also extended its relaxation of certain regulations on bank reserves into next year. However, the Governor of the Central Bank warned the situation facing the economy is still “very challenging” with “heightened uncertainty” over the implications of higher corporate and sovereign…

The line between work and home life has blurred for many over the past few months.  While there are countless benefits to remote working, turning your home environment into an office can make it harder to switch off at the end of the day.  With email and text alerts pinging on mobile phones and other…

The European Central Bank has said if governments withdraw financial support from households and companies too early, it could “set back the economic recovery”.  In its latest Financial Stability Review published today, the ECB says “vulnerabilities in the corporate sector are increasing as the pandemic evolves”. This could “test the resilience of euro area banks…

Britain’s independent fiscal watchdog, the Office of Budget Responsibility, has said a no-deal Brexit at the end of this year will cut economic growth and increase unemployment. In addition to economic damage caused by Covid-19, which has already caused the biggest fall in UK economic output since 1709, it said a no-deal Brexit will also push up the…

A draft report from the Oireachtas Transport Committee has recommended that a traffic light system for countries outside the EU be developed before Christmas. The draft report, on issues affecting the aviation industry, has recommended 19 actions in total. It is due to be formally published later this week. Among the changes recommended is to…

Last week, I spoke about making cents this Christmas. The expression ‘things are tight at Christmas’ resonates with many of us at this time though the lockdowns have precluded many from spending and there have been sizeable savings locked away. Bernard Manning once quipped: “For Christmas this year I gave my kids a set of…

The Government has decided to extend two measures which were brought in to help businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.  The Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) will now stay open for new applications until the end of June. It had been due to close at the end of the year.  The suspension of redundancy provisions relating…

The Taoiseach has said that Brexit amounts to the most significant fundamental economic change the country has faced in 50 years. Speaking at Dublin Port, Micheál Martin said he remains hopeful that a deal can be struck, adding it is in the best interests of Ireland, the UK and the European Union. He warned that,…