27,000 new houses next year, Ding’s $300m deal, and privacy issues in smart homes

A faster than expected recovery in construction is set to be marked by 22,000 homes built this year and up to 27,000 next year, according to the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

Private-equity firm Pollen Street Capital has acquired a majority stake in Irish mobile top-up service provider Ding in a multimillion-euro deal with an estimated equity value of about $300 million (€253 million). This will yield a major payday for founder Mark Roden and his family. Charlie Taylor has the details.

Live radio accounts for a near 79 per cent share of listening time in the daily Irish audio market, research conducted by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of the radio industry has found. Laura Slattery reports.

US private equity giant Oaktree Capital has sold most of its remaining shares in Glenveagh Properties, the housebuilder that it floated on the Dublin and London stock markets four years ago to spin off residential development sites bought following the crash. Joe Brennan has the details.

The night my video doorbell revealed my plant thief

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Oaktree nears full exit from Glenveagh after share spike

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What's it like to really live in a virtual world?

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New Innovators: ReFunk breathes new life into old furniture

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Central Bank of Ireland governor Gabriel Makhlouf's criticisms of the Government's fiscal policies signals his determination to assert his independence, writes Cantillon.

In Net Results, Ciara O'Brien warns that having a multitude of smart devices in your home could compromise your privacy.

Our tech feature this week features a New York Times investigation of Facebook and the central role played by consulting firm Accenture in the social media network's efforts to keep toxic material off its platform.

In our Innovation feature, Marie Boran steps into the metaverse - virtual worlds accessed through VR headsets that are made not only for exploring but for spending money and making a living.

Our New Innovators are a company called ReFunk, which is upcycling furniture. Olive Keogh tells their story.

In our tech review, Ciara O'Brien tests the Google Nest Cam.

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