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Bank of England Expected to Begin Rate Cuts in December
A new survey of economists suggests that the Bank of England is likely to reduce interest rates in December, followed by another cut early next year. This marks a shift from expectations only a month ago, when many analysts believed rates would remain unchanged for the rest of 2025. The December decision will come shortly…
Read MoreUK Inflation Slows in October, Offering Some Relief for Policymakers
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that consumer price inflation in the UK eased to 3.6 percent in October, down from 3.8 percent in September. This marks the first decline since May and provides a modest boost for both the government and the Bank of England, which had anticipated a slowdown. The…
Read MoreConsumers Show Strong Preference for .ie Retailers and Website-Based Shopping
New research suggests that Irish consumers continue to place significant trust in established websites when shopping online. The survey, carried out by Core Research on behalf of .ie, found that three in four people prefer to make purchases through traditional websites rather than social media platforms. Almost three in five respondents also said they were…
Read MorePublic Consultation Opens on the Right to Request Remote Working
The Government has begun a public consultation inviting individuals, employers and interested organisations to share their views on how the right to request remote working is functioning in practice. The current framework, which took effect in March 2024, places a clear obligation on both employers and employees to follow a code of practice issued by…
Read MoreEU Forecast Signals Exceptional Irish Growth in 2025
The latest Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast from the European Commission points to a remarkable surge in Ireland’s economic performance next year. Gross domestic product is expected to expand by 10.7 percent in 2025, driven primarily by strong export activity recorded during the first half of the year. This sharp rise is expected to be short…
Read MoreGrocery Sales Strengthen as Food Price Inflation Eases
New industry data shows that grocery inflation in Ireland has slowed to 6.06 percent in the twelve weeks to 2 November, down from 6.6 percent in the previous period. Despite continued price pressures, overall take home grocery sales increased by 5.5 percent in the four weeks to early November, according to figures from Worldpanel by…
Read MoreWhy Hiring Processes Now Involve So Many Rounds of Interviews
Many jobseekers are finding that recruitment has become a marathon rather than a sprint. Roles that carry any real responsibility or competitive salary often involve several stages of screening, from online tests and case studies to panel interviews and culture-fit meetings. Some of these steps focus on technical ability, others on personality and values, yet…
Read MorePension Auto Enrolment Deadline Approaches for Employers
The Government’s new auto enrolment system, My Future Fund, is due to begin on 1 January 2026, and employers are being urged to prepare now. The final chance to have eligible employees entered into an existing pension scheme is the November 2025 payroll. Anyone not already enrolled at that point will be automatically included in…
Read MoreICCL Lodges Complaint Over European Commission’s Use of Generative AI
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has submitted a formal complaint to the European Ombudsman, raising concerns about the European Commission’s use of generative artificial intelligence in official documentation. The issue came to light after an access to documents request revealed that at least one hyperlink in a Commission response had been produced using OpenAI’s…
Read MoreGovernment Defends Decision to Drop Annual Housing Targets in New National Plan
The Government has moved to defend its decision to remove annual delivery targets from its latest housing strategy, arguing that rigid yearly numbers can distract from long-term progress. Minister for Housing James Browne said that data on housing completions will still be published each year, but that fixed annual benchmarks are not always the most…
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