Author: Practicenet

Mobile bills now under €25 a month

Ireland is among the cheapest European countries for mobile bills but still ranks as too expensive for home broadband, Ireland’s telecoms watchdog has found. Comreg says that the average monthly mobile bill fell to €24.32, the first time it has sunk below €25 per month in Ireland. The watchdog’s latest report confirms that Ireland remains […]

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Ireland set to be Europe’s fastest-growing economy in 2016 after weathering initial Brexit fallout

The economy performed strongly in the months after the Brexit vote, official figures have revealed. The Central Statistics Office (CSO), whose incredible growth figures earlier in the year were branded “leprechaun economics”, showed Ireland is on course to have the fastest- growing economy in Europe this year. The value of all business in the country, […]

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Dublin fastest-growing airport as passenger numbers soar

DUBLIN Airport is now the fastest-growing major airport in Western Europe, according to latest figures from Eurostat. Latest statistics show that the capital’s airport is now the 12th most popular hub for arrivals and departures in the entire EU. Significantly, passenger numbers in Dublin grew by 15pc last year, making it by far the fastest-growing […]

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From today, you can swipe your phone instead of your debit card

Paying for items under €30 in shops can now be done by swiping your mobile phone against a contactless terminal. Google is launching Android Pay in Ireland today, meaning those with Samsung, Sony and other Android phones can now pay for items in stores by swiping their phones. The system will work anywhere that accepts […]

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Unemployment at half the level seen during worst of Crash

Unemployment in Ireland is now at its lowest level in almost eight years, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The latest data shows that the number of those on the live register has now more than halved since the peak of the crisis back in 2012, when unemployment hit a […]

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Central Bank flags risk issues at brokers

The Central Bank has issued a stinging criticism of the way risk is managed in some Irish stockbrokers, investment firms, and fund service providers. The bank said it had found “notable inconsistencies and deficiencies” in the way firms managed risk. It did not name individual firms but said it was following up with companies where […]

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Act now to avoid huge increases in health cover

Thousands of people who are due to renew their health insurance in the next few weeks have been warned to act now to avoid huge increases in the cost of cover. Up to 400,000 people are due to renew by the end of January. But most insurers have imposed double-digit rises in the cost of […]

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End of the supermarket queue? Amazon opens futuristic shop with no tills or cashiers

Long queues at the supermarket could soon become a distant memory after Amazon unveiled a grocery store without tills or barcode scanners. The internet retailer has opened a grocery store in which shoppers only have to scan their smartphone upon entry, with purchases automatically charged to a credit card when they leave the store. The […]

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Retailers facing 10pc hike in rents

Property agent Savills Ireland is predicting rises of 7pc to 10pc for retail property rents by 2018, notwithstanding the recent slowdown in the sector. Savills’ latest quarterly Market in Minutes Ireland Retail report says a “notable softening” in short-term indicators, including retail sales, VAT receipts and consumer sentiment, is driven by economic and political uncertainty […]

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Irish manufacturing picks up despite currency swings

Irish manufacturing output picked up in November, with the pace of export growth in particular accelerating. The data, showing the fastest growth in eight months, suggests Irish industry is adjusting relatively well to the big swings in the currency market since the June Brexit vote. In contrast, British manufacturing growth cooled unexpectedly in November as […]

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