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Issues around the cost of insurance, legal services and credit have not received the urgent attention required to support competitiveness and productivity. That is according to the state’s competitiveness watchdog, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC). The Council also says the cost of pension auto enrolment and statutory sick pay need to be balanced…

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan has said the Government will have to look at similar and potentially larger measures in this year’s Budget to support those struggling to pay fuel bills because of rising energy costs. Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Minister Ryan said these rising energy costs are as…

The Government are engaging in “constructive” discussions with the Organisation for Cooperation and Development on corporation tax, the Taoiseach has said. Earlier this year the OECD said that 130 countries and jurisdictions have signed up to a plan that will bring sweeping new reforms to global corporation tax rules. Ireland was not on the list…

The largest public service union here will begin negotiations with the Government later this week on the future for working – post pandemic. The head of communications of Forsa, which represents around 80,000 public and civil servants, said the union wants to build on the momentum of remote working that was forced upon employees as…

The EU’s Economy Commissioner has said he is confident there is “a chance to find a shared way” that would see Ireland sign up to a global tax agreement that would see the corporate tax rate increase to 15%. Paolo Gentiloni told Morning Ireland that he knows how challenging the issue is for Ireland. The…

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath has said there will be a number of key objectives in framing Budget 2022. Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme, Mr McGrath said that it includes the priority of public services being able to resume in “as normal a way as possible” after a difficult 18 months and people…

Tens of thousands of workers across the country will begin returning to their offices and places of work from today, as Covid-19 restrictions ease further. Rules around organised indoor group activities are also being relaxed, while limits on outdoor group activities for participants are being removed. The changes come some 18 months after non-essential workers…

The State will end up spending €41 billion on pandemic supports, according to a paper from the Tax Strategy Group. The paper also says future changes to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) will require an employer to make a contribution to employee wages. The Tax Strategy Group (TSG) is made up of civil servants…

A new consultation has been launched on strengthening the rights of employees in Ireland. Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar is seeking views on an EU directive on employment law. One of the considerations is putting limits on the length of probation people have to serve when starting a new job.…

Hospitality was one of the industries worst affected by the Covid crisis, or to put it in the words of Adrian Cummins of the Restaurant Association of Ireland, “It was economically flattened”. Hotels and restaurants have had to navigate lockdowns and restrictions and Covid safety guidelines, but as they reopen, they are facing another challenge…