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Call for law on student accommodation

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he Jetsons have so much to answer for. Thanks to that opening sequence of the 1960s space age cartoon in which George Jetson takes the kids to school and heads to work, a generation grew up thinking that by the time they were adults, they too would drive a flying car. Photograph by Warner Bros/Courtesy of Getty Images.

Conn Ó Midheach's face
Conn Ó Midheach
Thu Apr 11 2024 - 06:41

A representative body for providers of semester and summer abroad education programmes has called on Patrick O’Donovan, the new Minister for Higher Education, to push through new laws ensuring the duration of student accommodation leases next year are confined to the academic year.

The Association of Study Abroad Providers Ireland (Asapi), an umbrella group representing some 30 organisations, welcomed the Government’s commitment to introducing the legislation before the summer recess. Ian Curran has the details.

Kingspan shareholders are being urged by an influential investor advisory firm to vote against the re-election of the insulation maker’s chairman, Jost Massenberg, amid concerns about a lack of clear board oversight of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

Glass Lewis, a proxy advisory company that makes voting recommendations to large investment groups, said Kingspan is not providing enough disclosure on the board’s involvement in governance of environmental and social matters. Joe Brennan reports.

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Flying cars are still big in the minds of some in Silicon Valley, writes Karlin Lillington in her weekly column but it’s hard to see flying commutes as a prospect for anyone but wealthy tech guys irritated by regional traffic caused by the rest of us trying to get to work, often at the companies they own.

The legacy of all the prodigious innovation at Sellafield is a toxic bestowal for today and for generations to come, including in Ireland, argues Chris Horn in his column. It serves as a presage for how we use our own technologies and for their impact on future humanity, not least for environmental and climate change.

The auto-enrolment pension scheme seems good on paper, but how will it actually work?

Listen | 32:34

Cantillon reckons we are still heading for an ECB reduction in rates in June with the potential fly in the ointment being sticky wage growth. Our resident sage also argues that If ministers really do want to sell the notion of auto-enrolment to workers and their employers in a way that secures buy-in, it is well past time for some straight talking.

The latest in the online TV market is Virgin Media, with its new Streaming TV product. This compact box replaces the TV 360 set-top box that Virgin Media unveiled here in October 2020 with a more up-to-date version of the product that keeps some of the best bits of its predecessor. Ciara O’Brien has a gander.

Irish company Senoptica is aiming to raise €4 million in funding to advance its sensor technology aimed at reducing food waste. Senoptica’s system uses optical sensors using food-safe ink printed inside packaging that monitors the level of oxygen inside modified atmosphere (MAP) food packaging to help predict food spoilage and highlight any issues with incorrect packaging. This in turn can help extend the shelf life of fresh packaged food. Ciara O’Brien reports.

A fund managed by Davy Real Estate is seeking €26.5 million for a prime office investment on Lower Hatch Street in Dublin city centre, reports Ronald Quinlan. While the sale of “20 on Hatch” at that level would provide a purchaser with a net initial yield of 8.07 per cent according to selling agent Savills, the figure represents a 34 per cent drop in the €40 million valuation the Davy Irish Property Fund ascribed to the building in 2018. The fund paid €27.5 million to secure ownership of 20 on Hatch in 2014.

Unreliable software installed to comply with rules to help disabled people navigate online has prompted thousands of lawsuits, reports Joanna S Kao.

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