Applications will no longer be accepted under the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) from the close of business on Wednesday, the Minister for Justice has confirmed. Simon Harris said the scheme had been under review for “quite a period of time” and that “strong advice” was presented to him recently that led him to make this…
Category Archives: News
After a pandemic imposed shutdown, the wedding sector is booming once again. But that surge in demand, coupled with inflation means those looking to say ‘I do’ can expect to pay higher prices for their big day. Those working in the industry say the price of hosting a wedding is up around 20% compared to…
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said there will be further meetings this week in relation to the hospitality VAT rate, involving the key ministers of finance, public expenditure, social protection and the party leaders. The 9% VAT rate for the industry is due to expire at the end of the month, when it will revert to 13.5%….
Further increases in health insurance premiums cannot be ruled out later this year, according to one health insurance expert. Laya Healthcare followed rivals Irish Life Health and VHI in announcing a hike in the cost of some of its premiums late last week. It means all of the providers in the market have recently increased…
Minister of State Jack Chambers is set to bring proposals for the Licensed Haulage Support Scheme to Cabinet that will provide €18 million to assist licensed haulage businesses with cost pressures. According to research conducted by the Department of Transport, for the last six months of 2022, fuel prices for operators continued to be just…
The European Commission has revised upwards its forecasts for economic growth this year in Ireland. In its Winter 2023 Economic Forecast, released today, the Commission predicts the economy here will grow in GDP terms by 4.9%, compared to its Autumn forecast of 3.2%. Growth next year has been revised upwards to 4.1% compared to an…
Commercial semi-state companies last year paid out aggregate dividends of €199.4 million to the exchequer. The €199 million paid out in 2022 is a 31.4% increase on the €151.7 million dividends paid out by the semi-state companies to the exchequer for 2021. However, in a written Dáil reply to co-leader of the Social Democrats, Catherine…
IMSE, the group representing small and medium sized firms, has called for the continuation of the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme beyond the end of February and for the streamlining of the application process which it says is ‘extremely complex’ to apply for. The scheme – known as TBESS – covers 40% of the additional…
Consumer spending last month rose by 17.8% compared to the same month a year ago, according to the latest data released by online bank Revolut. However, the growth in spending by the company’s two million customers here is likely to have been heavily influenced by rising inflation, as the cost of living last month was…
The Minister for Finance has ruled out introducing mortgage interest relief for owner-occupiers, warning that such a move could cost €655m a year. Speaking in the Dáil, Michael McGrath acknowledged that many mortgage holders were under significant pressure, as some lenders are charging up to 7% interest on home loan repayments. Sinn Féin urged the…