News

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of domestic Building Energy Rating (BER) audits in 2024 came to 153,558, an increase of 7% over the total for 2023. The CSO noted that this was the highest number of BERs issued for any year since 2009. Today’s figures show that the number […]

European Central Bank policymakers are likely breathing a sigh of relief that the new US administration did not impose the blanket trade tariffs some had feared and a rate cut next week now seems like a done deal. US President Donald Trump held back from imposing trade barriers on his first day in office yesterday […]

Employers group Ibec has forecast that the economy will continue to expand in 2025 with employment growing by 2.4%. It said domestic demand would grow by 3% this year and by 2% in 2026. The organisation projected that consumer spending will grow by 3.1% while investment will expand by 4.2% this year. Commenting on the […]

There was “cause for hope” in the new White House administration’s approach to tariffs, Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Enterprise Peter Burke has said. Speaking in Davos where the World Economic Forum is under way, Minister Burke was referring to Howard Lutnick, co-chair of US President Donald Trump’s transition team, saying that talk […]

Irish employers have reported the greatest difficulty finding candidates with the right skills in 20 years, according to new research. The annual ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey has recorded the highest skills shortage since the survey began, with 83% of employers saying they are struggling to find candidates. Businesses said that IT and data skills are […]

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) was responsible for enforcing more than half of the €1.2 billion in European data fines in 2024. The latest GDPR Fines and Data Breach Survey from legal firm DLA Piper shows that the biggest fines imposed by the DPC last year included a €310m penalty against LinkedIn and €251m […]

More than 80% of estate agents who are members of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland believe that current property prices are either “expensive” or “very expensive”. The SCSI’s 42nd annual Residential Review and Outlook report also predicts that national property prices are set to increase by an average of 6% over the next 12 […]

The forthcoming presidency of Donald Trump in the United States looms large over business in Ireland, and is reflected in the current employment market. The latest employment monitor from Morgan McKinley shows a 14.6% decline in professional job openings for the fourth quarter of last year, as multinationals exercise caution in their hiring strategies. “The […]

Venture capital investment in Ireland remained stable last year and picked up in the final quarter despite the challenging funding environment, and there are signs of confidence returing in 2025. According to the latest KPMG Venture Pulse report, VC investment picked up in Q4, with 29 deals closing in the quarter worth $255.16 million, compared […]

The latest AA Ireland Fuel Survey shows that petrol prices have risen by two cents to an average of €1.76 a litre in January, while diesel prices have increased by three cents to €1.73 a litre. The rise in fuel prices follows an increase in crude oil prices, from $73 to $82 per barrel. But […]