News

A levy on disposable coffee cups will be introduced in the coming months in an effort by the Government to cut their use. The Circular Economy Bill published this morning is aimed at reducing waste and influencing behaviour. It also paves the way for use of CCTV to detect and deter illegal dumping and littering.…

The Cabinet has signed off on proposed new laws on sick pay, that will make it mandatory for all employers to offer a minimum level of cover. The Sick Leave Bill 2022 will now be published and will begin its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. The new laws will start to come into…

The Cabinet has agreed to draft legislation which will pave the way for a new pension scheme for private sector workers. It is estimated that just 35% of private sector workers have a pension, something which makes Ireland an outlier internationally. The new scheme will cost the Exchequer almost €3 billion every ten years and…

There was strong growth in mortgage approvals in February with switching volumes up 42% year-on-year, according to the latest figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. A total of 3,894 mortgages were approved last month. First-time buyers (FTBs) were approved for 2,053 mortgages, 52.7% of the total volume, while mover purchasers accounted for 848, almost…

Annual asking price inflation for housing is now running at 12.3%, according to the latest research from property website, MyHome.ie. It follows an increase in asking prices nationally of 2.4% during the first three months of the year, the property listings service claims. Outside Dublin, asking prices were 2.7% higher in the first quarter compared…

More than half of all the complaints lodged with the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) last year were about banking, with customer service issues the main driver. The FSPO’s Overview of Complaints for 2021 also shows that nearly a quarter of the total complaints received by it related to mortgages. Among them were 250…

Members of SIPTU, the country’s largest trade union, will gather in Sligo today for their Biennial Delegate Conference. The union is expected to renew calls for pay increases to reflect the rising cost of living. The conference will run until Thursday with more than 50 motions to be debated and voted on. Today, topics will…

85% of employers in Ireland are having to contend with skill shortages, according to a new report. The study was carried out by CIPD Ireland, the professional body for HR and Learning & Development. The latest results from the organisation’s “HR Practices in Ireland” study show 36% of employers cite “significant shortages” when it comes…

European economies face the risk of a shortage of diesel, the preferred fuel for heavy industry, as sanctions on Russian energy threaten to disrupt imports while supply from elsewhere remains limited. Russia is Europe’s largest supplier of diesel and related fuels. It sends over three quarters of a million barrels per day for use in…

Ireland’s older and poorer populations risk being left behind unless action is taken to address the nation’s digital divide, according to a new report. The 2022 Accenture Digital Index has found that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an acceleration of the digital divide – the gap between the digitally engaged and disengaged. “The pandemic…