Archive for February 2025

The Irish Home Builders’ Association (IHBA) has said it does not believe house completions will increase this year. The organisation said this is due to a drop in the number of viable planning permissions combined with a lack of serviced land, infrastructure and funding for apartments. Last year, housing output fell to 30,000 homes, far…

Data centres are going to be required to make public their carbon emissions and use of renewables, under a new draft policy from the regulator responsible for the energy sector. The proposal is part of a decision published by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in an effort to provide “clarity” for the sector.…

A €1.5 million fund to foster inclusive, resilient communities and strengthen social cohesion across Ireland has been announced. The fund, run by Rethink Ireland, in partnership with law firm Mason Hayes & Curran and the Department of Rural and Community Development, will provide cash grants and business support to not-for-profits working in communities nationwide. The…

The national residential vacancy rate fell to a new low of 3.8% in the final three months of last year. New figures from GeoDirectory and EY show that the west of Ireland had the highest vacancy rates. Leitrim topped the list at under 12%, followed by Mayo at 10.6% and Roscommon at 10.3%. The lowest…

Exports of goods from Ireland to the US surged by 34% last year, driven by a significant rise in pharmaceuticals, the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show. President Donald Trump is examining placing tariffs on drug products sold to the US which could have significant ramifications for manufacturers here. Overall Ireland had an…

Bank of Ireland said its customers increased their debit and credit card spending in January, with the pace of household spending growing by 6.1%, up from 4.5% in December. The bank’s consumer spending trends research shows a surge in summer holiday planning, with travel agencies reporting a 50% increase in sales from December, while airline…

New figures show that jobs in client companies of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta, are now at their highest ever level, at over 546,763 jobs, which is a 1.3% increase on 2023 figures. The Annual Employment Survey 2024 shows there was a fall in job gains last year. Gross job gains for…

A new Europe-wide survey shows strong public support for EU action to address the risks and maximise the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. The European Commission Eurobarometer surveyed 1,006 people in Ireland, as part of 26,400 in total across the EU, about their attitudes to the use of AI and the future…

Spending on gas for electricity in Ireland was cut by almost one billion euro last year, as wind energy supplied 32 per cent of Ireland’s electricity. Irish wind farms saved €748 million euro on gas, which would have been predominantly imported, and a further €268 million in carbon credits in Ireland. An additional €213 million…

Local authorities will be able to zone more land for housing under changes to the National Planning Framework which will be discussed by a Cabinet committee later. The Cabinet Committee on Housing will examine immediate Government priorities in advance of the publication of a new comprehensive housing plan later this year. Tomorrow, a move to…