More homes being built; Bank back on form; and sanctions leave lessors in a flap

Building started on more homes last year than before Covid hit but the figure still falls short of the number analysts say is needed to address the housing crisis over the medium to long term, writes Colin Gleeson. Deloitte, which compiled the figures, says that it is still taking longer than six months, on average, to secure planning permission ...and that's before "fast-track" applications are brought to judicial review.

Bank of Ireland recorded its best performance since the global financial crisis as it reported a profit of €1.05 billion for 2021, helped by a decision to trim its Covid provisions ahead of the lifting of government supports for business. Joe Brennan has the details

Three major Irish-based aircraft lessors are scrambling to try to sever contracts with Russian airlines and retrieve their planes under sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, report Simon Carswell and Jack Horgan-Jones, but industry sources say they face a "mission impossible".

The rouble crashed yesterday as tougher sanctions hit, with the Russian central bank boss admitting that a clampdown on its foreign reserves had limited its capacity to intervene in the market to support the Russian currency. Meanwhile, Switzerland – a favourite among wealthy Russians – joined ranks with the European Union on sanctions.

Germany signals interest in Ireland’s wind energy infrastructure

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Russia hikes interest rates to 20% as rouble dives in value

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Retail sales fall in January as restrictions dampen activity

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Emerald flies first Aer Lingus Regional route

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Denis Desmond's Gaiety Investments made €24.1 million from the sale of half of his MCD business as it formed a joint venture with rival Live Nation, according to results filed recently for the new entity, LN-Gaiety Holdings. Gordon Deegan writes that the venture lost €12.4 million in 2020 despite insurers paying our €36.6 million over the cancellation of Electric Picnic and other music festivals due to Covid.

A dispute between a development company run by Johnny Ronan and its co-investor in three planned Dublin developments worth an estimated €1 billion has been resolved, the Commercial Court has heard. However, Mr Ronan was back before the courts as another, previously resolved row, flared up again.

Billionaire businessman Denis O'Brien has secured planning permission for a 15 storey office block in Dublin's docklands through his vehicle, Jepview. The site at Grand Canal Dock, next to is currently the site of the former Esat building where Mr O'Brien has his penthouse office.

In Personal Finance, Q&A looks at what happens when people die before family members who are leaving them something in their wills. An Irishwoman abroad also wonders whether she is better off buying property now or waiting until she comes home as planned in a few years.

Fiona Reddan examines the first national basic income scheme being rolled out in Ireland – for artists – and examines what it might look like it applied more broadly.

And, in her column, Laura Slattery looks at the rights and wrongs of cultural sanctions against Russia and the fascination the Ukraine invasion has created with the back catalogue of its president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

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