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A new consultation has been launched on strengthening the rights of employees in Ireland. Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar is seeking views on an EU directive on employment law. One of the considerations is putting limits on the length of probation people have to serve when starting a new job.…

Hospitality was one of the industries worst affected by the Covid crisis, or to put it in the words of Adrian Cummins of the Restaurant Association of Ireland, “It was economically flattened”. Hotels and restaurants have had to navigate lockdowns and restrictions and Covid safety guidelines, but as they reopen, they are facing another challenge…

The State will end up spending €41 billion on pandemic supports, according to a paper from the Tax Strategy Group. The paper also says future changes to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) will require an employer to make a contribution to employee wages. The Tax Strategy Group (TSG) is made up of civil servants…

Residential property prices rose on an annual basis by 8.6% – the fastest annual pace in three years – in July, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. The figures also show that the number of property transactions is now back to pre-pandemic levels. Today’s figures from the CSO show not only…

Most investors are ‘going digital’, with new research revealing that 56% of those surveyed make investments online. The survey commissioned by the Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) reveals that almost 80% said they invest for better long-term returns on their money. Meanwhile, almost half were motivated to invest due to current low interest rates.…

Family run businesses employ nearly 1 million people in Ireland – and collectively are one of the biggest employers in the country. The National Family Business Sentiment Report 2021 shows that they want to employ more people. Eight out of 10 family businesses hope to hire new employees in the coming 12 months if there…

Earlier this month, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien told Prime Time that the Government’s proposed shared equity scheme, a core part of the recently published Housing For All plan, had been approved by the Central Bank. But the Central Bank has indicated that the scheme, which could see the State paying up to 30% of the…

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has said the economy is recovering ‘swiftly’ but government spending plans for the upcoming Budget are “at the limit of what is prudent”. In its pre-Budget Statement, published today, the budgetary watchdog also warns there is a one-in-four risk that government debt could end up on an unsustainable path. The…

The Central Bank has approved a new fund that will facilitate credit unions to get involved in the delivery of social and affordable housing around the country. The Credit Union Approved Housing Body Fund will oversee up to €800 million investment in social and affordable homes with an initial €200 million being deployed over the…

The Minister for Finance has said that forecasts now indicate the country will get back to pre-pandemic levels of employment and broader economic performance by around 2023, but he is increasingly hopeful progress could be quicker. Paschal Donohoe also said the country has made enormous progress with its economic and public health since March of…