Banking levy extended, housing plan concerns, and difficult choices ahead on corporate tax

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

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is to keep the Irish banking levy beyond its scheduled conclusion date at the end of this year. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is to keep the Irish banking levy beyond its scheduled conclusion date at the end of this year. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will announce in the budget that he is keeping the Irish banking levy beyond its scheduled conclusion date at the end of this year, writes Joe Brennan. But sources say the target for the amount it will yield will fall to reflect the imminent departure of Ulster Bank and KBC from the market.

Irish property developer Twinlite and its joint venture partner Tristan Capital Partners have hired real estate agent CBRE to sell two build-to-rent apartment schemes in Clongriffin, north Dublin, with more than 650 units at a price expected to exceed €300 million. Ciarán Hancock has the details.

Also in the property sector, investor Hibernia Reit has acquired famed Dublin pub Scruffy Murphy's off Mount Street Lower, in a deal understood to be worth about €2 million. The well-known pub has been closed for some years.

The State's competitiveness watchdog has warned that the Government will struggle to deliver on promises in its new housing plan on the planned timescale. Cliff Taylor writes that it is also concerned that moves to encourage demand – like shared ownership – could push up house prices.

READ SOME MORE

And with corporate tax in the headlines, Cliff's column examines some of the difficult choices facing the Government.

Dublin-based aircraft lessor Avolon says it is experiencing "extraordinary" demand for its new ultra shorthaul, vertical take-off and landing aircraft after agreeing a deal in Brazil to sell or lease half the 500 of the planes it bought in June. Colin Gleeson explains the vision for the aircraft is that they would operate like taxis in high density, high population urban areas and be affordable for average consumers.

Aer Lingus staff working in ground operations in Dublin have overwhelmingly rejected proposals by the airline for cost reductions and work practice changes to offset losses arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Martin Wall reports on a ballot result that follows a similar outcome among cabin crew.

SSE Airtricity League leader Shamrock Rovers swung into the red in its latest financial year, recording a loss after tax of almost €1.8 million, down from a profit of more than €627,000 the year before as it struggled with pandemic restrictions, writes Colin Gleeson.

Ireland's largest childcare provider, Tigers Childcare, has expanded its network just as the Government's staggered return to work promises a return of some sort of normality for the sector.

An action to quash planning permission for 100 build-to-rent apartments and two retail units in two blocks – one of them running to 13 storeys – on the St Michael's Hospital site in Dún Laoghaire has been admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list.

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has announced it will create 100 jobs in Ireland as it invests $360 million in a manufacturing facility in Dublin in a decision dashing hopes in the UK that the drugmaker would locate the facility there.

And in Commercial Property, Ronald Quinlan writes that BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Managers is selling Airbnb's European headquarters for around €41.5 million.

Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our business news alerts.

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle

Dominic Coyle is Deputy Business Editor of The Irish Times