Archive for September 2024

New research from Fáilte Ireland has found the crucial summer tourism season was a disappointing one for more than half of operators here. 53% of those industry providers had fewer customers this summer than last, with 23% reporting similar levels and 24% recording more. The data from the national tourism development authority also found that…

The State has completed the fourth auction under the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS 4). The process saw more than 2GWh of capacity provisionally procured, enough to power up to half a million homes. Four wind farms will provide 1,146 GWh of that total, coupled with solar projects that will generate 925GWh. The average weighted…

Australia plans to set a minimum age limit for children to use social media citing concerns about mental and physical health, sparking a backlash from digital rights advocates who warn the measure could drive dangerous online activity underground. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government would run an age verification trial before introducing age minimum…

A review of the stamp duty rate on the purchase of ten or more homes is not advocating for a hike in the 10% rate. RTÉ News has learned that the early draft of the Department of Finance’s review favours leaving the rate unchanged. The study of the rate commenced earlier this year following a…

Irish employers are least likely to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, according to new global research. The survey of 79,000 businesses across Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK was conducted by HR firm The Peninsula Group. The research found that employers in Australia and New Zealand are the most likely to…

Construction activity was flat for the second month in a row in August, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index from BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland. The construction PMI showed a reading of 50 – the no-change mark – and which was broadly in line with the figure of 49.9 posted in July. The latest…

Wind Energy Ireland said that wind generation here hit the highest on record for the month of August. Its figures show that wind power generation in August totalled 1,068 gigawatt-hours (GWh), an increase of 3% when compared to the previous record set during the same month last year at 1,042 GWh. Wind Energy Ireland said…

The domestic economy grew by almost 2% in the first six months of this year, according to latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. Today’s CSO figures show that personal spending on good and services are continuing to grow and rose by 1.1% in the second quarter of 2024. Wages grew in the quarter by…

77% of companies expect to grow their business in the next five years by developing new products and services, research from Deloitte shows. The survey of 128 businesses involved in ‘Ireland’s Best Managed Companies’ programme reveals that 63% plan to increase their headcount, while 56% are planning mergers and acquisitions. Just 2% of the companies…

Fixed broadband subscriber lines increased to 1.67 milllion between April and June, up over 3% on the same time last year. The latest data from the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) reveals that over 45% of these lines were fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP). This was up from 35% the same time last year. ComReg said FTTP is…