Housing on target, Mainstream restructuring and how the Brown Thomas owner lost control

The housing crisis is arguably the most important issue in Ireland today, but the Government is on track to hit its targets for new homes this year and next, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as he claimed his Coalition is making “real progress” on the matter. Eoin Burke-Kennedy and Jennifer Bray were at the press briefing announcing the figures.

For obvious reasons, housing has been difficult issue for the Government but yesterday they were quite happy to roll out the new figures. Eoin Burke-Kennedy breaks down what it all means.

Big news in the retail sector, as Thailand’s Central Group moves to take control of the parent group of Brown Thomas and Arnotts. Ian Curran has the story, while we also have a long read on how we have got to the point that the department stores have a new owner, less than two years after they last changed hands.

The Web Summit completed its first full day on Tuesday, with artificial intelligence one of the big issues of the day. Ciara O’Brien is covering the event.

Three big international headwinds that could derail Ireland

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Passing up the chance for a risk-free return on your savings is madness

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E-gates of hell signal start of travel chaos season

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‘Every country in Europe right now with a coastline and deep water is going after floating offshore wind.’ Except Ireland

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Mainstream Renewables have had a grim time of it in Chile in recent years, and that has continued after the company gave up a stake in the business to a US lender. Joe Brennan has the details.

Staying with energy, Barry O’Halloran reports on a warning from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities that achieving national emissions ceiling targets without an “unprecedented” renewables ramp-up or cutting total electricity demand “could be extremely challenging” for the State.

Barry also reports that one aviation body has claimed air fares are still lagging inflation, even amid calls for prices to drop and the European Commission indicating it may investigate why air fares are so high.

In his column, Martin Wolf looks at how countries are managing their finances, and warns that obsessively controlling debt and deficits can lead to bad decisions by governments.

The company that manages Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel under licence from its US owners received €1.8 million in Covid-related Government wage subsidies in 2022 but returned to an operating profit following the lifting of public health restrictions. Ian has the details.

What is household wealth really? New data from the Central Statistics Office shows cumulative wealth excluding property fell by €12 billion last year. It’s an important measure as it gets to the heart of what people can access, as opposed to being tied up in a property that could take months to liquidate. Eoin has the story.

As Christmas approaches, a worrying warning from the Central Bank that many people don’t understand that so-called buy now, pay later plans are really forms of credit that need to be maintained. Ian has the story.

An Post has repaid a €30 million loan it received from the Government on schedule in 2017. Ciaran Hancock reports.

In Commercial Property, Ronald Quinlan reports that a group of Irish investors are closing in on a deal for the Dawson Hotel in Dublin, while the childhood home of the Duke of Wellington is on the market for €3.1 million.

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