News

Many small businesses will be forced to close and cut jobs if the Government does not quickly launch the Covid Business Aid Scheme (CBAS). That is according to the Small Firms Association, which has called for the €60m in supports aimed at businesses that are ineligible for other Covid supports to be rolled out. “Hundreds […]

The chief executive of Ulster Bank has defended the decision of the bank and its parent NatWest not to give advance warning of its plan to withdraw from the Irish market to staff.   In a written opening statement provided to the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, Jane Howard said […]

Business group Ibec has called for an increase in financial supports for business in the worst impacted sectors of the economy.  In a statement this evening, it said current fixed amount grants are proportionately lower for mid-sized and larger employers that continue to face fixed costs.  The Licensed Vintners’ Association said it was “disappointed” in today’s revised Living […]

The Government has said that measures to support business, jobs and employment are to remain in place until the end of June. It follows the announcement that Covid level 5 restrictions are to remain in place across a number of sectors for weeks and in some cases months. The measures include the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme […]

A new report has found that the number of units in planned Strategic Housing Developments (SHD) in Dublin that have been delayed or cancelled as a result of judicial reviews has risen tenfold in the last year. Last year 5,802 potential new apartments and houses were impacted by legal challenges to SHDs, compared to just […]

New research by the ESRI has found further evidence that mortgage lending rules put in place by the Central Bank six years ago are helping to keep house price inflation down.  The study by author Kieran McQuinn found that there remains a strong mutually reinforcing relationship between the availability of mortgage credit and house prices here.  He […]

Consumer sentiment bounced back in February thanks to cautious optimism about the outlook for the economy, despite the prospect of Covid-19 restrictions lasting for many more months, a survey found today. The country has been back in lockdown for almost two months and the Government has said any reopening will be very gradual. The hospitality […]

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said it is too early to say if the negotiations between Permanent TSB and NatWest turn out to be successful on the possible purchase of a loan book.  It follows the announcement of the phased withdrawal of Ulster Bank from the Republic of Ireland last Friday. While Mr Donohoe […]

For well over a decade, we’ve been hearing talk on and off about the need for a third banking force in Ireland. The notion gained legs in the wake of the banking crash, when Ireland was left with two dominant banks in AIB and Bank of Ireland and a multitude of less significant players, like […]

The Special Committee on Covid-19 Response will meet later today as the updating of the Government’s plan on Living with Covid continues ahead of its publication this week. Caution is a key word from Government ahead of the publication of its strategy to deal with this phase of the pandemic. It is a plan that […]