Archive for March 2025

Minister for Housing James Browne is to allocate €436m for social housing needs this year. This includes capital funding allocations of €325m to be used by local authorities for the second-hand social housing acquisitions programme. €111m has also been allocated for 82 new social housing projects which will provide over 1,300 newly built homes, delivered…

The new legal requirement for motorists to provide their driver number when renewing or taking out motor insurance is in effect. It is now an offence for any insurance provider or broker to issue motor insurance to anyone if the driver numbers for all the named drivers on their policy are not provided. Drivers who…

A new jobseeker’s payment that is linked to a person’s previous earnings is due to begin. People who become unemployed, and who have at least five years’ paid PRSI contributions, will be entitled to receive 60% of their earnings, subject to a maximum of €450 a week for the first 13 weeks. After that, the…

The Minister for Finance has said he is “extremely concerned” about the potential impact of proposed United States tariffs on pharmaceutical exports, warning they could deliver a major blow to Ireland’s economy. Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time programme, Paschal Donohoe said the Government is preparing for “real and significant” difficulties if US President Donald Trump…

New figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland show that first time buyer and mover purchase values reached their highest levels on record at €322,050 and €375,495 respectively in February. Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland’s latest Mortgage Approvals Report shows that the number of mortgages approved rose by 0.7% month-on-month in February, but were…

A new property survey for the first quarter of this year shows that the average price of a resale property in Dublin stands at €593,936, an increase of over €50,000 since the end of March 2024. The latest residential market review from estate agents DNG shows the average price of a resale property in Dublin…

The Economic and Social Research Institute has said there is a “clear need” for reform of rent controls. In its Quarterly Economic Commentary, the ESRI said the existing system causes frequent confusion regarding what increases landlords are permitted to implement. It said rents are not allowed to rise “in real terms” when account is taken…

US President Donald Trump has said the US will be introducing tariffs on pharmaceuticals, specifically citing Ireland among the countries where many pharmaceutical products are made. Speaking in the Oval Office last night, Mr Trump said the tariffs on pharmaceuticals are aimed at bringing the pharmaceutical industry back to the US, claiming the US does…

Thousands of Irish people who worked in the UK and paid the equivalent of our social insurance, could be entitled to access a British pension. More than 250,000 Irish people may be due to benefit from a significant pension boost, some of whom who have already applied could also be in a position to top…

Just over half (3,404) of the 6,185 complaints made to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) last year were about banking, with customer service and disputed transactions the main reasons for such complaints. Despite this, the 2024 FSPO Complaints Overview says the number of banking complaints was down by 12% on the previous year.…