News

€46,000 rent increase for Irish ambassador’s UK residence

18th August 2025

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been hit with a hike of more than €46,000 on the annual rent it pays for the Irish ambassador’s residence in London. The department said it had little choice but to agree to the sharp increase even though it brought the cost of the property close to €10,000 per […]

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Green Fables: The ways firms have misled on their sustainability

18th August 2025

Shein has been hit with its second fine from European regulators in as many months – with both including accusations of greenwashing. The Chinese fast fashion retailer was accused by Italian authorities of making “misleading or omissive” environmental claims about its products, which centred on what were seen as vague, misleading and often confusing information […]

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Is your boss paid too much?

18th August 2025

The CEOs of major corporations earn seemingly absurd sums. The Wall Street Journal’s list of the top 10 highest-paid CEOs listed annual pay packages of $60 to $164 million, but these figures sometimes grossly underestimate the value of their total compensation. For example, Elon Musk, who is not even on the Wall Street Journal list, […]

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Car loan values surge 25% to highest level on record in Q1 – BPFI

18th August 2025

New figures out today show that car loan volumes and values reached their highest levels on record in the first quarter of this year. The latest Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) Personal Loans Report shows that the number of car loans rose by 21.5% year on year to 19,552, while the value of these […]

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Trump weighs taking stake in Intel, Bloomberg News reports

15th August 2025

The Trump administration is in talks with Intel to have the US government potentially take a stake in the struggling chipmaker, Bloomberg News reported today, citing people familiar with the plan. Such a move would mark another intervention by US President Donald Trump in industries seen as vital to national security. Trump has pushed for […]

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Fossil fuels behind 81% of Irish energy use last year

15th August 2025

Fossil fuels were Ireland’s primary energy source last year, accounting for 81% of primary energy supply, according to an analysis of global energy data by KPMG. Ireland now ranks 8th globally for wind and solar penetration as a share of total electricity generation however, though the growth in electricity demand outpaces the development of renewables. […]

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Car loan values surge 25% to highest level on record in Q1 – BPFI

15th August 2025

New figures out today show that car loan volumes and values reached their highest levels on record in the first quarter of this year. The latest Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) Personal Loans Report shows that the number of car loans rose by 21.5% year on year to 19,552, while the value of these […]

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UK economy grows by stronger-than-expected 0.3% in Q2

14th August 2025

Britain’s economy grew by a faster-than-expected 0.3% in the second quarter of 2025 after growth of 0.7% in the first three months of the year, offering a boost to finance minister Rachel Reeves, official figures showed today. Economists polled by Reuters, as well as the Bank of England, had forecast 0.1% growth in gross domestic […]

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Mortgage interest rates fall slightly in June

14th August 2025

The average interest rate on new mortgages in Ireland fell slightly in June, according to new figures from the Central Bank. The average interest rate on new mortgages was 3.6%, down one basis point from 3.61% in May. The average fixed rate was 3.52%, while the average variable was 4.08%. Despite the downward trend, Ireland […]

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Government expected to hold Budget 2026 on 7 October

14th August 2025

Budget Day will take place on Tuesday, 7 October, according to Government sources. Budget 2026 comes against the backdrop of 15% tariffs on goods exported to the US, and threats by US President Donald Trump of even higher tariffs on pharmaceuticals. Last month, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform […]

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