Author: splash

Ireland is ranked in 14th place out of 39 countries in the 2020 Mercer Global Pensions Index despite the country’s underlying sustainability issue.  The Netherlands topped the index again this year despite significant pension reform currently under way there, but Ireland came ahead of countries such as Belgium, the UK, France, Spain and Austria.  Mercer […]

Retailers have reacted with deep disappointment to the Government’s decision to close all non-essential retail as part of the move to Level 5. Retail Ireland described it as a serious blow and said there is very real concern that many vulnerable retail businesses will not survive. Business reaction to last night’s move by the Government […]

The Tánaiste has indicated that the Government would review the plan to further reduce the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in January if the country is still in the teeth of the pandemic. Speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil, Leo Varadkar said the moving of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan to Level 4 was a bitter blow to people there but […]

Sterling weakened today as traders worried about the obstacles keeping the European Union and Britain from reaching a Brexit trade deal.  The pound has risen in recent sessions, propelled by a sense that Britain and the EU, whose leaders are meeting today, will secure a trade deal by December 2020, when Britain’s transition period after […]

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today set out his position on the future of the Brexit negotiations. Last night, there was a firm message from EU leaders in Brussels that the UK had to compromise on the key outstanding issues if there was to be an agreement. The UK’s chief negotiator David Frost said […]

The supply of new homes here could reach the required 35,000 per annum within years, as a result of initiatives announced in Budget 2021, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) says. It estimates that 9,000 homes could be built through the new affordability scheme announced by the Government yesterday. These would otherwise not have been constructed […]

As Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan move to Level 4 in the Living with Covid-19 framework, business owners, service providers and consumers will be wondering what is allowed to stay open and what must close. Here is a list of all the retailers that the Government has deemed “essential” and can remain open. 1.  Outlets selling food, beverages or newspapers on a […]

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will join other EU leaders in Brussels this afternoon for a two-day summit in which they will assess the prospects for a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations. It will be the first time in nearly a year that EU leaders will have taken part in a detailed discussion about the future EU-UK relationship. […]

Jobs were always going to be centre stage in Budget 2021 – not just creating new ones, but clinging on desperately to the imperiled ones that already exist. The figures cited by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe in his budget speech were stark. The Government is forecasting a total loss of approximately 320,000 jobs in […]

The VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sector will be cut from 13.5% to 9% with effect from November 1, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has announced. He said he was making the VAT cut in recognition of the “unprecedented challenges” facing particular sectors of the economy. As part of the July Stimulus, the […]