Central Bank Governor Gabriel Makhlouf has advised the government against rushing to ease lending rules for property developers, suggesting existing housing market interventions should be given time to take effect before implementing new ones. The Irish Independent reported that Housing Minister James Browne is considering changing fiscal rules to allow developers to spend less and … Read more
Education Minister Helen McEntee is set to introduce mandatory assessed placements in special educational needs schools for all student teachers, according to new departmental plans. The minister will formally request the Teaching Council on Monday to begin implementing this significant change to teacher training requirements. McEntee will ask the council to conduct a comprehensive survey … Read more
Popular weight loss medication Wegovy is expected to become available in Ireland from Monday, offering a new option for those struggling with obesity. Manufactured by Novo Nordisk, the same company behind the diabetes treatment Ozempic, Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide. The treatment works by suppressing appetite and creating feelings of fullness, administered as a … Read more
Uisce Éireann has defended its communication practices with Cork’s elected representatives following criticism over its refusal to attend a special public meeting of Cork City Council about the city’s ongoing dirty water problems. The public meeting, scheduled for Thursday at City Hall, was postponed after Uisce Éireann, the HSE, and the Environmental Protection Agency all … Read more
Petrol and diesel prices remained stable in March after recent increases in previous months, according to the latest AA Ireland Fuel Survey. Petrol prices averaged €1.80 per litre, while diesel remained at €1.77 per litre. Meanwhile, electric vehicle drivers saw a further reduction in costs, with the average price of driving dropping by three cents … Read more
Ruby Druce, recognized as Ireland’s oldest person, has passed away peacefully at the age of 109 at her niece’s home in Castlefinn, Co Donegal. Ms. Druce, who died on Thursday, had celebrated her 109th birthday on New Year’s Eve last year. Born Ruby Crawford in 1915 to parents Elizabeth and George, she became Ireland’s oldest … Read more
A Status Yellow rain warning has been issued for ten counties across Ireland, just one day after the country experienced the highest temperatures recorded so far this year. The warning comes as a stark contrast to yesterday’s summer-like conditions, when temperatures peaked at 18.8 degrees Celsius at Shannon Airport. The weather alert will take effect … Read more
A new Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) paper published today outlines potentially severe economic consequences for Ireland if the United States implements protectionist trade policies. With President Donald Trump threatening sweeping tariffs on European Union imports, both the ESRI and Central Bank are sounding alarm bells about significant negative impacts on the Irish economy. … Read more
Ford Ireland has launched an urgent safety campaign, contacting owners of certain Ford Kuga plug-in hybrid vehicles to warn them of a serious fire risk associated with charging their cars. The automobile manufacturer is advising affected Kuga plug-in hybrid owners to immediately stop charging their vehicles due to the potential for the high-voltage battery to … Read more
Two Dublin local authorities are leading a campaign to introduce a tourist tax on overnight stays, similar to those implemented in many popular tourist destinations worldwide. Fingal County Council has reached out to councils across Ireland, advocating for national legislation that would allow local authorities to collect a “transient visitor tax” from hotels, short-term rentals, … Read more
The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has reported a significant decline in its post-tax profits for last year, with figures falling to €706 million – a drop of €162 million or 19% compared to 2023. According to the company’s annual report, the substantial reduction in profits was primarily attributed to decreases in wholesale energy prices throughout … Read more
Security experts have cautioned that the European Union’s new defense white paper, despite its ambitious €800 billion funding proposal, is unlikely to help Ireland address its critical military capability gaps. The European Commission’s first white paper on European defense, launched Wednesday, outlines plans to raise substantial funds through loans and debt to help EU countries … Read more
Avant Money is set to introduce a new ‘flex mortgage’ product, offering a variable rate linked to the 12-month Euribor. Rates, starting from 3.3 per cent, will be set on the day of drawdown and adjusted annually based on Euribor fluctuations. This differs from traditional tracker mortgages, which react to ECB rate changes within 30 … Read more
Irish customers have been advised to switch and save ahead of forthcoming broadband, TV, and mobile price hikes. Starting next month, most customers of eir, Sky, Three, and Vodafone will see their bills rise for the third April in a row due to annual price adjustments. Originally, these increases were tied to inflation plus an … Read more
Employees at Bord na Móna Recycling have announced a two-day strike on April 2 and 3 to protest plans to sell Ireland’s last publicly-owned domestic waste collection service to private operator Killarney Waste Disposal. The industrial action will affect waste collection services across twelve counties including Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Offaly, Meath, Tipperary, … Read more