Posts by sean

There was a 12.1% fall in the number of new home completions in the first quarter of this year, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office. The CSO reported a total of 5,841 new dwelling completions between the months of January, February and March of this year; down from 6,647 in the first…

The outstanding debt owned by businesses that availed of Revenue’s debt warehousing scheme stood at €1.58 billion this week, according to the tax commissioners in their annual report for 2023. The scheme was introduced to assist businesses that experienced cash-flow and trading difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was announced earlier this year that the…

A Central Bank review of the supports that are in place for borrowers experiencing early mortgage arrears has found they need to be improved. The analysis looked at the effectiveness of the system those experiencing difficulty must navigate, focusing in particular on the supports, resources and service levels that exist to assist consumers in financial…

A survey of businesses that signed up to a pledge to improve diversity and inclusion in their workplaces has found higher levels of female participation at senior and executive levels compared to the national average. The ‘Elevate Report’ from Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) found 40% female representation at senior and executive roles, higher…

Employment and social welfare supports during the Covid pandemic helped to stabilise the labour market but inequalities persist, according to a new study from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). The research explored the equality impact of the pandemic on the labour market, comparing the…

New laws to tackle money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions evasion are due to be voted on by the European Parliament. The proposed legislation would place increased surveillance on professional football clubs and individuals worth more than €50 million, excluding their main home. A new anti-money laundering authority will also be established. The Government had…

Consumers want to make sustainable choices but cost and other practicalities take priority, new research shows. The survey of 1,000 people from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) looks at the role sustainability plays for consumers making decisions on a number of products. When asked about the factors that influence their decision when buying a…

European Central Bank officials are sticking to plans to cut interest rates multiple times this year, even as higher US inflation delays a pivot to looser policy by the US Federal Reserve and tensions in the Middle East keep oil prices high. Investors are rethinking what they expected to be a global easing cycle after…

Taoiseach Simon Harris said today there is capacity to build 60,000 homes a year and there is a need to continue the supply of new homes. Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, he said that almost 33,000 home were completed last year. “I said we would build 250,000 more houses between 2025 and 2030. And…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that wholesale electricity were 40.3% lower in March of this year compared to the same time last year. The CSO said that wholesale electricity prices in March 2024 were also 76.6% lower than in August 2022 when prices were at their highest since the CSO began looking…