News

Euro zone governments should keep spending next year to help the post-pandemic recovery, though to different degrees depending on their debt level, the European Commission said today. They should also use cash from the EU’s recovery fund to boost investment, the Commission added. “For the euro area, we call for a moderately supportive fiscal stance […]

A group of truckers and hauliers are leading convoys from the main motorways around Dublin into the city centre today, protesting for “lower fuel costs at the pump and at home”. The group, describing itself as Irish Truckers Haulage Association Against Fuel Prices, said it is protesting for “lower fuel costs at the pump and […]

A spokesperson for the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland has appealed directly to the Taoiseach to intervene and introduce supports for the industry. On RTÉ’s Drivetime, Matt McGranaghan called for the immediate reinstatement of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, or an equivalent support, for those in the music industry who were forced off the payments […]

The Minister for Finance has published the terms of reference for a “broad-ranging” review into the retail banking sector, which will consider services provided by both banks and non-banks, as the latter becomes more active in the provision of SME credit and mortgage lending. Back in July, Paschal Donohoe said his department would conduct such […]

New figures show that debit and credit card fraud losses rose by 9% to reach €24.1m last year with over 275,000 fraudulent debit and credit card transactions. The Banking & Payments Federation Ireland figures show that 96% of the losses was accounted for by online card fraud which rose by 21% to €23.1m. With shopping […]

Consumer confidence has dropped to a seven-month low as Covid cases continue to surge, according to the latest KBC Bank Ireland consumer sentiment index. The reading for November declined to 83.1, from 86.8 in October. That is the largest monthly fall since January and brings the sentiment index to its lowest level since April. As […]

74% of consumers are concerned about rising prices for everyday items, according to Deloitte Ireland’s latest consumer tracker survey. Over half of respondents said they believe the cost of groceries have gone up over the last month, while 46% think prices in restaurants have risen. Overall, the survey reveals that consumers’ financial concerns have increased […]

Senior Government ministers will meet later today to discuss the introduction of specific measures to support the hospitality sector. The Cabinet Sub Committee on Economic Recovery will also consider the ongoing Covid supports amid continued concern about the rise in Covid case numbers and increasing pressure on hospitals. The Government and its public health advisers […]

An important date in the retail calendar, December 8 was the traditional day for country people to venture to the city to do their Christmas shopping. The festive atmosphere, the twinkling lights, and a visit to see Santa Claus, it marked the start of the Christmas trading season in Ireland. Shopping patterns, however, have dramatically […]

Venture capital funding to Irish firms rose by 19% to €231m in the three months to the end of September, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association’s latest VenturePulse survey. The figures also show a renewed interest among investors in start-ups companies, following a sharp drop in early stage investments last year. The overall in […]