Author: admin@fmb

Chartered Accountants Ireland and CPA Ireland have started to operate as one institute under the Chartered Accountants Ireland brand. Members of the two Irish-based accountancy bodies first voted on an amalgamation proposal in February. A majority of members voted in favour of uniting the two organisations to create a single institute to better represent the […]

Read More… from Chartered Accountants Ireland and CPA Ireland finalise amalgamation

Inflation in Ireland is continuing to ease, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. The EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HIPC) is estimated to have increased by 1.1% in the 12 months to August and is up 0.1% since July. This compared to 1.5% in the 12 months to July when […]

Read More… from Annual inflation falls to 3-year low of 1.1% – flash data

The wholesale cost of electricity rose 3% in the month to July, new data from the Central Statistics Office shows. It meant that prices were 15.3% higher than they were in July of last year. However, prices are still 58.5% lower than they were in July of 2022, when they were still being severely influenced […]

Read More… from Annual wholesale electricity prices up over 15% in July – CSO

Four out of every ten new homes sold last year across the country changed hands as part of a transaction where multiple units were sold together, new research has claimed. In total there were 7,306 new units sold as part of such “block sales” the analysis by estate agents DNG has found. Block sale buyers […]

Read More… from 42% of new homes sold in 2023 were part of a block sale

Changes to employment permits, designed to make the system more flexible, will come into force from Monday 2 September. Regulations giving effect to the Employment Permits Act were signed today. Under the new rules, certain categories of permit holders will be able to change employer after a nine month period. A new seasonal employment permit […]

Read More… from Changes to work permits to come into force next week

The Wage Subsidy Scheme, which offers private sector employers a subsidy to provide employment to people with disabilities, is to be expanded. A number of changes to the scheme have been announced following a review of the initiative. The scheme pays a minimum subsidy rate of €6.30 an hour to the employer, which can increase […]

Read More… from Wage Subsidy Scheme set to be expanded

Consumer confidence dropped slightly in August, according to the latest Credit Union consumer sentiment index. Concerns about household finances in the months ahead and a renewed nervousness about the economy weighed on consumer thinking, the survey states. It suggests that the looming seasonal increase in spending pressures is adding to the lower consumer mood. “The […]

Read More… from Consumer confidence falls slightly in August

Household electricity bills could be set to rise by up to €8.42 a month over the coming year. The increase is the result of the energy regulator setting network charges for the period. The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said network charges are needed to enable ongoing investment to take place in the […]

Read More… from Domestic electricity bills to rise by up to €100 a year to cover network charges

Preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office show that average weekly earnings for the second quarter of 2024 reached €963.17, an increase of 5.6% or €51.43 compared with the same time last year. The CSO said that average weekly earnings rose across all 13 sectors in the year to the second quarter, with the largest […]

Read More… from Average weekly earnings up 5.6% in second quarter – CSO

Just over 5,300 mortgages were approved in July, the latest figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland show. First time buyers continue to drive the bulk of the activity, accounting for almost two thirds – 61.9% – of all approvals in the month. Just under a quarter of approvals were granted to those looking to […]

Read More… from First time buyers continue to drive mortgage approvals