Posts by sean

The European Parliament has voted to retain the current three-hour delay threshold for flight compensation as part of proposed reforms to EU airline passenger rights. The decision was taken during a plenary session and also included support for a number of amendments, including clearer rules around carry-on luggage. Despite the vote, any changes remain some…

New figures from the Central Statistics Office indicate that residential property price growth continued to ease in November, with prices rising by 6.6% in the year to the end of the month. This marks a slowdown from the revised annual increase of 7.2% recorded in October. On a month-to-month basis, national residential property prices increased…

A new survey from Ibec suggests that skills shortages have become one of the most pressing challenges facing Irish employers, with more than four in five firms reporting gaps that are damaging productivity, innovation and competitiveness. The 2025 Skills Survey indicates that the disconnect between the skills available in the labour market and those required…

Elon Musk has publicly raised the idea of acquiring Ryanair, as his ongoing dispute with the airline’s leadership continues to attract attention. The proposal surfaced through a poll posted on X, the platform owned by Mr Musk, where he asked followers whether he should buy the airline and reinstate “Ryan” as its leader. The comments…

Wind Energy Ireland is set to launch a new strategy at its 2026 Annual Conference in Dublin, outlining a proposed roadmap towards what it describes as an Irish “electrostate”. The concept centres on an energy system powered by secure, affordable, domestically produced clean electricity. Chief Executive Noel Cunniffe explained that an electrostate would deliver cleaner…

Gold prices surged to a new record today, moving beyond $4,700 per ounce for the first time, as renewed geopolitical tensions unsettled global markets and pushed investors toward traditional safe-haven assets. The rally comes amid fresh threats from US President Donald Trump to impose additional tariffs on European allies, reigniting fears of an escalation in…

Permanent TSB has announced further reductions to its fixed-rate mortgage offerings, cutting rates by as much as 0.45% across a range of products. The revised rates take effect immediately and are available to both new and existing personal customers. This marks the sixth round of fixed-rate mortgage reductions introduced by the bank since December 2023.…

Ireland continues to hold its position as Europe’s most active data protection enforcer, according to the latest annual Data Breach Survey published by DLA Piper. Since the introduction of GDPR in May 2018, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has issued fines totalling €4.04 billion, placing it well ahead of all other EU regulators. The report shows…

European leaders are taking an early lead at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, as renewed trade tensions with the United States cast a long shadow over the annual gathering. The focus is firmly on the prospect of new US tariffs, linked to an escalating dispute involving Greenland, which threatens to strain already…

The combined wealth of billionaires worldwide increased by an estimated $2.5 trillion last year, according to new research from Oxfam. The findings were published to coincide with the opening of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and highlight the growing gap between the wealthiest individuals and the wider population. In Ireland, the report estimates that…