Insurance costs remain in the headlines and business editor Ciarán Hancock reports that almost half a billion euro was spent in legal costs associated with motor insurance claims that were settled in the courts between 2015 and 2018.
Also in the spotlight, one of Ireland’s oldest internet companies, which counts Facebook, Google and Apple among its users, has become embroiled in a corporate governance row that has led to multiple board resignations, writes Jack Horgan-Jones.
And more bad reviews for Ryanair, which has achieved an unenviable four in a row after again being declared the worst short-haul airline in a survey carried out by consumer watchdog Which?. Conor Pope has the details of the survey, which brings better news for Aer Lingus.
Irish households have reduced their debt by a third since the crash, new figures from the Central Bank show. But Eoin Burke-Kennedy writes that, at €135.3 billion, or €27,489 per person, we still have one of the highest debt levels in Europe.
Other data released show that planning permissions for apartments have risen by 80 per cent in the past year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports that the increase comes on the back of an overhaul to the apartment planning guidelines in March 2018, which developers argue makes it more economic for them to build.
Shares in hotel group Dalata slid over 6 per cent as it issued a downbeat trading statement, noting that higher VAT, more hotel rooms in Dublin and fewer marquee events were making for challenging business conditions, writes Ciara O’Brien.
Better news for chefs, nurses and construction workers from outside the European Economic Area, as they will benefit from looser work permit rules form January as the Government moves to address chronic skills shortages in certain sectors of the economy. Peter Hamilton has the details.
