The draft Programme for Government includes details of a stimulus plan for the economy to be published in July. It also outlines the parameters of a National Economic Plan which will be published alongside Budget 2021. At that time, a “medium term roadmap” will be set out to plan a reduction in the budget…
Category Archives: News
The head of the National Treasury Management Agency said he is not worried about the next four years from a borrowing perspective but that the state needs to prepare for the decade after that due to an increase in already high debt levels. “While addressing Covid-19 is today’s urgent priority, Ireland should prepare for dealing…
The number of people receiving the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has fallen to 515,700 – down 15% on the peak of almost 600,000 during the economic shutdown. For the first time, more people are in jobs subsidised by the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme than are receiving the PUP. At the peak of the Covid-related unemployment…
Seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 32% to €11.613 billion in April from March, according to preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office, as Covid-19 shutdowns hit the trade sector. This marked the biggest one month contraction on record. The CSO said that seasonally adjusted goods imports decreased by 11% to €5.834 billion. This resulted in…
Sterling steadied near two-week lows against the dollar and euro as fears of a second wave of coronavirus hit risk sentiment and global markets. Investors were also nervous ahead of a key meeting on Brexit negotiations. A fresh coronavirus outbreak in China and rising infection numbers in the United States – even as major economies…
The combination of Brexit uncertainty in late 2019 and the COVID-19 strict lockdown restrictions in early 2020 have harmed the property industry. Prices have continued to nosedive from February. The implementation of COVID -19 lockdown regulations saw a gradual drop in economic activity with associated job losses. As a result of this, the residential property…
Retailers in Dublin are reporting steady progress in opening up the city centre since Covid-19 restrictions on all shops were lifted on Monday. Today footfall was around 160,000 people, up from 100,000 on Monday. However, although footfall today was up substantially on the almost 95,000 of Wednesday last week, it is still down considerably on the 400,000 on…
Companies that reopened under the first phase of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions are experiencing less than half their usual level of business activity for this time of the year, a new survey has found. The survey of businesses across the country also found that a quarter of respondents expect to have earnings that will be…
The OECD has said that the Irish economy is set to contract strongly in the first half of this year due to the Covid-19 lockdown as it urged the Government to be prepared to extend existing support measures if required. In its latest economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said that GDP…
The State has been criticised for offering micro finance loans at an interest rate of 4.5% at a time when the country can borrow on international markets at an interest rate of zero. Speaking before the Dáil Special Committee on Covid-19, the secretary general of the Department of Enterprise, Business and Innovation, Dr Orlaigh Quinn…