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Ryan’s biofuel warning, tech services boom and why The Crown is perfect for a second screen world

The best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan warned of possible fraud in imported biofuel when he was in opposition.

Peter Flanagan's face
Peter Flanagan
Tue Dec 12 2023 - 06:11

Minister for the Environment and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan warned of possible fraud in imported biofuel when he was in opposition but has allowed its use to increase while in Government. Barry O’Halloran has the story.

A new planning and environment court that formally launched on Monday will enable fair and speedy decisions from highly specialised judges, the president of the High Court has said. Mr Justice David Barniville said the court, which falls within the High Court jurisdiction, will allow for further judicial specialisation in a “very complex and systemically important” legal area. Ellen O’Riordan has the details.

In her column, Laura Slattery looks at the final season of The Crown and asks if our TVs are now the so-called second screen after the one we’re holding in our hands.

In Your Money, Fiona Reddan looks at the fallout from the pension age increasing to 67 in January, while Dominic Coyle answers questions on the implications of CRH paying Irish investors in US dollars as well as the tax implications of Ulster Bank payments to those holding so-called offset mortgages.

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Ellen also reports that a tidy towns group claims planning permission granted for the development of 402 apartments near the Dublin mountains is invalid and should be quashed by the High Court.

Half of Irish workers are not offered any employment benefits, while just four out of 10 who are do not use them, according to new research. The findings stem from research conducted by Lockton People Solutions which surveyed more than 700 employees in small to large organisations in a range of public and private sector industries. Colin Gleeson reports.

Colin also reports that Dublin has consolidated a “mid-table” position in an annual ranking of European cities for property investment and development potential, but the market should pick up in the first half of next year, according to Urban Land Institute chairwoman Marie Hunt.

It’s a week to be a central bank watcher, with the ECB, Bank of England and US Federal Reserve all set to make key decisions on interest rates. Cantillon assesses the decisions facing both institutes.

A locum hospital consultant and her medical services firm must pay a combined tax bill of €319,259 after losing their battle with the Revenue Commissioners. The Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) found that the consultant must pay €167,804 in income tax and her firm a further €151,455 in income tax, PRSI, universal social charge and local property tax for the years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Gordon Deegan reports.

Dublin Zoo last year enjoyed record visitor numbers as it posted an operating surplus of €1.09 million. Consolidated accounts for the Zoological Society of Ireland (ZSI) which operates Dublin Zoo and Fota Island Wildlife Park show that income last year increased by €4.28 million or 21 per cent, rising from €20.35 million to €24.63 million. Gordon Deegan has read the numbers.

Irish supermarkets are looking forward to a very happy Christmas, with spending set to top €1.4 billion for the first time, new figures from retail analysts Kantar Worldpanel suggest. The data also points to a continuing fall in grocery inflation, with the speed at which prices are increasing declining for the seventh successive month. Conor Pope reports.

Barely a week after reports emerged that it may sell most of its beer brands, An Bord Pleanála has given the green light to drinks giant, Diageo to construct its planned €200 million brewery for Newbridge, Co Kildare. Gordon has the story.

Ireland appeared to defy the global downturn in the tech last year, exporting a record €340 billion worth of services, the majority of which were “computer services”. The headline figure was up over €40 billion on the previous year. Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show computer services exports – at €195.7 billion – accounted for 58 per cent of the State’s total services trade last year. Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the details, while Cantillon assesses what this may mean for the wider economy.

Almost a fifth of all new cars being purchased in the State are electric, according to the Central Statistics Office. Eoin has the details.

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