A post-Covid growth surge in the Irish economy is expected to generate 160,000 additional jobs over the next two years, reducing the unemployment rate to below 6 per cent, the Central Bank has said, the Irish Times reported. In its latest quarterly bulletin the regulator predicted turbo-charged growth of 15.3 per cent this year, nearly double its previous forecast in July, and 7.2 per cent next year on the back of a rapid resurgence in consumer spending linked to the unwinding of €16 billion in excess savings built up during the pandemic.
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Ireland
A test case relating to Covid-19 business interruption insurance is to go ahead in the Commercial Court using a hybrid remote and physical hearing arrangement, the Irish Times reported. With the Courts Service investing €2.2 million this year to ensure courtrooms are video-link enabled, the case, to be heard over three days later this month, involves the operators of the Old Imperial Hotel in Youghal, Co Cork, and a Slovenia-based insurance company.
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Insurers operating in the Irish market have paid out €130 million to date on business interruption claims stemming from the Covid-19 crisis, fuelled by a landmark court rulings and pressure from the Central Bank, according to the regulator, the Irish Times reported. The Central Bank wrote to a number of insurers in February pressing them to pay out on valid business interruption claims, following landmark court judgments in Britain and Ireland in favour of companies affected by the economic shock caused by Covid-19.
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The Irish High Court has granted a temporary injunction restraining a landowner from interfering with efforts by the official in charge of his bankruptcy from selling the properties, the Irish Times reported. The injunction was obtained against John Gaynor from Ballinlug, Rathconrath, Mullingar, Co Westmeath following an application by the Official Assignee (OA) Mr Michael Ian Larkin, who is the official in charge of Mr Gaynor’s bankruptcy.
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A leading economist has warned of a “tsunami effect of corporate bankruptcies” when the Irish government rows back on COVID-19 support for businesses, the Independent.ie reported. Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs Dan O’Brien said pandemic supports have created a situation where bankruptcies have dropped while the economy suffered, but added that this is not sustainable.
Irish petrol and diesel suppliers say consumers here are not at risk of the shortages being experienced in Britain, which the industry says is largely due to a lack of truck drivers within the U.K. and panic-buying, the Independent.ie reported. Industry group Fuels for Ireland said on Sunday that there will be no interruption to the supply of petrol, diesel and home-heating oil in Ireland.
Irish EU Commissioner Mairéad McGuinness has warned U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to abandon his threats to set aside Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit special trade status, the Independent.ie reported. McGuinness was speaking after a visit to London for talks on the U.K.’s money market status in the EU after Brexit, which included a meeting with British finance minister Rishi Sunak. She said the EU will soon publish new proposals to deal with practical problems on the North’s trade with England, Scotland and Wales, especially focused on ensuring medical supplies.
Irish inflation hit a 10-year high in August, driven by a rise in the cost of transport, housing, restaurants and hotels, the Irish Times reported. Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows consumer prices rose 2.8 per cent in the 12 months to the end of August, the sharpest level of price growth seen since November 2011. The latest figures come amid a series of warnings about rising costs for businesses in several sectors. The acceleration in prices is connected to the resumption of economic activity after lockdown, supply chain blockages, higher oil prices and Brexit.
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The High Court has overturned Personal Insolvency Arrangements (PIAs) that would have allowed a married couple write off a debt of about €250,000 owed to a bank, the Irish Times reported. In a detailed judgement, Mr. Justice Mark Sanfey upheld EBS DAC’s objections to the Circuit Court approving PIAs in respect of Niall McKiernan, a Garda sergeant, and his wife, Karen Fitzpatrick, a secondary school head teacher. The judge said the PIAs in this instance were premature, and unfairly prejudicial to the interests of the objecting creditor.
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Almost a quarter of firms that received funding from Microfinance Ireland (MFI) over the past decade have ceased trading, according to a spending review carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure, the Irish Times reported. MFI was established to deliver the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund. It works closely with Local Enterprise Offices to provide loans to small businesses. The Department of Public Expenditure published a series of spending reviews on Thursday, which included an analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on State supported lending.
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