The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation has outlined nine key policies which it says are needed to safeguard the industry as it continues to deal with the harsh impact of the Covid-19 restrictions.  The tourism industry here took an 85% hit in revenue last year with the loss of 160,000 jobs due to Covid-19. The Irish…

A senior Government official has said there is no reason to expect there will be any significant shortages in goods because of ongoing post-Brexit supply chain challenges.  Declan Hughes, an Assistant Secretary in the Indigenous Enterprise Unit in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said there may have been – and may be in…

Some 460,000 people will receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week – an increase of over 15% in the last seven days, according to the Department of Social Protection. The 62,715 rise in claims reflects the re-introduction of tighter public health restrictions and more business closures as the prevalence of Covid-19 has risen in recent…

Chartered estate agents say they are struggling to meet demand for property, especially from first time buyers. A survey of 800 agents, carried out by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, found that over two thirds predicted property price increases in the year ahead with 24% expecting prices to remain the same and 8% anticipating…

A new online portal for those hoping to upskill or retrain is being launched by the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris today. The portal is described as a “one stop shop for businesses, employees or unemployed persons”. It outlines the third level options available to them, including short part-time courses right up to full time third…

The Covid-19 pandemic had a big impact on company formations last year, with the number of new firms established in 2020 hitting a four year low. In total 21,924 new businesses were registered over the 12 months. In comparison to 2019, this represents a fall of 4%, the data from CRIFVision-net shows. “The correlation between this…

The Government is to legislate to give employees the right to request remote working as part of a National Remote Working Strategy under a permanent framework for after the pandemic ends.  The strategy ‘Making Remote Work’ will also provide for the so-called “right to disconnect”, the construction of remote working hubs, a review of tax…

Around 420,000 people will be issued tax bills today as a result of payments they received under the two main Covid subsidy schemes last year. 71% of those in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and 33% of those on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment underpaid tax – and will receive a bill. Data released by…

The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, has said planned changes to corporate tax rules will result in a reduction in corporate tax in the future of between €800m and €2 billion a year. This reduction is expected to take a number of years.   He said that the plan Ireland is launching today should help it…