News

European shares fall ahead of ECB decision

European shares slipped today ahead of the European Central Bank’s meeting later in the day, with investors awaiting clues on the central bank’s policy tightening plans. The ECB will announce its decision just before 1pm, followed by a press conference this afternoon. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5% by 0709 GMT. The index is […]

Continue Reading

Remote workers to get free access to local digital hubs

The Government is announcing a series of new initiatives to support remote working. A voucher scheme will give remote workers free access to local digital hubs and provide at least 10,000 hot desk facilities free of charge to existing hub users and those availing of the facilities for the first time. The scheme will initially […]

Continue Reading

‘I don’t know who can afford €4,500 for childcare’

Cliona, a mother of three, was recently quoted €4,500 a month for childcare. She simply cannot afford it. “I don’t know who can afford €4,500 a month and pay a mortgage and have any kind of a life, and put food on the table,” she told Prime Time. “I don’t know anyone who could do […]

Continue Reading

Fuels for Ireland urges new approach to tax on fuel

The fuels industry has said that the Government needs to look at the overall approach to taxation on fuel because the argument that increasing fuel taxes results in decreased demand “just doesn’t follow.” The chief executive of Fuels for Ireland said despite the excise duty cut on petrol and diesel earlier this year, users are […]

Continue Reading

Ireland among countries in four-day working week trial

Ireland is among a number of countries taking part in a worldwide initiative trialling a four-day week with no loss of pay. More than 3,000 workers at 70 companies will begin a four-day week with no loss of pay in a trial lasting six months in Britain. The UK experiment is running alongside similar, smaller […]

Continue Reading

Coffee cup levy ‘sends wrong message’ – retail group

A proposed 20 cent levy on single-use coffee cups “sends the wrong message on sustainability” and the Government needs to rethink its strategy, according to a body representing the retail industry in Ireland. The measure was announced earlier this year by the Government as part of the Circular Economy Bill, which is aimed at reducing […]

Continue Reading

Building input price rises could negate easing in property price growth – BPFI

An increase in the supply of housing may be contributing to an easing in the pace of growth in property prices, an analysis from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland shows. However, it warns that any easing in price growth may be offset by cost pressures in the construction sector, which will likely have a […]

Continue Reading

Services growth slows for second month in a row – PMI

More than a year of rapid growth in Ireland’s services sector moderated slightly for the second successive month in May as selling prices and input costs remained close to record highs, a survey showed today. The AIB S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 60.2 from 61.7 in March. But the index stayed above […]

Continue Reading

Donohoe: Ireland, US, EU at co-operation ‘high point’ on tax

Minster for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said Ireland, the US and the EU are at a “high point” of economic co-operation, particularly over the issue of corporation tax. Speaking in Washington after a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Mr Donohoe said he expected the 15% Minimum Corporation Tax Rate will be made law […]

Continue Reading

Inflation hitting lower income households harder – CSO

New research from the Central Statistics Office shows that in March households with the lowest incomes experienced higher inflation, up to 7.6% compared to the average rate of 6.7%. Those in the highest income category had annual estimated inflation of 6.1%, the CSO added. The rate of inflation stood at 6.7% in March and rose […]

Continue Reading