An Post delays mortgage market entry, rating agency reviews and electric car targets

An Post's plans to enter the mortgage marketin the first half of this year has been delayed as Covid-19 hit lenders. Joe Brennan reports.

As the construction sector prepares to return to work, professionals expect it will take at least a year for the industry to rebound to pre-pandemic levels.

MEP Frances Fitzgerald has called on the European Commission to look into whether ratings agencies are exacerbating the economic crisis as they rush to downgrade countries and companies at a pace not seen 2002.

On a positive note, Mastercard has said it intends to proceed with plans to create 1,500 jobs in Dublin over the next three to five years, despite the Covid-19 crisis. Charlie Taylor has the story.

Mastercard to proceed with plans to create 1,500 Dublin jobs over five years

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Irish Life posts €10.6m loss amid market volatility

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PTSB seen returning to loss amid surge in loan charges

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Banks must not become part of the problem as Ireland battles Covid-19

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ESB is joining forces with Harmony Solar to spend €30 million on building power plants that they say will provide enough energy for 230,000 homes. Barry O'Halloran reports.

On the theme of green energy, motor dealers have called for a realistic review of the Climate Action Plan's targets for transports emissions and in particular the take-up of electric cars, writes Kevin O'Sullivan.

Back to the Covid-19 crisis, and Chris Johns argues that the abject failures of states to respond properlyis due to years of forcing public sector to do more with less. Meanwhile in an opinion piece today PwC managing partner Feargal O'Rourke says the lockdown debate should not be one of 'mammon over health' as both are intertwined.

Finally,Pilita Clark explains how the crisis persuaded her to change her mind about networking.