Regulators have cut their estimate for Ireland’s electricity needs in the next decade despite signs of growing pressure on existing supplies, writes Barry O’Halloran, sparking fears that the State will not secure enough power to meet increasing demand.
It comes as US multinationals – through the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland – call on the Government to set out a “clearly defined funding stream” in Budget 2027 for what it says are grid improvements needed if Ireland wants to continue to attract US foreign direct investment. Ian Curran has the details of AmCham’s wishlist.
Back on the corporate front, the board of ferries operator Irish Continental has said it “continues to consider the terms of the acquisition [by management] fair and reasonable”, having considered the view of shareholders who argue the offer undervalues the company. The move came hours before Pageant Investments said it had voted against the proposed sale. Ciarán Hancock and Peter Flanagan report.
Billionaire professional gambler, Tony Bloom, who owns Premier League football club Brighton & Hove Albion, has quietly invested in the Irish property sector, lending millions of euro in 19 loans over several years to a Meath property fund that has recently acquired another shopping centre. Killian Woods has the details.
Improving the energy efficiency of a house can “significantly” increase its market value, according to an analysis of residential property sales by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Its figures say homeowners can expect a 2.7 per cent bounce in sale price for every step up the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale, writes Stephen Conneely.
With a starting salary of €46,500 in a permanent pensionable job with a State company, John McManus wonders why Irish people are not interested in the job as Dublin Bus continues to train up some of the 200 drivers they have recruited from South Africa.
And in Money Matters, with the US stock market heading for a fourth successive year of double-digit gains, Jeff Sommer asks whether the time has come for investors to hedge their bets even as Wall Street strategists double down on bullish forecasts on the back of spectacular earnings.
Sticking with consumer finance, Irish online shoppers just getting used to a €3 per item customs charge on goods from outside the EU face a further €2 per package fee from November, writes Conor Pope. Between them, they have the potential to change the face of online shopping for some of the Chinese fast fashion groups.
Company officers are being urged to file their annual returns on time, writes Ian Curran, amid a significant ramp-up in enforcement action by regulators, which has led to almost 3,000 entities being struck off the register of companies so far this year.
Discount king Mike Ashley’s advance into the luxury retail sector continues. Just days after swooping on a troubled Harvey Nichols, it has emerged that his Frasers Group now has a stake of almost 48 per cent in Hugo Boss, up from 26 per cent, despite his takeover bid for the business lapsing last week.
Northern Ireland software company Kainos issued a bullish full-year forecast as it recorded double-digit percentage revenue growth in the financial year to March 31st 2026, with a strong sales performance and what is described as “record” backlog levels.
Finally, Apple is changing how its developers in the European Union are charged for apps both in and outside its App Store, in a move that it says will resolve disagreements with the European Commission. Ciara O’Brien reports that the company is also simplifying its terms of business in the EU, making it less complex for developers.
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