3.3% rise in goods handled – in and out – of Irish ports New figures from the Central Statistics Office reveal that Irish ports handled 55.1 million tonnes of goods last year, an increase of 3.3% on the previous year. Total goods forwarded from Irish ports amounted to 18 million tonnes, a slight increase of […]

Fiscal Council issues warning over Government’s budget plans The Government will have just €600 million to either increase spending or reduce taxes in October’s budget once existing commitments are taken into account, the State’s independent finance watchdog says. According to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC), if the Government sticks to its plans, a total […]

Construction industry’s turnover sees growth of 25% last year The combined turnover for the country’s top construction companies increased by 25% to €8.39 billion last year. This is according to Construction magazine’s annual Top 50 CIF Contractors listing for 2019. The listing, published every year, gives a snapshot of the overall growth in Irish construction. […]

Despite Brexit concerns, domestic economy doing well – SME Market Monitor The domestic economy is performing strongly despite a dip in consumer sentiment, according to the latest SME Market Monitor from the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. The BPFI said that businesses here have been boosted by improving employment, as well as a 2.1% rise […]

Average annual earnings rise by 3.3% to €38,871 in 2018 Average annual earnings increased by 3.3% to €38,871 in 2018 from €37,637 in 2017, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show. The CSO said this compares to an annual increase of 1.9% in 2017 from €36,933 in 2016. Today’s figures show that average annual […]

Sterling bounces off five-month low against the euro after April pay data Sterling pulled away from five-month lows against the euro today after UK wages in the three months to April rose faster than expected. The pound has been on the backfoot in recent weeks as investors sit on the sidelines while the contest to […]

Hoteliers call for urgent action on ‘unsustainable’ insurance costs 62% of hoteliers have seen further increases in their insurance costs over the last 12 months, according to the Irish Hotels Federation. The Irish Hotels Federation said its research shows the average increase in premiums was 28%, with the latest hike coming after substantial increases in […]

Construction activity growth eases to four-month low in May Activity in the construction sector eased to a four month low in May, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index from Ulster Bank. The Ulster Bank Construction PMI fell to 54.9 in May, down from a reading of 56.6 in April. But despite the slowdown, the […]