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
Leading economist John FitzGerald has called for “proper” taxation of property owners to address Ireland’s growing wealth inequality, as housing represents an unprecedented share of national household wealth. Speaking on Newstalk radio, FitzGerald highlighted that homes account for almost 70% of Ireland’s net household wealth – significantly higher than the eurozone average of just over … Read more
The Irish Government has issued a €122,000 tender for an independent consultancy to evaluate the impact of the groundbreaking Birth Information and Tracing Act, which revolutionized access to adoption and birth records in Ireland. The comprehensive review, mandated under the 2022 legislation, will assess how the act has performed since giving people unrestricted access to … Read more
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has warned against using the Irish tricolour to mark territory or intimidate people from migrant backgrounds, expressing concern about the flag being deployed for “completely inappropriate reasons.” Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, O’Callaghan drew parallels to territorial marking in Northern Ireland, where flags are used to delineate communities. He emphasized the … Read more