Author: Practicenet

Just over 2000 new social houses built by local authorities last year

Just over 2,200 new social houses were built by local authorities last year, less than forecast by the Department of Housing. But the Government has insisted that it has exceeded its target to provide homes to people on council waiting lists – last year, some 25,892 homes or tenancies were supported by the State, 23pc […]

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Irish shoppers spent an extra €90m stockpiling on groceries in the weeks before Christmas

The average Irish household spent €1,532 on groceries in the weeks before Christmas, according to figures from research group Kantar Worldpanel this morning. That’s €38 more than they forked out last year on festive food. In the 12 weeks to December 31, the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel show that shoppers in Ireland spent an […]

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Banks now have to allow access to customers’ account details

A RADICAL shake-up will mean banks will no longer have a monopoly on customer account information. The overhaul of banking comes on foot of a European Union directive and takes effect from tomorrow. Banks will have to facilitate other firms that have been given permission by a customer to access account information. The Second Payment […]

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Small firms urged to pitch for €50,000

Small businesses are being urged to pitch for up to €50,000 in grant aid from Enterprise Ireland in a new funding round. The state agency’s first Competitive Start Fund (CSF) of the year will allocate up to €50,000 to 15 successful applicants in exchange for a 10pc equity share in the firm getting the taxpayer […]

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No relief for buyers as house prices rise by almost 12pc in a year

There has been no let-up in the rise in property prices. New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that prices rose 11.6pc ­nationally in the year to November. Dublin prices were up 11.3pc. For the month of November alone, prices grew by 1.1pc, a slight easing off in the rate of increase from the […]

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Amazon to have big say on ads

Advertisers can expect Amazon to challenge the Google-Facebook duopoly this year and see tasks become more automated. In a report on search marketing trends for 2018, Shane Lyons , head of search and analytics at Mediaworks, says artificial intelligence (AI) has moved on to the extent that manual bids on keywords have given way to […]

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Fraudsters making false car insurance claims must be prosecuted, claims ex-judge

Fraudsters making false car insurance claims are getting away with it because they are not being prosecuted, a leading judicial figure said. Former High Court president Nicholas Kearns warned Ireland has a huge problem with fraudulent motor claims, and there appeared to be no punishment for lying in court. Meanwhile, insurers have been accused of […]

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May to discuss Brexit fears with finance industry leaders

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and senior officials will meet executives from major finance companies today to give them a clearer idea of what Britain’s European Union exit will mean for them. There are concerns that Brexit threatens London’s status as the financial capital of Europe and that banks are preparing to move thousands of […]

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Revealed: Fancy a job change for 2018? Here are the top roles employers are looking to fill

With employees setting back into work after the festive period, the new year is a prime opportunity for staff to consider their career options for 2018. Understanding which employers are recruiting and where the opportunities lie is essential for any jobseeker. In 2018 nearly three-quarters of Irish employers are planning on recruiting staff, 75pc of […]

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Shops miss out as consumers splash the cash on online sales

Shoppers increased their spending in December, but it was mainly driven by a rise in online sales. Expenditure in shops was flat last year compared with 2016. Spending in shops grew in the final months of last year, but for 2017 as a whole it was unchanged, according to Visa’s Irish Consumer Spending Index, which […]

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