The impending departure of Ires Reit from the Irish Stock Exchange will bring the curtain down on a failed experiment in harnessing private capital for public good, writes John McManus. The other three real estate investment trusts (Reits) – Green, Yew Grove and Hibernia – have already gone after being sold. The only surprise, he says, is that Ires took so long and that anybody thought the idea would work in the first place.
Sticking with investment, Irish Life’s Unio Wealth Management has lured two executives from stockbroker Goodbody’s regional offices and a former senior Davy private clients adviser as competition for staff in the sector gathers pace. Joe Brennan has the details.
Australian property group REA is to buy a 35 per cent stake in Daft.ie owner Distilled in a deal worth an estimated €248 million, writes Ian Curran and Ciara O’Brien. Founded by brothers Eamonn and Brian Fallon, Distilled includes property portals Daft.ie and PropertyPal, classified ads site Adverts.ie and car marketplaces Used Cars NI and DoneDeal.ie.
Employee theft is a common issue faced by retailers in Ireland, but how do they manage it and what are the consequences? Jack White looks at how prevalent it is and how different companies respond to it when discovered.
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On the commercial property scene, the ESRI think tank has engaged Lisney to find a buyer for its headquarters in Dublin’s south docklands at around €10.5 million as it reconsiders its requirements in a world of hybrid working. Ronald Quinlan reports.
And he writes that interest in an almost three-acre site next to The Square in Tallaght is likely to be keen. The former Woodies site, which is guiding at €5.9 million, has full planning permission for a scheme featuring 199 apartments, 17 commercial units and a 58-space basement car park.
The Central Bank is cutting the Insurance Compensation Fund levy, first brought in 15 years ago in the wake of the collapse of Quinn Insurance, to zero in a move that should deliver a modest benefit for car and home policyholders from next year, writes Ian Curran.
Stock in streaming giant Netflix is on course for its worst year since 2022 amid concerns over weakening subscriber engagement and a dearth of hit shows. An August rebound in the stock has been snuffed out, leaving Netflix down 26 per cent on the year and among the 50 worst performers in the S&P 500 Index in 2026.
Ratings agency Fitch says telecoms group Eir is expected to increase dividends to its controlling shareholder, French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel and its joint venture fibre network partner as it largely completes investment in high-speed broadband roll-out. Joe Brennan reports.
Labour productivity is almost eight times higher in the foreign-dominated manufacturing and IT sectors in Ireland because of multinationals, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. Eoin Burke-Kennedy writes that the data say the figure for the domestic sector, €65.80, pales alongside the €507.3 per hour delivered in sectors dominated by foreign-owned companies.
Speaking of productivity, Ryanair says it expects no big delays to the delivery of Boeing’s newest 737 Max aircraft variant after certification of the jet was pushed back by regulators over concern that a software issue could affect safety.
Stick or switch: In Money Matters, Joanne Hunt challenges customers of Ireland’s legacy banks to consider the alternative of fintechs like Monzo, N26, Revolut and Bunq. What works for you depends on how you bank. The neo banks won’t charge for your basic current account, unlike their more traditional peers. But you are more likely to have to pay to withdraw or lodge cash or cheques.
Finally, Barry O’Halloran notes that an EU court will rule on a legal challenge by airlines to the 32 million a year passenger limit at Dublin Airport in the coming weeks.
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