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Ireland’s economic growth could be at risk from emerging threats to competitiveness – Ibec

Ireland’s surging economic growth could be at risk from emerging threats to the country’s competitiveness, business lobby group Ibec has warned. In its latest quarterly economic outlook published this morning, Ibec has predicted that the Irish economy will grow by a robust 5.6pc in 2018, with the number of people in jobs expected to reach […]

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‘My worst job was weeding a 20-acre field of beet, by hand’

Mike Ross is a former Ireland and Leinster rugby player who is now commercial director with the technology company, Wizuda. He lives in Churchtown, Dublin, with his family. He and his wife have two children: a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. Ross joined Wizuda after retiring from professional rugby last year. Wizuda provides software […]

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Can I wait until 65 to decide on pension?

Q I’m 57 and in a defined contribution pension scheme through work. Some of my colleagues are already talking about Approved Retirement Funds (ARFs) and annuities. Do I need to plan my retirement decisions now or wait until I’m 65? Imelda, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin I appreciate retirement is a little bit away but ideally […]

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How millennials, gaming and bespoke design are shaping HP Inc’s market potential

Splitting technology giant Hewlett Packard (HP) into two separate groups stunned staff and investors alike initially, but the breakup has given HP Inc the opportunity to accelerate its innovation in response to its customer needs. On the back of former eBay boss Meg Whitman’s decision, the separation of computer and printer business (HP Inc) and […]

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Surge in hotel job vacancies sparks fear of skills shortages

Job vacancies in the hotel sector have surged in the five-year period up to 2017, a recruitment website has claimed. Analysis by jobs.ie found that there has been an increase in jobs vacancies in a number of key hotel roles – specifically hotel chefs, bartenders, waiters, receptionists, porters, mixologists and concierges. Every role has experienced […]

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Where now for investors as low-interest era finally ends?

Investors in banks and tech companies could make money as rates start to rise, but telco and bond investors might lose out. Rising interest rates are changing the rules of the game for investors. Over the last decade, investors have largely been operating in an environment of record low interest rates – but these days […]

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Will I face double tax bill for Spanish job?

Q: I have lived in Spain since January 2017 where I work as a self-employed teacher. However, I worked in Ireland for some weeks during 2017, earning around €2,000 (PAYE income only). The same will happen this year. What are the tax implications of the few weeks’ Irish work? I am assuming I don’t need […]

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Economy shrugs off Brexit threat to grow at fastest rate in EU

Ireland is again the fastest-growing economy in the European Union, with a rise of almost 8pc in GDP last year. Just 10 years after the economic crash, and despite the looming threat of Brexit, the economy continues to perform strongly. Ireland has the European Union’s fastest-growing economy for the fourth year in a row, although […]

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Ireland’s biggest mobile operator warns customers of possible data disruption over four days

The country’s biggest mobile operator has warned more than 100,000 phone customers of possible disruption to roaming costs and data access in a week’s time. Vodafone says that technical updates will mean that its customers won’t be able to add data to packages for four days, starting Thursday March 22, which may leave some of […]

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Monday 12 March 2018 Ulster Bank kicks off new mortgage war with string of cuts to fixed rates

Ulster Bank has kicked off a new round of mortgage wars with a string of cuts to its fixed mortgage rates. The leading lender has ramped up pressure on its rivals by reducing its five-year fixed rates and by making it easier to qualify for its market-leading, four-year rate of 2.6pc. The move comes as […]

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