Richard Curran: The Department of Finance thinks we're working, and mostly we are – only not as hard as we used to be
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The Journal
16 hours ago
- The Journal
Irish Ambassador's residence in London hit with €46,000 rent hike
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs got hit with a hike of more than €46,000 on the annual rent they pay for the Irish Ambassador's residence in London. The department said it had little choice but to agree to the sharp increase even though it brought the cost of the property close to €10,000 per week. The new lease of €508,925 per annum – a rise of 10% – was signed off on because no better options were available, according to records released under FOI. An internal submission said that the Irish Ambassador to the UK had been living in the property in leafy Chester Square since September 2019. In late 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs said they were interested in extending the lease. While the landlord was happy for them to stay on, they said they wanted a 'substantial increase' in rent of over 11%. Department officials tried, 'actively but unsuccessfully,' to negotiate a much smaller increase in rent. The submission said: 'After several months, the landlord indicated that they would not accept any offer below £8,400 (€9,787) per week.' At the same time, the department had asked a property adviser to see if there were any other suitable properties available in London. A report said the type of residence needed for the Ambassador was only likely to come on the market half a dozen times each year. Advertisement The submission said: 'The market had hardened in the wake of Covid, with landlords less inclined to offer inducements or rent reductions to attract tenants.' The property advisers examined eight properties in the area that had been let over a two-year period. They said only three of them had been leased for less than £7,000 (€8,156) per week and the majority ranged from £8,000 to £12,000. Eleven alternative properties were put forward, a number of which were 'slightly' cheaper than the existing residence. The submission said: 'It is very challenging to find an equally suitable property at a lower rent based on market evidence. 'A move would probably necessitate additional fire safety and security improvements, at a cost to the exchequer, in addition to the purchase or rental of furniture.' It said the best-case scenario was that such a move would be 'cost neutral' and at worst 'less suitable and more expensive.' The submission also said the department was looking to buy a residence outright but that this was not something that could be done quickly. 'Although purchasing a property might be financially viable in the longer term, it has not been possible to identify such a property in recent months,' the submission said. 'Purchasing a property is not currently a viable option.' Asked about the lease extension, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: 'Having given the matter careful consideration, and on the balance of market evidence available at the time, it was clear that a move would have no added benefit and would incur an additional cost to the Irish Exchequer. 'Accordingly, the Department decided to renew the lease for a three-year period to September 2026, with the option to break at relatively short notice should a more suitable alternative become available.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- RTÉ News
€46,000 rent increase for Irish ambassador's UK residence
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been hit with a hike of more than €46,000 on the annual rent it pays for the Irish ambassador's residence in London. The department said it had little choice but to agree to the sharp increase even though it brought the cost of the property close to €10,000 per week. The new lease of €508,925 per annum, a rise of 10%, was signed off on because no better options were available, according to records released under FOI. An internal submission said that the Irish Ambassador to the UK had been living in the property in Chester Square since September 2019. In late 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs said they were interested in extending the lease. While the landlord was happy for them to stay on, they said they wanted a "substantial increase" in rent of over 11%. Department officials tried, "actively but unsuccessfully," to negotiate a much smaller increase in rent. The submission said: "After several months, the landlord indicated that they would not accept any offer below £8,400 (€9,787) per week." At the same time, the department had asked a property adviser to see if there were any other suitable properties available in London. A report said the type of residence needed for the Ambassador was only likely to come on the market half a dozen times each year. "The market had hardened in the wake of Covid, with landlords less inclined to offer inducements or rent reductions to attract tenants," the submission said. The property advisers examined eight properties in the area that had been let over a two-year period. They said only three of them had been leased for less than £7,000 (€8,156) per week and the majority ranged from £8,000 to £12,000. Eleven alternative properties were put forward, a number of which were "slightly" cheaper than the existing residence. The submission said: "It is very challenging to find an equally suitable property at a lower rent based on market evidence. "A move would probably necessitate additional fire safety and security improvements, at a cost to the exchequer, in addition to the purchase or rental of furniture." It said the best-case scenario was that such a move would be "cost neutral" and at worst "less suitable and more expensive". The submission also said the department was looking to buy a residence outright but that this was not something that could be done quickly. "Although purchasing a property might be financially viable in the longer term, it has not been possible to identify such a property in recent months," the submission said. "Purchasing a property is not currently a viable option," it said. Asked about the lease extension, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: "Having given the matter careful consideration, and on the balance of market evidence available at the time, it was clear that a move would have no added benefit and would incur an additional cost to the Irish Exchequer. "Accordingly, the Department decided to renew the lease for a three-year period to September 2026, with the option to break at relatively short notice should a more suitable alternative become available."
Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Long-standing Wexford shoe shop celebrates 50 years in business
Billy Doyle Shoes Ltd, located on the Main Street, have been providing quality service and footwear to the people of Wexford for five decades, progressing and moving with the times and technology as required. The beginnings of the shop can be traced back to 1975 when Billy and Ita Doyle opened the doors of their first footwear shop in the heart of Enniscorthy to great acclaim. With a passion for quality, customer care, and community, they laid what has become a trusted and reliable name in Irish footwear in Enniscorthy and further afield. "From our humble beginnings to where we are today with Kevin at the helm this milestone is a testament to the loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our team,' a member of staff said. "Whether you walked in for comfort, style, or a perfect fit, Billy Doyles has always been about more than just shoes,' they added. The shop has become a source of strength in fundraising activities around the town, often selling raffle and draw tickets and lending shoes for charity fashion shows. The anniversary is also a testament to their resilience as within those 50 years, the business has experienced the Covid-19 Pandemic, the introduction of new technology, and the industry trend of joining social media to advertise their products to a wider audience. However, they believe that their loyal customers have played a big part in their continuing success. "Thanks so much to all our customers for your loyalty throughout the years. Without you, we wouldn't be here. Here's to the future,' they said.
