Deloitte has released it latest State of the Consumer Tracker which shows consumer confidence holding steady into July, with Ireland now in second place in Europe for consumer confidence in visiting stores in person. This is the latest of the new bi-weekly survey, which tracks Irish consumers’ attitudes towards personal well-being, financial concerns, travel and…

The European Commission has proposed changes to the EU’s VAT rules, in preparation for the end of the transition period with the UK on 31 December 2020. The amendment to the VAT Directive introduces a special identification number for businesses in Northern Ireland, so that EU VAT provisions can be properly applied to goods, in…

The UK economy suffered a bigger slump than any other major European economy in the second quarter, shrinking by a fifth and falling into its deepest recession on record. Official data released on Wednesday showed that gross domestic product (GDP) fell 20.4 per cent quarter on quarter, with widespread contractions across all sectors. The figures…

Applications have opened for the Government’s Restart Grant Plus Scheme after the maximum grant available was raised to €25,000. Businesses that have suffered a 25% loss of expected turnover between April 1 and June 30 can apply for the funding if they have less than 250 employees and turnover of less than €25m. Eligible companies…

Britain’s economy shrank by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June, when the coronavirus lockdown was tightest, the largest contraction reported by any major economy so far, according to official figures published on Wednesday. The data also showed the world’s sixth-biggest economy entered a recession as it shrank for a second quarter in…

Dublin’s Digital Hub, which is home to more than 70 companies, has warned it may need to seek emergency funding from the State as Covid-19 impacts its finances. According to briefing notes recently prepared for Minister for Communications, Eamon Ryan, the Digital Hub Development Agency alerted his department in April of the effect of the…

In these turbulent times, many firms are viewing the period of disruption as an opportunity to reassess and improve how they care for and develop employees – and ultimately build better organisations. Irish talent tech firms are supporting HR and organisational development departments at global firms as they examine how a push for employee development,…

The unemployment rate fell to 16.7pc last month as thousands of employees returned to work. New official figures show that the rate fell by over 6pc in July from 23.1pc in June. However, unemployment is still over 10pc higher than it was before the crisis when the economy was close to full employment. Article Source:…

More than one fifth of Irish pension savers have reduced contributions to their scheme during the Covid-19 outbreak. Irish pension savers are three times more likely than those in the UK to have stopped or reduced pension contributions during the period, according to a survey by State Street Global Advisors (SSGA). Globally, most people surveyed…

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, has said there is “particular concern” for survival rates among small and medium businesses (SMEs) as winter approaches. Speaking at the launch of the Government’s Covid-19 Restart Plus grant for small businesses, Mr Varadkar said: “Then we would have a concern in spring, when the wage subsidy…