Budget 2016; what are the consequences. The budget 2016 was released back in October with effects for many households around the country. The budget showed increased expenditure in Education, Health, Employment, Social Protection and Housing – all of which bodes well for Ireland in 2016. In Education the creation of an extra 2,260 teachers for […]

Irish Water: How the water charge effects the sale of your property. There is much debate and controversy surrounding the creation and execution of the water charges and the company Irish Water. Yet, many still do not realise the implications of not paying or refusing to sign up to this organisation when it comes to […]

Longboat Quay During the Celtic Tiger many top housing developments were constructed in minimal time – which resulted in potentially disastrous shortcuts. Dublin Fire Brigade issued a fire safety notice last month for Longboat Quay, a block of 299 apartments in the Docklands, which may force the building to be evacuated. Despite this, both the […]

What is the State pension system? There are essentially two parallel State pension systems in Ireland, a social insurance system and a social assistance system.  The State Pension (Contributory) is paid to individuals who have paid the required Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions during their working lives.  PRSI is a social insurance scheme providing […]

Is your business compliant with the Data Protection Acts? Many companies will collect data on their customers as a matter of course, storing it for promotional or analytical purposes. Such information can be invaluable to a company; however holding such information places obligations on the company to ensure the data is protected. The Data Protection […]

Wills and Probate Historically, the Irish family is large with quite a number of people to divide the family estate and inheritance between. However, if you think wills are popular in order to avoid disputes and save trouble for those left behind – you are incorrect. Only 30% of Irish people have wills despite efforts […]

The Gardaí crack down on drink driving offenders has been notorious in the past few years. There are an increased number of check points all over the country and better methods of taking readings. However, if you expect conviction rates for those caught to be soaring, you are mistaken. It is worth noting that the […]

Last year saw the first year-on-year increase in the number of road deaths in Ireland for the first time since 2005 . http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Road-Safety/Our-Research/Deaths-injuries-on-Irish-roads/ In 2013, Cork and Dublin had the poorest road safety record, while Monaghan, Donegal and Kerry had the highest fatality rate per million of population that year. Clare, Carlow, Leitrim, Longford and […]

New EU legislation will bolster consumer rights throughout the European Union. The new EU Consumer Rights Directive, which has now entered into force, strengthens consumers’ rights wherever and whenever they shop in Europe – online or on the high street. Businesses will also benefit from these new rules which create a level-playing field, making it […]

Estimates vary as to the extent of private dwellings affected by Pyrite, some put this figure at over 1,000. But if it is discovered then the cost can become a real headache. Then the blame game clicks in. A consumer might well feel aggrieved if after purchasing a dwelling they find themselves having to deal […]