News

Taoiseach ‘concerned’ as 23% in arrears on gas bills

The number of domestic gas customers falling into arrears has increased from 20% to 23% in the first quarter of 2023. However, the number of domestic electricity customers in arrears dropped from 11% to 9% over the same period. The number of domestic gas customers in arrears at the end of March stood at 160,399, […]

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Govt to urge retailers over high cost of groceries, as inflation declines

Representatives of large supermarkets chains, smaller shops and the grocery industry are due to attend a meeting of the Retail Forum at the Department of Enterprise later today, to discuss the continued high cost of groceries despite a general decline in inflation. Retailers are expected to say that their costs remain high, and that price […]

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Increase in gas customers falling into arrears

The number of domestic gas customers falling into arrears has increased from 20% to 23% in the first quarter of 2023. However, the number of domestic electricity customers in arrears dropped from 11% to 9% over the same period. The data comes from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which will be considered today by […]

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Split among taxpayers around vacant homes tax

More than half of taxpayers are in favour of the Vacant Homes Tax, a new survey has found. But almost three quarters of respondents who support it think that it should be higher than it is. The research by Taxback.com found that 40% support the tax and think it will have a positive impact. A […]

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Minister to outline options for expected €65bn public finance surplus

The Taoiseach has said debt reduction, increasing some of the capital budgets, and the establishment of a new sovereign wealth fund, are among the options being considered for using expected surpluses in the public finances. Leo Varadkar said: “We have an aging population and a growing population. While we might be in surplus now, that’s […]

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Oil prices climb as recession fears begin to fade

Oil prices rose today as fears of a recession in the US, which drove prices down for three weeks in a row for the first time since November, started receding. Brent crude futures were up 43 cents, or 0.6%, at $75.73 a barrel in early trade. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up […]

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Lack of understanding of new EU anti-greenwashing rules, research shows

Almost half of Irish companies are concerned about the costs or time involved in meeting new EU rules on greenwashing, new research shows. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), strengthens the rules around the social and environmental information which companies have to report. Under the law, EU companies will have to report in more detail, […]

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Government to work with retailers on rising prices – Richmond

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Neale Richmond has said that the Government wants to work with retailers to make sure costs people pay are reasonable and realistic based on declining inflation. His comments come ahead of a meeting with the Retail Forum on Wednesday, which will see representatives of the country’s major […]

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Unemployment falls to match previous record low of 3.9% – CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the country’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in April from a revised 4% a month earlier to match the previous record low of the early 2000s. The jobless rate had remained between 4.2% and 4.5% over the last year, according to recent CSO figures. But the […]

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ECB raises rates by 0.25% and signals ‘not pausing’

The European Central Bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.25% as expected today and signalled that more tightening would be needed to tame inflation. The central bank for the 20 countries that share the euro has lifted rates by a combined 375 basis points since last July, its fastest pace of tightening. […]

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