ESRI on house prices, credit union housing loans, and pension vs mortgage

House prices would be nearly 9 per cent higher without the Central Bank of Ireland's strict mortgage lending rules, a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has determined. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

Credit unions around the country look set to finally start lending for social housing, after years of lobbying and discussion. Such a move would ramp up lending for much-needed development in the housing sector, while also helping credit unions beat negative interest rates. Fiona Reddan has the details.

Some 5,802 potential housing units in fast-track Strategic Housing Developments in Dublin were subject to judicial review proceedings last year, a rise of 1000 per cent on 2019, according to a report by construction consultants Mitchell McDermott. Eoin Burke-Kennedy examines the data.

More than €48 million was invested in 125 start-ups by Enterprise Ireland last year, a record amount. Charlie Taylor reports.

Housing delivery will fall by 800 homes a week if lockdown extended – IHBA

---

IDA spent €25m maintaining four unused sites over 18 years

---

Enterprise Ireland doubles investment in start-ups

---

Number of housing units stalled by judicial reviews jumps by 1,000%

---

The appointment of former Bank of England governor Mark Carney to the board of Irish-founded payments group Stripe is another step along the road to the tech company becoming an establishment player, writes Cantillon.

Irish consumers have emerged from the doldrums of January and are feeling more positive about the country's economic outlook, on the back of vaccine hopes and slowing virus numbers, according to the findings of a new survey by KBC Bank Ireland. Fiona Reddan reports.

More than €25 million has been spent by IDA Ireland over the past two decades on maintaining four sites that have remained unused for up to 18 years, writes Simon Bracken.

Less than half of family businesses globally expect sales to fall despite the Covid-19 pandemic and most feel optimistic about their abilities to withstand the challenges and continue to grow in 2021 and 2022, according to a new report from PwC. Colin Gleeson has the details.

Are you better off using your spare cash to pay down your mortgage or to boost your pension? Fiona Reddan examines the two options in our personal finance feature.

In Q&A, many readers are wondering what Ulster Bank's exit from the Republic will mean for them. Dominic Coyle answers some of their questions.

In our media and marketing column, Laura Slattery wonders if Facebook's flounce in Australia might strengthen the resolve of other countries looking at how they can make Big Tech pay for news.

Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our business news alerts and our Business Today daily email news digest.