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Interest rate to jump; Terenure College developers’ appeal; and windfall profits from windfarms

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Irish economists are resigned to European Central Bank interest rates jumping by another half point next month.

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Economists are resigned to European Central Bank interest rates jumping by another half point next month as inflation continues to spiral on the back of rising energy and food prices. Eoin Burke-Kennedy takes the pules as consumers worry about higher borrowing costs.

Developers behind plans to construct a seven-storey, 364-unit build to rent apartment scheme on land at Terenure College — with the full backing of the school authorities — have moved quickly to contest the decision by Dublin City Council to refuse planning permission, writes Gordon Deegan.

Cork renewables entrepreneur Michael Murnane made almost €4 million from his early investment in windfarms last year — sharing in a €14.5 million dividend payout by a company running 10 sites in the south and west as well as netting management fees from two windfarm businesses. Mark Paul has the details.

EML Payments, the Australian company that has already had a few unwelcome surprises after its purchase of Irish business Prepaid Financial Services, says it has now identified fraud within the direct debit arm of another Irish business — Sentenial — that it acquired last year in a deal that is worth up to €110 million. Colin Gleeson reports.

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Two Donegal sisters have set up a company that makes swimwear from regenerated nylon made from old fishing nets, nylon scraps and carpets. Olive Keogh meets the women behind Kahm Swimwear, Sally Anne Sherry and Áine Boyle.

The Republic’s population has recorded its biggest annual increase since 2008 last year on the back of a near record level of inward migration. Ukrainians were the migrants in the spotlight but our indigenous growth — the higher number of births over deaths — delivered am almost identical increase. Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the figures.

A Dublin court has ruled that a Cypriot shipping firm and its related entities can purchase vessels it currently leases from an Irish-registered company that is ultimately owned by the Russian state under sanctions related to the Ukraine war.

Elon Musk is back where he’s comfortable — in the headlines — as he ticked off a customer who applied for early access to its full self-driving technology and later complained that it was pretty poor at right turns and other motoring basics. The customer said they had paid close to €32,000 already for access to the technology.

Pret a Manger becomes the latest British high street fixture to come to Dublin with its first store opening on Dawson St tomorrow. Colin Gleeson got a preview. The company said it expects to open more Irish stores “very quickly” and says it has plans for 20 shops nationwide and the creation of about 500 jobs over the next decade.

Very different outcomes for Sony and Warner on the music front in Ireland. Both saw sales rise, according to results filed recently, but Sony has also delivered on profits while Warner saw theirs fall as costs jumped. Mark Paul and Gordon Deegan report.

The level of commercial vacancies in the State hit a new high in the year to the end of June, with the western seaboard seeing the starkest gaps. Colin Gleeson looks at the data.

A woman employed by a finance company has been awarded a year’s salary — more than €57,000 — after she complained that she had been made redundant under sham process after a colleague doing the same job and who wanted to take the deal was turned down and she was let go instead. Paul Neilan has the details.

Cantillon looks at Dublin’s new north runway which has managed to broker at least a temporary peace between airport operator DAA and its biggest customer, Ryanair. And we also look at a landmark Italian judgment which could spell trouble for Green minister Eamon Ryan in his efforts to shut down Irish exploration for fossil fuels.

In technology, Ciara O’Brien looks at the rise of the escooter and what it means for commuters and the Irish workplace.

And Karlin Lillington looks back over almost 25 years of her column and the people who took a chance on her back then.

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