News

State pulls in highest ever amount of tax with a record €50bn

The tax take for last year reached a record high of just over €50bn. The State took in €2.87bn more in taxes last year than had been initially expected. The figures were further boosted by the one-off sale of AIB shares, according to the Exchequer Returns published last night. The State’s tax income is now […]

Continue Reading

Plans for huge offshore wind farms will require port infrastructure upgrades

“Mega” offshore wind projects off Ireland’s coast will require increased investment in the country’s port infrastructure, according to a Dublin-based consultant engineering group. GDG (Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions) is currently working with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on a gap analysis designed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the offshore renewable-energy supply chain […]

Continue Reading

Ireland up in global economic table – but Asia on the rise

Ireland has risen two places in a global economic ranking, but is expected to fall over the next decade as Asian economies leapfrog those in the west. The index by the London-based think tank Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) ranks Ireland 33rd in the world out of 192, up from 35th place last […]

Continue Reading

State borrowing inevitably going to get trickier

The National Treasury Management Agency’s (NTMA) charge out of the traps, expected as early as this morning, will test the market in more ways than one. Wholesale regulatory changes, collected into the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive or Mifid II, come into effect across Europe today and, at a purely technical level, both human and […]

Continue Reading

Everything you need to know about sweeping finance reforms

European finance has been abuzz over an obscure acronym – MiFID II – set to radically change how assets from stocks to commodities are traded and investors’ money is managed. EU firms have spent more than €1.6bn preparing for it. Regulators say it will protect investors, boost transparency and rebuild trust tarnished by the crash. […]

Continue Reading

The end is nigh for passwords and satellite dishes

Technology rules our lives these days. So what will 2018 bring? Here are five things to expect over the next 12 months. 1. Your face will replace your password For a decade, we’ve been wondering when a ‘Minority Report’-style facial-recognition service might arrive into the mainstream. With the arrival of Apple’s latest iPhone X here […]

Continue Reading

Ireland up in global economic table – but Asia on the rise

Ireland has risen two places in a global economic ranking, but is expected to fall over the next decade as Asian economies leapfrog those in the west. The index by the London-based think tank Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) ranks Ireland 33rd in the world out of 192, up from 35th place last […]

Continue Reading

Five ways to spruce up your finances in the New Year

Save thousands by changing how you use your TV and phone, and by becoming more tech-savvy with bills, writes Louise McBride. The New Year is shaping up to be a mixed bag of financial fortunes. There are more jobs and higher wages on the cards, according to various economists. However, the New Year is also […]

Continue Reading

Why the global rush for bitcoins could end up costing us the earth

Existing only in the digital sphere but currently worth a fortune, it is the virtual currency that has gone mainstream in recent weeks. However, it has emerged that the production of bitcoins uses so much energy it threatens to seriously harm the planet. In recent months investors have flocked to the currency that exists only […]

Continue Reading

Festive season presents challenges for employers who want to reward staff for efforts

Q I have an accounts person who does one day a week for my company. He invoices us on a monthly basis. This arrangement has been in place for many years and I am very happy with it. This year I am giving all staff a voucher at Christmas as a thank-you for their contribution […]

Continue Reading