Author: splash

Health insurance prices increased by 11% this year

The Health Insurance Authority is urging consumers to review their policy and shop around to ensure they are not overpaying while securing the right coverage for their needs as the health insurance renewals period nears. The HIA said that private health insurance now costs €1,712 on average with price increases of 11% so far this […]

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‘High’ life satisfaction rate rises from 24% in 2022 to 29% last year – CSO

New research from the Central Statistics Office show that the proportion of people who rate their overall life satisfaction as “high” has increased from 24.4% in 2022 to 28.9% in 2023. A greater proportion of men (32.1%) reported high levels of overall life satisfaction when compared with women (25.9%), the CSO noted. People aged 65 […]

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Halloween treats boost grocery sales by over 6%

Consumers spent a total of €1.16 billion in grocery stores in the four weeks to 3 November, making it the biggest sales month of the year so far. New figures from Kantar show that grocery sales jumped 6.4%, boosted by Halloween treats and early Christmas purchases. Grocery inflation stood at 3.3%, down on the same […]

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Interest rate cut next month not yet certain – Makhlouf

The Governor of the Central Bank has said it would be going a bit far to say an ECB interest rate cut next month is in the bag. However, Gabriel Makhlouf also said the evidence would need to be “pretty overwhelming” to consider a 50-basis-point cut at the meeting on 12 December. The Central Bank […]

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Unions call on next government to respect workers’ rights

A group of trade unions will today launch its General Election pledge calling on the next government to respect workers’ rights. The ‘Respect at Work’ campaign is backed by SIPTU, the Financial Services Union (FSU), the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) and Mandate. The campaign said it is approaching parties and candidates from across the political […]

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Petrol and diesel prices up slightly in November – AA

The latest AA Ireland Fuel Survey reveals a slight increase in petrol and diesel prices for November after three months of fuel price decreases in a row. AA Ireland said that petrol prices have risen by two cents to an average of €1.73 a litre, while diesel prices have increased by a cent to €1.67 […]

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Skills shortages a top concern within trades – survey

Skills shortages – and the cost of recruiting skilled labour – is the most common concern among tradespeople, according to a new survey. It was cited by 29% of respondents to the Onlinetradesman.com survey – which included builders, plumbers, electricians and landscapers – as their biggest obstacle to their operations and growth. “The issue is […]

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Wind generation was third highest on record in October

Wind generation in Ireland was the third highest on record for the month of October, according to new figures from Wind Energy Ireland. The latest figures show that wind energy provided 35% of Ireland’s electricity last month, while solar power and other renewables accounted for 4%. It means that Irish wind farms have generated nearly […]

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Building sector running at 77% capacity despite demands

The Irish construction industry is running at around three quarters of its capacity on average at present, despite the strong demand for new housing and infrastructure. That’s according to the latest Construction Market Overview from building services firm Turner & Townsend, covering the period from July to September. Overall 78% of respondents said the construction […]

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Dublin ranks 17 out of 30 cities for real estate investment

Dublin has dropped from 13th to 17th position out of 30 European cities ranked for investment and development potential for 2025. London, Madrid and Paris took the top spots, according to a report by PwC and the Urban Land Institute. When it comes to investing in Ireland, interviewees referenced certain infrastructure deficits and the complexity […]

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