Business reaction to US election, €930m tax shortfall, and Ireland’s compensation culture

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

A surprise €930 million shortfall underlines the unreliability and unsustainability of corporation tax receipts, the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said.

With all eyes looking across the Atlantic to the US this morning, we'll have business and markets reaction to the election result as the day progresses on irishtimes.com/business.

Back home, there was a big and unexpected drop in corporation tax in October, with a surprise €930 million shortfall in receipts for the month, according to the latest exchequer returns. Commenting on the figures yesterday, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said the shortfall underlines the unreliability and unsustainability of corporation tax receipts, Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

Speaking later at a meeting of the 19 euro zone finance ministers on the economic fallout of a new wave of coronavirus infections, Donohoe said resolution was needed between member states and the European Parliament to finalise a €750 billion landmark recovery plan. Europe Correspondent Naomi O'Leary has the details.

Private sector companies that force workers to retire onto unemployment benefit payments at 65 face examination under the new Pensions Commission approved by Cabinet on Tuesday. Dominic Coyle reports.

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It has been a tough year for those living far from family, and the distance is likely to feel even more punishing over the weeks to come. Chief medical officer Tony Holohan poured cold water over hopes for an easing of travel restrictions coming up to Christmas, telling an Oireachtas committee on transport yesterday that international travel was "not safe". Barry O'Halloran reports.

Meanwhile, Knock airport is forecasting a record loss of €4 million this year as it continues to struggle with the impact of the pandemic on passenger numbers, writes Gordon Deegan.

The services sector showed some signs of stabilisation in October, but underlying conditions remained weak, and outlook for businesses was the weakest in five months. That's according to the latest AIB Services Purchasing Managers' Index, writes Ciara O'Brien.

Speaking at a leadership event hosted by Irish-American business group Ireland INC as the US went to the polls yesterday, US secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross, warned that the so-called Shrems II ruling could undermine transatlantic trade with "severe economic consequences" for Europe and the US. Eoin Burke-Kennedy was listening in.

And finally, in the Money Matters column today, Ciarán Hancock tackles the high cost of litigation in the motor insurance industry, and concludes that the big winner from Ireland's compensation culture is the legal profession.

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Ciara Kenny

Ciara Kenny

Ciara Kenny, founding editor of Irish Times Abroad, a section for Irish-connected people around the world, is Editor of the Irish Times Magazine