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The Government is reducing the VAT rate for food and catering businesses, and for hairdressing services from 13.5% down to 9%. The measure will come into effect from 1 July next year, and will cost €232m for 2026 and €681m in a full year. This VAT reduction is in line with a commitiment in the

The Government will reduce the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments to 9% from 13.5%, from tonight until the end of December 2030. Announcing Budget 2026, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said this reduction will help address the “viability gap” in apartment construction. He said it is part of a social policy to

The Government is going to unveil a “pro-investment” Budget this afternoon with limited benefits for middle income workers. There will be a €10 increase in the State Pension and social welfare rates. There will be 860 additional special education teachers and 1,700 new special needs assistants. The Basic Income for artists of €325 per week

Bitcoin reached a new record high yesterday, rising above the $125,000 mark. The cryptocurrency reached $125,689, shooting above its previous August record of around $124,500. Bitcoin has enjoyed a strong upward momentum with investors cautious about the US government shutdown. Gains in US shares have also supported bitcoin’s rise, while investors have looked to safe

A €10 increase in the State pension and Social Protection rates is expected in today’s Budget. The Budget will also see mortgage interest relief, which has benefitted more than 60,000 householders, extended for another year before being gradually phased out in 2027. The income disregard for the Carer’s Allowance, a big issue for the Independents

The tech sector has been through a turbulent time is recent years with many companies alternating between hiring sprees and mass layoffs. The industry remains a massive employer in this country with the latest Central Statistics Office data showing that the information and communication sector accounts for almost 180,000 jobs. That figure did fall by

Local Property Tax (LPT) is likely to increase next year for the majority of homeowners. Revenue have begun the process of writing to the 1.5 million homeowners in the country, asking them to re-evaluate their property’s value. This re-evaluation will be used to determine the amount of Local Property Tax homeowners will pay for the

Hospitality businesses in the north west region have said it is becoming almost impossible to make a profit given rising costs in the sector. Garry and Mairead Anderson employ more than 30 people during the summer season in Killybegs at their seafood shack and restaurant overlooks the town’s harbour. “This year, our turnover is up

Billionaire Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is nearly halfway to becoming the planet’s first trillionaire, Forbes magazine has reported. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO became the first person to achieve a net worth of $500 billion, briefly, as the shares in his electric vehicle company rebound from his clumsy stint in politics, amid other

New figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show a 73% jump in the registration of new electric cars in September. SIMI said a total of 1,737 new electric cars (battery electric cars) were registered – 73.2% higher than the 1,003 registrations the same month last year. So far this year, a