Author: splash

Toll charges on most of the country’s national road network have increased today after a six-month deferment by the Government and there have been warnings that tolls are highly likely to rise again. The Automobile Association said it would like to see a review of the public-private partnerships behind many toll roads. Ten roads across […]

Workers will be able to avail of extended breastfeeding breaks and new unpaid leave entitlements as part of the work-life balance act. Under the legislation, the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks will be extended from the current period of six months up to two years. In addition to this, parents and carers will be entitled to […]

A slump in manufacturing activity deepened slightly last month, hitting a fresh three year low and leading to a fall in employment in the sector for only the second month across that period, a survey showed today. The AIB S&P Global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 47.3 from 47.5 in May. The PMI […]

Inflation in Ireland, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, is estimated to have moderated to an annual rate of 4.8% in June from 5.4% in May, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. Today’s CSO flash inflation figures show that energy prices are estimated to have increased by 0.9% in the […]

The annual rate of house price inflation continued to ease during the first half of the year, the latest residential market review from property advisors DNG shows, while first time buyers continue to dominate the market. The annual rate of growth in prices at a national level (excluding Dublin) slowed to 3.4% for the year […]

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has downgraded substantially its outlook for growth in Gross Domestic Product terms for the Irish economy, but it says the underlying position of the economy is still very strong. The ESRI says the domestic economy – as measured by Modified Domestic Demand (MDD) – is expected to experience […]

The Government has published a plan to boost cybersecurity, which includes measures to support the potential growth of the cybersecurity industry. The Mid-Term Review of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019-2024 sets out 18 new actions to be implemented within the lifetime of the strategy. In a bid to address skills shortages, the plan will […]

The volume of contactless payments rose by almost 18% year-on-year to more than 268 million in the first quarter of the year, hitting three million payments a day. According to the latest Payments Monitor from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), the value of contactless payments also increased, rising by 22% to almost €4.6 billion […]

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has downgraded substantially its outlook for growth in Gross Domestic Product terms for the Irish economy, but it says the underlying position of the economy is still very strong. The ESRI says the domestic economy – as measured by Modified Domestic Demand (MDD) – is expected to experience […]

Euro zone inflation has entered a new phase which could linger for some time, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said today, outlining a lengthy fight against price growth that must dampen demand and force firms to curb prices. The ECB has raised rates at each meeting over the past year, taking its deposit rate […]