Suir and Kirby among Irish firms announcing Scottish projects as EI opens Glasgow office
Suir and Kirby among Irish firms announcing Scottish projects as EI opens Glasgow office
A one-day trade mission in Glasgow will highlight the growing partnerships between Irish and Scottish firms
Dominic McGrath
07:00
A host of major Irish companies have signed up to major projects across Scotland, as politicians in Edinburgh seek to boost renewable energy and offshore wind.

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The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
€16 electricity price hike fear for EVERY Irish household as data centre costs cut amid €250 budget energy credit calls
SINN Fein is demanding the Government intervene and stop another price increase on electricity bills. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is preparing to increase the network cost on bills to pay for future capital investment. 2 Sinn Fein's energy spokesman, Meath TD Darren O'Rourke 2 Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said they are not prepared to come up with a package of energy credits to help families in this years budget Credit: Getty Images - Getty Yet at the same time the price of power for the big data centres around the country, which use up a large percentage of the Irish supply, are to be reduced. Sinn Fein slammed the proposed price increase for consumers and price cut for the data centres and said the timing is all wrong - especially with over 300,000 householders in arrears. It wants the Government to come up with a package of energy credits to help families in the forthcoming 2026 October Budget. The party's energy spokesman, Meath TD Darren O'Rourke, fumed: 'The CRU is preparing to hike the network costs that you have to pay but to cut them for data centres. 'The same data centres are hoarding more and more of the energy we produce, stalling the delivery of badly needed homes and putting our grid under real pressure. 'Big energy companies are intent on continuing to jack up their energy prices, all while raking in eye-watering profits. 'The Government pretends these issues are outside of their control but they are not. They are political decisions. 'They need to scrap the cut to costs for data centres and crucially use this Budget to bring forward badly needed support to help families and small businesses who are struggling with sky high energy costs. 'The Budget must include energy credits and extend the reduced VAT on electricity and gas bills until the end of the year.' Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien has already firmly ruled out energy credits to help with electricity and heating bills in October's budget. He said the €250 credits handed out to every Irish household as part of Budget 2025 cost the State €3.5billion. But the Fianna Fail man said the lower nine per cent VAT rate on gas and electric should be retained to avoid hiking energy prices further. Speaking to the Independent, he said: "I will be bringing an interim report to Government in advance of the Budget and we will assess that as to what measures can be taken. IRISH CUSTOMERS PAYING MORE "I think the vat reduction from 13.5 per cent to nine per cent is a very important one, one that I would like to see extended into next year. That decision will be taken at Budget time." Recent figures from Eurostat showed that Irish consumers are paying on average €350 a year more for their electricity than most European countries. Irish people pay on average €1,800 a year for their electricity - 30 per cent more than the rest of the EU. The proposed increase at the moment from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities will add at least €6 a year on household customer bills. The money will be used to pay for ESB Networks and Eirgrid's proposed €14billion investment over the next five years to upgrade their networks in Ireland to meet current and future demand. Both ESB and Eirgrid are seeking €16 a year on bills. The final decision will be made later in the year.

Business Post
2 hours ago
- Business Post
PwC calls on Donohoe to set up tariff fund and slash ‘inoperable' SME tax rules
Business Post subscribers can read: • Details of the letter from PwC's tax chief warning of 'severe' risks for Irish businesses • How Ireland's 'overly complex' tax system is choking SME growth — and what PwC proposes • The growing chorus of business leaders like Denis O'Brien and Michael O'Leary warning about FDI over-reliance


Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
EU formally suspends countermeasures to US tariffs for six months
The European Union will suspend its two packages of countermeasures to US tariffs for six months following the deal made with US president Donald Trump, a Commission spokesperson said confirmed on Monday. The EU-US agreement leaves many questions open, including tariff rates on spirits like Irish whiskey, and Mr Trump's executive order last week setting tariffs on most EU goods at 15% did not include carve-outs such as for cars and car parts. EU officials have said they expect more executive orders to follow soon. "The EU continues to work with the US to finalise a Joint Statement, as agreed on 27 July," the spokesperson said in a statement. "With these objectives in mind, the Commission will take the necessary steps to suspend by six months the EU's countermeasures against the US, which were due to enter into force on August 7." The retaliatory tariffs were in two parts: one in response to US steel and aluminium duties, and the other to Trump's baseline and car tariffs. Meanwhile the Swiss government is ready to make a "more attractive offer" in trade talks with Washington, the cabinet said on Monday, after a crisis meeting aimed at averting a 39% tariff on Swiss imports that could hammer the export-driven economy. The Federal Council it was determined to pursue discussions with the United States, if necessary beyond the August 7 deadline that Mr Trump has set for the tariff to come into effect. "Switzerland enters this new phase ready to present a more attractive offer, taking US concerns into account and seeking to ease the current tariff situation," it said in a statement. The statement did not give any details on what the Swiss government may offer. Switzerland was left stunned on Friday after Mr Trump hit the country with one of the highest tariffs in his global trade reset, with industry associations warning that tens of thousands of jobs were at risk. The duties are scheduled to go into effect on Thursday, giving the country, which counts the US as its top export market for pharmaceuticals, watches, machinery, and chocolates, a small window to strike a better deal. The White House said on Friday it had made the move because of what it called Switzerland's refusal to make "meaningful concessions" by dropping trade barriers, calling the two nations' current trade relationship "one-sided". Swiss industry leaders and politicians, however, have struggled to understand why the country was singled out. Mr Trump has stated that he is seeking to rebalance global trade, claiming that current trade relations are stacked against the United States. And Switzerland had a €41bn trade surplus with the US last year. But Swiss president Karin Keller-Suttersaid on Friday Switzerland had given US goods virtually duty-free access to its market, and Swiss companies had made very important direct investments in the United States. "The president (Trump) is really focused on the trade deficit, because he thinks that this is a loss for the United States," she told Reuters. The new tariff rate - up from an originally proposed 31% tariff that Swiss officials had already described as "incomprehensible" - would deal a major blow to Switzerland's export-focused economy, with economists warning prolonged disruptions could shrink Swiss GDP by more than 1%. The tariffs could also see the Swiss National Bank cut interest rates in September, according to Nomura. An index of Swiss blue-chip stocks briefly hit its lowest since mid-April, as shares in banks, luxury retailers and pharma companies tumbled. The SMI index was last down 0.6% on the day, compared with a 0.6% rise in the regional STOXX 600 index. In Zurich, shares in high-end watchmakers such as Richemont and Swatch fell in volatile trading. Reuters