The increase in public spending in Ireland last year was the second largest in the euro area and "has mitigated" much of the negative economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis, according to a report by the Central Bank. In an economic letter, the Central Bank put the cost of all measures deployed to fight the pandemic in 2020 at €24.6 billion. Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the details.
Eoin also reports on Dublin Port, which is likely to reach maximum capacity some time between 2030 and 2040. Relocating the port from its current home would cost more than €8 billion, according to the Dublin Port Company which has published a series of dialogue papers setting out various options for delivering additional capacity and on the future of the port itself.
Samsung has partnered with drone delivery company Manna to deliver new Galaxy devices to Irish customers, reports Charlie Taylor. While the service is initially for customers in Oranmore, Co Galway, where Manna has been offering deliveries of goods through a pilot programme, Samsung hopes to extend this nationwide in the future.
Charlie also reports on Bank of Ireland calling for a debate on the future of the country's banking sector following the exit of Ulster Bank from the market. Chief executive Francesca McDonagh is set to make the call in front of the Oireachtas committee on finance, which the bank is due before later today.
Following a Comreg ruling, mobile phone company Three has refunded €824,765 to 26,000 customers who were charged for a premium-rate service that was in effect not supplied to them.
The Supreme Court has ruled insolvent insurer Quinn Insurance must provide security for the multimillion euro legal costs of accountancy firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) of defending a pending action over its auditing of Quinn Insurance (QIL). PWC and QIL previously agreed the legal costs of the case, initiated in 2012 with a hearing date yet to be fixed, would be €30million, reports Mary Carolan. The High Court will decide, at a later date, exactly how much security must be provided.
Kevin O'Sullivan speaks to Dave Maguire, the Irish Solar Energy Association chairman who is bullish about sector's potential in Ireland despite a "slow start".
With no return from deposit rates, many are taking steps into the stocks and shares jungle. Fiona Reddan has advice around the taxes and charges for those who want to start investing.
In her media column this week, Laura Slattery writes that the Government has no message for people who have no more to give as the pandemic rages on and case numbers remain stuck at about 500 per day. An ad campaign promises there are "better days to come", but little is done to help us believe it, says Laura.
Dominic Coyle answers a query from a couple who have combined savings of €80,000 and are wondering what the best options are for this lump sum if they move abroad for work after Covid
In this week's Me & My Money colum, Karl Fitzpatrick, president of Chevron College says he is both a spender and a saver, and that his childhood dream was to own a Porsche 911.
Meanwhile, today's Cantillon columns examine the Dublin Port issue, auto-enrolment pensions, and how RTÉ has underspent its way to balancing the books.
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