The number of new homes completed in the first quarter of the year was 12.1% lower than during the same period in 2023, the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show. There were 5,841 dwellings completed between January and March, down from 6,647 in Q1 last year, as the number of apartment completions collapsed by a third (-32.6%). Of the total, more than half were scheme dwellings (52%), 27.4% were apartments, and a fifth (20.6%) were single dwellings. On a seasonally adjusted basis, completions fell 9.5% from Q4. Some 1,200 single homes were completed, up 1.3% year-on-year, and 3 ..read more

The government has announced additional funding of €5.6m for regional airports in Donegal, Kerry and Knock to fund capital investment in safety and security Ireland West Airport at Knock will be granted €3.66m by the Department of Transport, Donegal Airport will receive €1.29m, and Kerry Airport will be given €681,000. In addition to safety and security, the funds have also been allotted to support projects at the airports with a sustainability focus to help them meet their carbon reduction targets and build resilience against climate change. Speaking at Donegal Airport, Minister of State at ..read more

Almost half of production and manufacturing firms face heightened pressure to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices, research from Calor Ireland shows. Around 46% of businesses face "a lot of supply chain pressure" to adopt more sustainable practices, while 53% said they are experiencing at least some pressure to do so. Some 39% will now only use suppliers with sustainable practices, and a further 56% said they use some suppliers who fit into this category. More than half of companies surveyed (52%) said cost restraints such as increased input costs, higher wage demands and inflati ..read more

A cosmetic clinic manager stole nearly €56,810 (£48,683) to pay for treatments so she could fit in with her "beautiful" work colleagues, a court heard, writes Andy Dolan. Rebecca Le-Clercq bought antiwrinkle injections, fat-freezing and hydrafacial treatments, and posted the results on social media to make herself look good. A judge heard the 36-year-old also spent the money on trips to five-star hotels and Center Parcs holidays, as well as riding lessons and clothes for her two children. Her defence barrister said that she had suffered from "imposter syndrome" when she found herself surround ..read more

Jameson parent Pernod Ricard reported net sales of €2,347m during its third quarter and €8,937m for the first nine months of its financial year, both declines of 2% year-on-year. Sales volumes increased by 1% in Q3 following four consecutive quarters of contraction, and volumes for the first nine months declined 4% as prices rose 6%. The group said Jameson performed strongly in Canada, Germany, the UK, Spain, Poland, India, China and South Africa. In the six months to December, sales of Jameson increased 11% to 6.4m cases. Sales in Europe fell 6% during the quarter, although they increased 4 ..read more

An ITV boss has hit out at the BBC for buying the rights to a US legal drama starring the Duchess of Sussex - just as it 'bleats' about budget cuts, writes Paul Revoir. Kevin Lygo, ITV's programming chief, revealed the publicly funded broadcaster had 'outbid' his own company to acquire the show Suits. Speaking at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer spring conference in London yesterday, Mr Lygo said it was a poor use of taxpayers' licence fee money, adding: "You hear the BBC bleating about it [lower budgets for programming] and yet they have all the money in the world. "Why do they buy all t ..read more

Close to 40,000 new homes will be delivered this year, surpassing Government targets, Simon Harris has said, writes Craig Hughes. Under the Coalition's Housing For All plan, a target of 34,500 new homes for 2024 has been set, after 32,695 units were delivered last year. The Taoiseach was speaking yesterday at the launch of a Housing For All update at Government Buildings, alongside Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Mr Harris said the update provides "real grounds for hope", but acknowledged the Government needs to act faster. "This year we are likely to be cl ..read more

Dalata Hotel Group has said that revenue at its Dublin hotels has fallen this year as a result of increased competition, higher VAT and reduced demand compared to last spring when US President Joe Biden visited Ireland. The Clayton and Maldron hotel chain operators said in an update that they expect revenue per available room to be down 4% for the first four months of the year compared to the same period in 2023. In a trading update to mark its AGM, Dalata chair John Hennessey said the group's UK portfolio had performed well, achieving modest revenue per available room growth from January to ..read more

A "mansplaining" museum worker who claimed a female colleague accused him of "doing the f***ing bloke thing" when he intervened during her guided tour has lost his sex discrimination case, writes Megan Howe. Jonathan McMurray said a female colleague went on an "angry rant on men", after he stepped in to "help" her while she was talking to visitors at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra, Co. Down. But a judge found that the incident had not happened as described and had in fact been limited to a muttered remark by the female co-worker stating: "You are a pain in the a***." Mr McMurr ..read more

Irish companies owe nearly €1.6bn ahead of the expiration of the Debt Warehouse Scheme next week, according to the Revenue Commissioners. Some 53,172 firms owe a combined €1.58bn in tax debt warehoused as part of the Covid-era support scheme, although the vast majority of the debt (€1.35bn) is owed by just 4,800 companies with balances of €50,000 or greater. Approximately 37,200 companies representing 70% of firms that have warehoused debts with Revenue owe less than €5,000 each, and some 2,800 companies submitted phased payment arrangement applications before the end of March. The key deadli ..read more