B of I approaches Davy, Morrison sale and the rental conundrum

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

Bank of Ireland has made an exploratory approach to Davy about the possibility of doing a deal, should the crisis-stricken stockbroking firm seek to find a buyer as it grapples with the fallout of a Central Bank fine and rebuke over market rules breaches. Cliff Taylor and Joe Brennan have the details.

Ireland ranked last in the European Union for the amount of state aid it doled out to companies in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic in proportion to the size of its economy, according to figures collected by the European Commission. Naomi O'Leary reports from Brussels.

In her weekly column Fiona Reddan ponders why rent controls now seem to be working against the tenant.

Russian billionaire investor, Elena Baturina, is on course to more than double her investment in Dublin's Morrison hotel, as she closes in on its sale to a UK consortium for more than €65 million. Mark Paul reports.

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Ireland's largest trade union has told the Commission on Pensions that there is no "demographic need" to increase the pension age beyond the current level of 66 in the medium term, writes Ciarán Hancock.

Online property specialists BidX1 has brought four commercial investment opportunities in Cork to the market ranging in price between €900,000 and just under € 2 million. Ronald Quinlan reports.

Department of Agriculture officials have released 60 beef carcasses from cattle whose location could not be traced for up to two months for human consumption. Barry O'Halloran reports.

Housing completions in Dublin hit a 10-year high in the final quarter of last year despite the pandemic causing widespread disruption across the construction sector, reports Eoin Burke-Kennedy

The justification for a scheme providing tax breaks to senior multinational firm executives relocating to Ireland has been "amplified" by efforts to stamp out corporate tax avoidance, according to an internal Department of Enterprise briefing. Jack Power reports.

With demand for Dublin's private rented sector (PRS) market undimmed by the Covid-19 pandemic, developer Pat Crean's Marlet Property Group will be hoping to take advantage of the continuing appetite of institutional investors for prime opportunities in the capital by bringing Ireland's largest-ever PRS portfolio to the market. Ronald Quinlan has the details.

Communications company Eir said it would reduce further the gender pay gap it had identified among staff, making it a key priority for the company. Ciara O'Brien reports.

Sensors and monitoring devices to enhance parking, litter collection, air quality and building management have been deployed in Edenderry, Co Offaly, as part of a new project which is the first of its kind in Ireland. Colin Gleeson reports.

With such reduced passenger numbers, how has Dublin Bus adapted and survived in the age of Covid-19? And what does the future hold? To find out, Inside Business went to the semi-state transport company's newly refurbished Broadstone depot to meet CEO Ray Coyne.

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Conn Ó Midheach

Conn Ó Midheach

Conn O Midheach is Assistant Business Editor - Digital of The Irish Times