Posts by sean

Irish retailers have welcomed a European Union proposal to add a €2 flat fee on all packages coming from outside the bloc. Yesterday EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič told the European Parliament that ecommerce platforms outside the EU would be expected to add the fee, which would go towards the costs customs officials face in…

Britain suffered a bigger-than-expected inflation surge in April, including in areas watched closely by the Bank of England which investors now believe will have to slow its already gradual pace of interest rate cuts. Inflation leapt to 3.5% in April from 2.6% in March, the Office for National Statistics said, the highest reading since January…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that residential property prices rose by 7.5% in the year to March, down from the 8% rise recorded in the previous month. The CSO said the median price of a home bought in the 12 months to March was €362,500. The highest median price was €665,000 in…

ECB policymakers will need to get a clearer picture of the effects of US and EU trade policies on inflation before they can decide whether interest rates need to be cut in June, ECB governing council member Klaas Knot said. “I can’t exclude we will decide to have another rate cut in June, but I…

Greenhouse gas emissions from Ireland’s usage of energy are now at their lowest level for more than 30 years after falling for a third consecutive year. The reduction was 1.3% in 2024. This means energy emissions in Ireland are now 11% lower than when carbon emissions targets were introduced in 2021. Director of Research and…

The Government has launched a new national semiconductor strategy which aims to boost employment in the sector by 34,500 jobs by 2024. Semiconductors, sometimes referred to as microchips, are used in everything from smartphones and computers, to the latest quantum computing and AI technology. The semiconductor sector in Ireland currently has more than 130 indigenous…

Ireland’s deep economic ties to the US pose “notable downward risks” to the economy despite 3.4% GDP growth this year, according to the European Commission’s Spring economic forecast. The report warns that further US tariffs on pharmaceuticals could dampen investment and cause “significant downside risks” with the economy “vulnerable” to further protectionist policies by the…

There was a 15% rise in motor liability claims among pedestrians last year, while motorcyclists account for just 2% of personal injury claims but represent one in ten fatal claims. Those are among the findings from the Injuries Resolution Board’s latest report, which reviews motor liability accidents and claims in Ireland between 2019 and 2024.…

Average asking prices for rents nationally rose by 3.4% between January and March of this year, going above €2,000 for the first time, according to the latest report from property website Daft. The findings indicate the latest increase is one of the largest in any three months in the last two decades, with average prices…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that 79.8% of people said they got information on news and current affairs from TV or radio on a typical day in 2023. This was followed by newspapers/magazines, both in print and online at 77.7%, and social media at 71.2%. The CSO figures form part of the…