Category: Syndicated

Govt to discuss how €200 energy credits will be paid

The Cabinet is to discuss how the energy assistance measures in Budget 2023 will be implemented. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan will bring a memo to Government outlining how the three €200 energy credits for all households will be paid. One credit will be paid before Christmas and two afterwards. A […]

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Coining it: What currency shifts mean for Ireland

The euro has been drifting against the dollar for some time now, but has been getting stronger against sterling for months. But what this means for consumers – and particularly businesses – can be hard to pin down. When it comes to currencies, there’s always two sides to the coin. What’s happening with sterling? The […]

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Euro falls after inflation data but heads for weekly gain

The euro dropped today after inflation in the euro zone hit a record high, but was heading for a weekly gain on hawkish signals from the European Central Bank as some calm returned to foreign exchange markets at the end of a wild week. Sterling was also lower as end-of-quarter demand boosted the dollar. But […]

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UK government in U-turn on 45% tax rate

British Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have, in a dramatic U-turn, abandoned a plan to abolish the top rate of income tax for the highest earners. Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng announced a new “growth plan” on September 23 that would cut taxes and regulation. The plan would be funded by vast […]

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Covid-19 higher rate illness benefit ends

A higher rate of illness benefit for people who miss work due to Covid-19 comes to an end today. The Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB), paid at €350 per week, was available to workers who were told to self-isolate or restrict their movements by a doctor. If someone receives a Covid-19 diagnosis, or has been advised […]

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Euro zone inflation hits record high of 10%, raising pressure on ECB

Euro zone inflation zoomed past forecasts to hit a fresh record high this month, reinforcing expectations for another jumbo interest rate hike from the European Central Bank in October. Price growth in the 19 countries sharing the euro accelerated to 10% in September from 9.1% a month earlier, data from Eurostat showed on Friday, beating […]

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Once-off Budget measures will insulate ‘most households’ – ESRI

The package of once-off measures announced as part of this week’s Budget will insulate “most households” from higher energy prices this winter, according to the ESRI. The analysis, which will be presented at a post-Budget briefing today, also warns that unless the once-off measures are repeated next year, many low-income households will see real cuts […]

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Tánaiste to discuss recommendations on pay, conditions at gender equality committee

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar is to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality today to discuss the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality regarding pay and workplace conditions. In its report, the Citizens’ Assembly recommended that the State should set targets in legislation to reduce the hourly gender pay gap to 9% by […]

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Stocks bounce but sterling slippery after BoE buys bonds

Asian share markets rose today after Britain’s central bank launched an emergency bond buying programme to stabilise a furious sell-off in gilts, though trade was skittish and sterling remained under pressure. The Bank of England said it will buy as much as £5 billion a day of long-dated government bonds until October 14. It spent […]

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Switching activity drives growth in mortgage approvals

Just over 5,500 mortgages were approved in August, up 5.5% on the previous month and 21.3% compared with the same period last year. New figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show that almost 45% of the mortgages approved were for first-time buyers, while just over 20% were for mover purchasers. In total, the mortgages […]

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