Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed the Government will introduce a second tier of child benefit in the forthcoming budget, while ruling out additional one-off financial supports for families. Speaking on Thursday, Mr Martin revealed he met with Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary on Wednesday evening to discuss the implementation of the new payment system. “We … Read more
Met Éireann has placed three northwest counties under a Status Yellow rain warning as Ireland braces for a weekend of unsettled weather conditions. The national weather service issued the warning for Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo on Thursday morning, which came into effect at 10am and will remain active until Friday at 10am. Forecasters are warning … Read more
Ireland’s housing rental crisis has reached alarming proportions, with the most expensive property commanding €16,300 monthly in Dublin while availability plummets across the country, new data reveals. The latest Daft.ie figures expose a market under severe strain, with just 2,300 homes available to rent nationwide on August 1st – down 14% year-on-year and nearly half … Read more
Several medium-sized Irish drinks firms are contemplating withdrawing “hundreds of thousands” worth of planned US investment following President Donald Trump’s imposition of 15% tariffs on EU and Irish goods, with some companies already scaling back hiring plans for American sales representatives. The Irish Whiskey Association reports multiple small to medium enterprises are reassessing their US … Read more
Ireland’s population could grow to between 6 million and 7.59 million by 2065, depending on migration patterns, according to new demographic projections from the Department of Finance that underscore immigration’s critical role in the country’s future. The “Future Forty” analysis examines potential demographic changes over four decades, modeling scenarios based on varying assumptions about migration, … Read more
Ireland confronts potentially severe economic consequences within 25 years if inward migration drops significantly, as an ageing workforce threatens to undermine the country’s labour force stability and economic growth prospects. A new Department of Finance discussion paper warns that Ireland’s population will reach 6.8 million by 2065, but the economic trajectory depends heavily on maintaining … Read more
Ireland faces a significant childhood obesity crisis, with one in five children overweight or obese – double the worldwide rate – as new UNICEF data reveals obesity has overtaken underweight as the dominant form of child malnutrition globally for the first time. The landmark report “Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Children” shows that … Read more
Two exceptionally rare Kashmir sapphire brooches that lay sealed in a family vault for nearly 40 years have sold for almost €1.4 million at Adam’s auction house in Dublin, continuing a remarkable story spanning American high society and Irish aristocracy. The brooches, once owned by relatives of the 7th Earl of Wicklow, commanded extraordinary prices … Read more
Ryanair has applied for a High Court judicial review of Dublin Airport’s new night-time flight restrictions, with CEO Michael O’Leary condemning the limits as “unlawful planning stupidity” that will damage Irish aviation connectivity. The legal challenge targets An Coimisiún Pleanála’s July decision establishing an annual cap of 35,672 aircraft movements between 11pm and 7am – … Read more
Energia customers will see their electricity bills rise by up to €200 per year when new pricing takes effect on October 9th, as the energy provider implements substantial rate increases across all its residential packages. The price hikes vary significantly depending on customer plans, with standard Energia Electricity customers facing the steepest 10.9% increase, adding … Read more
Focus Ireland has called for a “radical shift” in government policy as the Coalition prepares to publish its new housing and homelessness strategy later this month amid worsening crisis conditions. The charity’s annual report reveals stark statistics highlighting the scale of Ireland’s housing emergency, with over 16,000 people currently homeless and the country set to … Read more
An Irish lottery player has made history by becoming the country’s first EuroDreams top prize winner, securing €20,000 monthly payments for the next 30 years in Monday night’s draw. The National Lottery confirmed the winner matched all six numbers plus the dream number, earning the maximum prize worth €7.2 million paid as tax-free monthly installments … Read more
Twenty percent of Irish children are trapped in poverty when housing expenses are included in calculations, according to damning new research from the Economic and Social Research Institute that shows “no real progress” in tackling child deprivation. The comprehensive ESRI study reveals that child poverty levels have returned to depths not seen since the aftermath … Read more
A new savings scheme has been established to allow foster carers to provide ongoing financial support to children in their care after they reach adulthood, addressing long-standing concerns about care leavers’ financial security. The initiative comes as Tusla develops comprehensive national guidance on managing money for children in care, replacing the current patchwork of local … Read more
Ireland’s three major banks are combining forces to launch Zippay, an instant payments service designed to compete with Revolut, two years after abandoning a previous €17 million venture that never reached market. AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB will roll out the mobile payment platform early next year, targeting their combined five million customers … Read more