A round-up of other stories in brief.
Regulator relaunches site
The Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority has relaunched its personal finance website, www.itsyourmoney.ie.
The website now includes "easy-to-follow product sections" on topics such as: banking; mortgages; personal loans and credit; savings and investments; general insurance; life insurance; and pensions. It also has sections dedicated to budgeting and consumer rights.
In addition, there is a "life events" section containing relevant personal finance information on major financial life events including: starting college; buying a home; buying a car; having children; separating/divorcing; and planning for sickness, redundancy or retirement.
The regulator will also publish cost surveys online, which will be continually updated. Firms have been advised to notify the regulator of any changes to rates or charges in advance.
In addition, the website includes interactive features and useful tools such as loan and mortgage calculators, a budget planner, regular consumer polls, competitions and insurance checklists.
Revenue opens new office
The Revenue Commissioners have opened a new Central Revenue Information Office (CRIO) on Cathedral Street, Dublin. The office provides "state-of-the-art" facilities for Revenue's growing number of personal callers.
When it first opened in 1992, the CRIO was designed to deal with up to 150,000 callers per annum: last year it dealt with more than 300,000.
The public office has been completely redesigned and refurbished by the Office of Public Works to cater for the increase in callers and to provide quality accommodation and improved accessibility, according to the Revenue.
Opening from 8am during peak times, it has a self-service internet facility, with assistance available from trained Revenue staff.
According to the Revenue, the CRIO's work has become more challenging in recent years with the changing customer profile. Almost 70 per cent of callers are now non-Irish nationals. In response, it has recruited staff with Polish language skills and has increased the availability of forms and leaflets in foreign languages.
