Fuelling gas power; DPC attacks critics; and Ireland needs FDI for more than corporate tax

The Republic will need the equivalent of another Corrib gas field to supply power plants planned by government, unless it wants to leave itself vulnerable to the European network which is already under pressure, says one industry veteran. Barry O'Halloran reports.

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner has defended her office which has come under attack form a group of MEPs over allegations that it lobbied European peers to ease GDPR rules for big tech. Helen Dixon says the critics are "misinformed" and separately challenges the numbers and arguments others have used against her office.

Dutch fintech Bunq has applied to the Central Bank of Ireland for authorisation to passport its banking services into the Irish market, writes Ciarán Hancock, in a move that will give Capitalflow – the Irish non-bank lender it recently acquired – increased firepower to lend to micro and small businesses here.

Tax returns for this year show that Ireland is much more dependent on foreign direct investment than just corporate tax, writes Eoin Burke-Kennedy, as he notes in his column that almost half of income tax, PRSI and USC and over 40 per cent of VAT paid by companies comes from multinationals.

State abandons plan to rejig Covid Restrictions Support Scheme

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Mercedes and Kingspan shelve Formula 1 sponsorship after Grenfell backlash

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Stocktake: Are analysts too relaxed about Omicron variant?

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Stocktake: Today’s winners are often tomorrow’s losers

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In her column, Pilita Clark looks at McKinsey's recent series of "rookie moment" videos where senior partners recall early career howlers and argues that a blunder at work can teach so much more than success.

Back in news, construction's recovery continued its momentum last month, as the first hint that the intensity of supply-chain disruptions may be easing emerged, according to Ulster Bank economist Simon Barry. The construction purchasing managers' index found that input price inflation and the pace of lengthening of supplier lead times easing to the weakest in six months.

Irish companies grabbed over 70 per cent of Black Friday business, according to the latest spending survey by fintech Revolut. However, foreign stores dominated online.

Finally, Rick Larkin, a director with property group Twinlite argues that the plan by Dublin City Council to ban build to rent of entire buildings means apartment schemes will no longer be viable to build.

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