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Amarenco agrees €1bn renewable energy deal

Irish renewable energy firm Amarenco has entered a joint venture agreement with Infracapital, the investment arm of Prudential-owned M&G Investments, to roll out as much as €1bn worth of projects over the next five years. The deal is the culmination of about nine months of negotiations by company founder, former Bord Gáis boss John Mullins, […]

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Hibernia Reit signs ‘flexible workspace’ deal

Hibernia Reit has signed a five-year deal with Iconic Offices for the establishment of a serviced office and co-working business in Dublin city centre. Under the agreement Hibernia will provide the property at Block 1, Clanwilliam Court and flexible workspace specialists Iconic will manage the business operations. The income generated will be shared. Hibernia will […]

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UK’s Brexit plan pushes need for key Irish role in EU negotiations

Ireland and the UK are described as “inescapably intertwined” in the British government’s newly published Brexit plan. The White Paper on Brexit says the “unique relationship” shared by the two countries warrants special recognition in the forthcoming negotiations between the UK and the Europe Union. A detailed section arguing for the retention of “as seamless […]

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Number of home buyers taking out mortgage rises to six-year high

THE number of home buyers taking out a mortgage has risen to a six-year high. Close to 30,000 people drew down a mortgage last year, new Banking and Payments Federation figures show. In the last three months of last year more than 9,000 mortgages were drawn down. This is the highest number of draw downs […]

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Manufacturing overheads rise at fastest rate in four years

Overhead costs for manufacturers rose at the fastest pace in over four years in January, as higher commodity prices, currency moves and price rises at UK suppliers hit the sector. In a sign competitiveness is being hit, some firms hiked prices in response, according to the latest Investec Purchasing Managers Index for the sector in […]

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Irish property predicted to beat global peers in 2017

Returns for investors across all sectors of Irish commercial property could slow to a growth rate of between 7pc and 10pc in 2017, down from 12.4pc in 2016 and only about a quarter of the 36pc level seen during the lift-off in recovery seen during 2014. Nevertheless, Ireland looks set for another year of relative […]

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Why Ireland is now targeting business and investment affected by ‘Muslim travel ban’

Ireland Inc is now actively targeting business, investment and recruitment from the Middle East as a result of the US travel ban on Muslims. US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy is sparking a rethink across the Muslim world. Middle Eastern businesses and wealthy families have traditionally targeted the US for investment and education. But […]

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‘Rainy day fund’ and focus on women central planks of strategy to beat Brexit

A government plan aimed at mitigating the effects of Brexit places a major focus on women as well as the poaching of “globally renowned” workers from the UK. The ‘Action Plan for Jobs’ also confirms that a “rainy fund” will be launched in two years time when the fallout from Brexit is expected to be […]

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Millenials shrug off global upheaval

A MAJORITY of so-called millennials are positive about the economic outlook for Ireland in the year ahead. A new survey by financial firm Deloitte found that 56pc of Irish people in the 18 to 34 year age group – dubbed millennials – expect the economy to improve over the next 12 months despite widespread geopolitical […]

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BNP boss in Noonan meeting over Brexit

The head of BNP Paribas Securities Services met Finance Minister Michael Noonan for an hour in December, during which they discussed the implications of Brexit. It is understood, however, that BNP – which already employs around 100 people in Dublin – gave no specific details about its plans to deal with the fallout from the […]

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