Archive for May 2021

There is ‘a very substantial number of customers’ who believe that banks handle their data securely, according to the chair of the Irish Banking Culture Board. The board launched the findings of two independent surveys of culture and trust levels in banks and the banking sector in Ireland. The survey of bank staff shows progress…

Nearly two thirds of businesses surveyed by InterTrade Ireland said they are in stable or growth mode, in a further sign that recovery is taking hold. Optimism levels were higher in the Republic of Ireland than in Northern Ireland with 65% of businesses here describing themselves as stable or in growth, compared to 56% of…

More than three quarters of businesses are planning to return employees to their workplaces within the next three months if Government guidelines allow, a new survey by the employer’s group Ibec has found. However, four out of every five respondent companies said they will operate a hybrid model of remote and onsite work to a…

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) successfully raised €1.5bn in an auction of benchmark Irish government bonds this morning. The three bonds, maturing in 2031, 2033 and 2050, were all sold with a positive yield, meaning the State will be paying it back with interest. The NTMA has now raised €12bn of its target of between…

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said he appreciates the urgency of Ireland’s housing situation, and he acknowledged that the Government must do more to alleviate the challenges faced by first time buyers. Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Paschal Donohoe said the Government is “absolutely aware and have been for some time of…

The annual rate of consumer inflation rose by 1.1% in April, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. This marks the first positive annual rate since March of last year. The main factors behind the prices increases last month were higher energy and fuel prices. On an annual basis, petrol is up…

55% of employees are looking to change roles in either the next six or 12 months or once the economy has strengthened, new research from HR firm Personio shows. Personio has urged businesses to prioritise their people as the country emerges from the pandemic, or risk paying the price. Today’s research finds that while 60%…

Remote working has the potential to bring economic, social and environmental benefits – but some enterprises may struggle with additional costs, according to the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council. In a new bulletin, the NCPC says enterprises could secure productivity and competitiveness benefits from remote working arrangements with a broader pool of talent, better retention…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show hous prices rose at their fastest rate in two years in March of this year. Rents are also increasing across the country. Property website, Daft.ie, found that listed monthly rents rose in the first three months of the year. Today’s CSO’s property price index shows that home…

Minister of State for Trade Robert Troy has said a more cost-effective and faster administrative process will be put in place before the summer to enable “viable, vulnerable” businesses to restructure. He said the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill targets small and micro business. They make up 90% of companies registered…