Housing delivery forecast to ‘stagnate’

Housing delivery in Ireland is forecast to “stagnate” over the next two to three years with the supply of new homes falling well short of Government targets, a new report has warned.

The study by construction consultants Mitchell McDermott also said the Government had “little chance” of achieving its target of building 300,000 new homes by 2030 “unless drastic measures” were taken. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports

Infrastructure deficits in the areas of water, power and transport will remain a “key constraint” on the building of new homes in 2025, property agency Lisney has said, after a “disappointing” 2024 that was characterised by missed housing targets.

In its 2025 property market outlook report, the agency also said the €500,000 threshold for first-time buyers looking to avail of the Government’s help-to-buy scheme is fast becoming “inadequate” in Dublin. Ian Curran reports.

Keeping sea lice from farmed fish will boost aquaculture health and profits

Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua review: Saving time and effort on household cleaning

Irish space race: domestic companies pushing the frontiers of AI, space stations and acoustic technology

How secure are your devices? Our phones typically look after many of our day-to-day needs, from email and messaging to shopping and banking. But phone thefts in some places are rising, and it is not the value of the phone that is at stake: it is the data it contains. That is far more valuable than the device itself. Here are five steps Ciara O’Brien says you need to take to protect yourself.

In his weekly column Chris Horn argues that inventioni, product innovation and engineering require the best minds in cohesive teams with an intensity of focus, strong collegiality and respect – regardless of sex, skin colour, religion or any other personal attribute. He believes that Mark Zuckerberg may now be ignoring this at Meta’s peril.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to cut interest rates by another 25 basis points to 2.75 per cent today in a bid to energise the continent’s flagging economy.

As inflation trends towards 2 per cent, ECB policymakers have switched their attention to the bloc’s underperforming economy, writes Eoin Burke-Kennedy.

First-time buyers drew down more than €7.8 billion in new mortgages last year, with the volume of mortgages reaching 26,242. These were the highest annual levels since 2007, according to Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI).

Across the market, more than 13,000 new mortgages with a value of €3.9 billion were drawn down by all borrowers in the fourth quarter, bringing total drawdowns in 2024 to 43,030, writes Laura Slattery.

Domestic companies are pushing boundaries in AI, space stations and acoustic technology, writes Emmet Ryan, who met up with a number of Irish companies bent on expanding our horizons.

Sea lice cost the aquaculture industry worldwide an estimated €6 million-€7 million a year in losses but getting rid of these naturally occurring parasites is not easy. Different solutions have been tried with variable success. Olive Keogh meets Konree, the company intent on tackling the problem.

Irish technology consulting platform Auxilion plans to invest €10 million in the business over the next three years and create 30 new jobs in 2025 to bolster its managed services business as it plots further expansion into the UK market.

In an announcement on Thursday, Auxilion, which uses artificial intelligence tools to help manage its clients’ IT infrastructure and improve productivity, also said its chief executive Philip Maguire has moved into an executive chairman role, focusing on the company’s “strategic direction and acquisition strategy.” Ian Curran reports

Irish sports technology company Output Sports has raised $4.8 million (€4.47 million) in funding to boost its US expansion and increase staff numbers.

The funding includes new supporters such as Apex Capital, Uni.Fund and Dopamine Sports, with existing investors Elkstone, Atlantic Bridge and Enterprise Ireland also participating. The round also saw the backing of angel investors, including LogMeIn’s Jim Kelliher. Ciara O’Brien reports.

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