Archive for March 2024

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the rate of household saving fell slightly in the last three months of 2023 and in the year as a whole as inflation continued to drive consumption during the year. Today’s figures show that the Household Saving Rate eased to 10.19% in the fourth quarter of…

The Central Bank told the Department of Finance a scheme for mortgage interest relief would almost exclusively benefit homeowners aged over 40 who were the least likely to have challenges paying back their home loan. In an analysis of Government plans to help mortgage holders in last year’s budget, the Central Bank said the scheme…

The Central Bank has revised downwards slightly its forecasts for growth in the domestic economy this year, but still expects that it will continue to grow at a moderate pace over the next three years. The bank is now predicting that Modified Domestic Demand (MDD) will expand by 2.2% this year, down from its forecast…

The European Central Bank is increasingly confident that inflation is coming down, but should still hold off on an interest rate cut until June, Slovak Governing Council member Peter Kazimir said today. The ECB held rates unchanged at a record high last week, but its chief Christine Lagarde said discussions over easing policy have begun…

One in every five car owners are planning to get rid of their car over the coming years, new research has found. The rising cost of running a car is among the big drivers, the survey discovered, with almost two thirds citing this as an influence on their decision. However, just over three quarters said…

Construction activity continued to contract in February, but at a slower pace than a month earlier, new data shows. The BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction Index climbed to 47.4, up from 45.9 in January. With any score under 50 representing a contraction, that was the weakest rate of decline in five months. Residential construction…

Three quarters of Irish consumers feel they are doing as much as they can, within their means, to be sustainable, a new survey from EY has found. The research also discovered that more than half of Irish households think energy providers and Government should take the leading role in the shift to cleaner energy. Just…

The Chief Executive of Bord na Móna has said the Oweninny Wind Farm, which is set to be Ireland’s largest onshore wind farm, represents a “significant step” towards meeting the country’s renewable energy targets. The Oweninny project is a joint venture between ESB and Bord na Móna representing a total investment of €320m. Wind energy…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the seasonally adjusted Live Register total for February fell by 1.2% to 174,600 people, a decrease of 2,100 from January. The CSO said the unadjusted Live Register total stood at 173,982 people for February. Today’s figures show that 35-44 age group made up the largest number…

Finance Minister Michael McGrath has today confirmed that NAMA will complete its wind-down by the end of 2025 while the Special Liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) is on track to “substantially” conclude by the end of this year. The National Asset Management Agency was set up in 2009 to clean the property crash…