State’s €2bn loan scheme, Harvey Norman goes west, and Apple tax case

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

A man watches the Budget 2020 speech by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe on a TV screen at Harvey Norman’s outlet in  Airside Retail Park, Swords. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
A man watches the Budget 2020 speech by Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe on a TV screen at Harvey Norman’s outlet in Airside Retail Park, Swords. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

The Government has promised to push through legislation "next week" to enact its €2 billion Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme for SMEs, which will see the State guarantee up to 80 per cent of low-cost loans for small businesses affected by the pandemic. Mark Paul has the details.

The Green Party's finance spokeswoman, Neasa Hourigan, has said the Government should "look at the usefulness" of appealing an adverse finding in the €13 billion Apple tax case, if one is delivered this week. Jack Horgan-Jones reports.

Harvey Norman, the Australian furniture and electronics chain with 15 stores in Ireland, is expanding further into the west of Ireland with new stores in Galway and Sligo, writes Mark Paul.

Some 19 objections have been lodged to Cairn Homes' plan for 614 residential units on almost nine acres of land that it acquired in Donnybrook from RTÉ three years ago. Gordon Deegan highlights a few of the concerns expressed to An Bord Pleanala.

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We're one year on from the stock market debut of Irish medical supplies group Uniphar. Cantillon assesses how it has coped with the dual impacts of Brexit and Covid-19 on the business.

With household savings having shot up during the lockdown, what should you do with your spare cash? Joanne Hunt has some suggestions in our weekly personal finance feature.

In media and marketing, Laura Slattery looks at Fáilte Ireland's pitch to staycationers. The tourism agency wants us to "make a break for it" but nervousness remains high.

In Q&A, one reader details how her grandmother died, seemingly leaving no will. Her mother is now being asked to effectively hand over the house to one of her siblings, who lived with the grandmother. Dominic Coyle advises on the next steps to take in this tricky family affair.

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Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times