Irish GDP will grow by 2pc this year and by 3.4pc next year, according to the latest quarterly economic report from Ibec, the business lobby group. Higher growth in exports and investment is expected both this year and in 2025, on the back of falling inflation, the expected reduction in interest rates, and marginal improvements […]
News & Resources
Horticulture employers say wage increases unsustainable
Mushroom, vegetable and fruit growers dependent on third country workers have said they are being hit with unsustainable wage costs after the Government increased mandatory wage rates. The sector depends on workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) – the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – as Irish and EU workers tend not […]
Web Summit CEO Cosgrave returns 6 months after resigning
Web Summit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave has today returned as its chief executive officer, six months after resigning from the top job following a backlash over his comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Mr Cosgrave drew criticism after posting on social media platform X on October 13 that “war crimes are war crimes even when committed by […]
Bank of Ireland online banking restored after outage
Bank of Ireland has said that its online banking services have been restored following an earlier outage. “There was a technical issue this afternoon which required us to take it offline while we fixed the problem,” the bank said in a statement. “We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers today,” it […]
What are the “dress-codes” of businesses?
We know that it may get a bit confusing to understand the dress-code in various companies. The words used to describe them can be ambiguous or mislead you. Here are some common types of dress codes you may encounter and how to prepare for fulfilling the correct code: Business Formal: This dress code typically […]
What is the key for finding your optimal working environment?
At Red Chair, we recognise the value of a positive work environment for prospective employees and the necessity of creating a positive work environment for employers. Here are some steps you can take to find a work environment that aligns with your happiness: Determine Your Principles: Ascertain the values that hold significance for you […]
Record high number of complaints made to Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman last year
The number of complaints lodged with the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) last year hit a record high. 6,182 grievances were filed with FSPO’s office in 2023, an increase of 29% on the previous year. Almost two thirds of the issues related to the banking sector, with insurance accounting for just under a quarter. […]
Kerry garden designer ‘honoured’ with UK Horticultural Society award
An award-winning Kerry garden designer has received a prestigious recognition from the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Billy Alexander was awarded the Lawrence Medal for his Gold Medal and Best in Great Pavilion winning exhibit, The Ferns of Kells Bay Gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show last year. The Lawrence Medal is awarded for the […]
Ireland’s national debt stands at €42,000 per capita
Ireland’s national debt continued to fall last year but remains one of the highest in the world at €42,000 per capita, the Department of Finance’s report on public debt shows. Only Japan, Belgium and Italy have higher levels of borrowings per person. The country’s gross public debt stood at €223 billion in 2023 down […]
Euro zone inflation dips but core figures may disappoint
Euro zone inflation eased as expected last month but underlying price pressures fell less than forecast, likely boosting the European Central Bank’s argument that rate cuts should not be rushed, even if the next move is still going to be policy easing. Consumer inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro dipped to 2.8% in […]
Red Chair delighted to unveil the new ‘Open for Business’ wall
Kerry Airport CEO John Mulhern, Fred McDonogh, Managing Director of Red Chair Recruitment, Killarney and Chris Fitzgerald, Proprietor of Slógadh Signs, Killorglin have driven the campaign since 2021 to raise awareness of the many job opportunities that exist in Kerry. The ‘Open for Business Wall” that is located in the newly furnished Kerry Airport’s departure […]
Employment in Enterprise Ireland supported companies increases to a record 225,495
15,530 total new jobs created in 2023 68% of new jobs created were regionally based Results launch hosted by APC VLE who are announcing the creation of 300 new high-quality jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland Employment in client companies of Enterprise Ireland increased to a total of 225,495 in 2023, the highest ever recorded. The […]
Public sector pay talks to resume at WRC
Public sector pay talks are set to resume this morning at the Workplace Relations Commission. The previous public sector pay agreement, Building Momentum, expired at the end of last year. Talks before Christmas failed to reach agreement on a successor deal and public sector trade unions have criticised the slow pace of the negotiations. The […]
Central Bank predicts economy will shrink this year
The Central Bank has become the latest economic forecaster to predict that the economy will shrink this year. Its latest Quarterly Bulletin also shows that lower income families have seen their real incomes decline over the past two years due to inflation while higher income groups have seen a faster recovery. Multinational companies exporting […]
Tech losses lead to fall in job numbers at IDA client firms this year
The number of people employed at IDA Ireland-supported multinational companies operating in Ireland fell very slightly this year, amid difficult economic conditions and a contracting tech sector. 16,843 new jobs were added by client firms of the inward investment agency over the course of the year, down 48% from the 32,426 a year earlier, its […]
Irish operations a key element in Pfizer’s growth plan, CEO says
The global chairman and chief executive of pharma giant Pfizer has said the company is committed to Ireland. Albert Bourla said the firm’s operations in this country are a key element in both its growth strategy and its ambition to change a billion lives a year by 2027. Speaking in Dublin Mr Bourla said […]
WeWork, once most valuable US startup, succumbs to bankruptcy
WeWork, the SoftBank Group-backed startup whose meteoric rise and fall reshaped the office sector globally, has sought US bankruptcy protection after its bets on companies using more of its office-sharing space soured. The move represents an admission by SoftBank, the Japanese technology group that owns about 60% of WeWork and has invested billions of dollars […]
Salaries to remain flat in 2024
A staggering 80% of Irish organisations encountered hiring challenges in 2023, creating difficulties in retaining existing employees, according to a global survey conducted by Morgan McKinley. Its 2024 salary guide, however, anticipates that salaries in most professional areas will see little to no significant change into next year, as fewer professionals consider exploring new job […]
Property market spooked by interest rate and supply worries
Rising interest rates and ongoing supply problems are having a particularly negative impact on property market sentiment, according to a survey by MyHome.ie. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) say they are worried that interest rate hikes will affect their ability to buy, up 20% compared to March when respondents were asked the same question. Interest rate […]
New national AI skills programme launched by Microsoft
Microsoft has launched a new national Artificial Intelligence skills training programme. One of the courses on offer is a free six-week ‘Introduction to AI’ programme that will be delivered through live virtual sessions. It is available to anyone over 18 and is designed to help equip those with little or no understanding of AI with […]
Why have we seen so many storms in recent years?
Some years seem to have an endless succession of storms. For some people, this means wet feet, windswept hair and cancelled plans. For others, it’s serious disruption from tree-blocked roads, flooded homes and missing roof tiles. Recently, there have been years with a very high level of storminess, characterised by more frequent and intense storms. […]