Latest news with #Iri
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
EU-US deal will stabilise transatlantic trade, says Gill
The tariff deal between the EU and the US will secure, stabilise and grow transatlantic trade and investment relations, the European Commission's Spokesperson on Trade has said. Olof Gill said both sides are "working very hard" to get the details of the agreement signed. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said the 15% tariffs was not the outcome either the EU or the US wanted, but said "what we have now is something that gives us stability. It gives us clarity. It gives us predictability, which is what businesses want above all". Mr Gill said tariff "should kick in fairly soon," but could not give a precise date. "That is the intention of the US, the 15%. So that does provide a degree of stability immediately and predictability for businesses." Mr Gill said that in relation to agriculture and that Northern Ireland and the Republic have two different tariffs applied to their goods, details "can be worked out. "We're at the we're not at the end of the process here at the start of the process", he said. Meanwhile, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke is to update the Cabinet on details of the EU-US trade deal. Mr Burke will outline some of the carve-outs or exclusions Ireland had campaigned for as part of the negotiations, including a zero-for zero-arrangement on aviation. He will also set out the supports that are available from Enterprise Ireland for businesses impacted by the 15% tariff on most goods exported to the US. The supports include a new market research grant of up to €35,000 available from next month. It will be available to companies to assess the impact of tariffs and other trade measures and to develop measures which will address pricing, supply chain and cost challenges. The minister is also set to update his colleagues on the views and concerns of the IDA and key business voices as a result of the trade deal, as the work continues on working out the finer details of the framework deal. Tánaiste to convene Trade Forum meeting on EU-US deal Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris is to convene a meeting of the Government Trade Forum on Friday to provide an update on the trade deal between the EU and US. The group is comprised of State agencies, business groups, unions and senior ministers. Mr Harris will use the forum to give an update on the latest analysis of the agreement and its implications. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for the Tánaiste to hear from stakeholders. Mr Harris said: "As we continue to analyse the full implications of the deal over the coming days, the Trade Forum meeting on Friday will be a timely opportunity to share and gain insights on what this deal will mean for the future of Irish businesses, jobs, and the economy." "Whilst the agreement between the EU and the US is welcome, we know that the imposition of any tariffs will have implications and that now is the time to intensify efforts to find and secure more markets for Irish businesses and Irish jobs," he added. The Tánaiste is also set to update the forum on other issues including plans to accelerate the passage of the Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025, which will allow for the ratification of the EU-Canada trade deal, known as CETA. It follows the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade's decision to waive pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill following a request from Mr Harris. An update will also be provided on the decision to defer the implementation of alcohol labelling following concerns raised at the trade forum around the potential of the labelling to impact competitiveness.
Irish Independent
22-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Consumer watchdog swoops unannounced on shops to ensure they are displaying proper prices
Some 55 swoops were carried out in five counties by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). It said its series of unannounced inspections targeted multiple retail businesses, to ensure the outlets were complying with consumer laws, particularly around prices being displayed. The retail sectors targeted include clothing, beauty, furniture, groceries and hospitality. The CCPC said 22 inspections were carried out throughout Co Dublin, including in Swords, Dundrum and Tallaght. There was one in Leixlip, Co Kildare, and eight in Tullamore, Co Offaly. In the Northwest, 12 inspections were carried across Co Donegal including in Letterkenny, Bundoran and Donegal town. A further 12 inspections completed throughout Co Sligo. The competition body said the inspections form part of the CCPC's ongoing work to monitor compliance with consumer protection laws and ensure fair trading practices across Ireland. It said: 'The law sets out how traders must display prices and covers the selling price, unit price and reduced prices.' CCPC said its officers identified several breaches of consumer protection law, including inadequate or inaccurate price displays on items for sale. Inspections were also carried out across the retail motor fuel sector, including at leading service stations, identifying several breaches of the price display rules as set out in the Retail Prices (Diesel and Petrol) Display Order, 1997. CCPC member Patrick Kenny said: 'CCPC enforcement officers use our national helpline data to spot patterns of consumer harm and traders who might merit investigation. 'We carry out unannounced inspections and if we find traders breaking the law, we can issue fines and take prosecutions.' Mr Kenny said consumers need to see prices up front in order to make informed choices. 'If our enforcement officers find breaches of consumer protection law, we will act.' Traders were selected based on location and sector and, in some cases, following consumer complaints to the CCPC consumer helpline. Complaints are a valuable source of information to the CCPC as they help identify sectors where consumers may be at risk. Last year more than 44,000 consumers contacted the helpline, over 5,000 more than in 2023. The CCPC is calling for more substantial penalties for companies that breach consumer protection law. In March of this year, Lifestyle Sports (Ireland), DID Electrical Appliances and Rath-Wood Home & Garden World pled guilty to breaking sales pricing legislation and were ordered to donate €1000 each to charity. Changes to the law are needed to give the CCPC the power to impose large fines for serious offences – for example, fines that are a percentage of a business's turnover. Consumers who suspect a trader has breached consumer law are encouraged to report their concerns to the CCPC by phoning our National Consumer Helpline on 01 402 5555 or emailing ask@ The CCPC was recently asked by the Government to update a high-level analysis of the Irish grocery retail sector, which it completed in June 2023. And the competition watchdog has been called on to investigate how profitable supermarkets are here and if there are barriers stopping new retail chains entering the market. Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon wants the CCPC to find out if there are obstacles stopping the retail giants like Britain's Asda or France's Carrefour setting up in this country.
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Joss Stone gives birth seven months after adopting baby son and announces adorable name
Joss Stone has welcomed her fourth child with husband Cody DaLuz. Joss Stone has said she's absolutely smitten and 'in love' after welcoming her fourth child. The singer already has Violet, four, Shackleton, two, and seven-month-old Bear with her her husband Cody DaLuz. And now, the star has announced that she welcomed her new baby, as she shared the first photo of herself cuddled up with her newborn daughter. On Instagram, she shared the snap and penned: "Welcome our beautiful Nalima Rose to the world. We are so in love." Joss and Cody adopted baby boy Bear last year and just weeks after, she found out she was pregnant again. In December, she shared the happy news on Instagram ahead of her live tour, saying: "Honestly. Shocked was an understatement. Nothing and no one can take our joy now. "We are so chuffed. Maybe we should call the 'Less is More' tour the preggo tour." (sic). The 38 year old admitted that she found the whole adoption process far from smooth-sailing, with numerous bumps in the road, leading to multiple setbacks. Joss said it had been a dream of hers to adopt a child and even had a conversation with Cody within the first few weeks of them dating. After making the decision following the birth of their two children, Joss said they spent a year and a half going through the adoption process. "We had some adoptions fall through," Joss revealed. "We've had moments where we were chosen, but we couldn't get there in time. "There's been lots of things that have happened, and you start to feel like it's not going to happen. "And then, we got that call. And it's just the most beautiful thing." Speaking about her son, she said: "He's so sweet and his birth mother is so sweet. She could not be any nicer. It's just like everything is perfect. We haven't got to deal with a difficult situation. It's all love. Everyone is just full of love for this little guy." Joss' husband was adopted as a child and she has previously revealed it was something he had always wanted to do. However, the journey to collect little Bear did not go entirely smoothly, as the couple ended up in the wrong hospital and became confused about where to go. Then when Bear was just weeks old, Joss revealed he had problems with his lungs and doctors have warned them not to take him out anywhere. In a video posted on Instagram, Joss was seen sitting in her car with Bear, saying: "I am sat in the car with him because he is so little that he can't go out because he was so premature his lungs are a little bit vulnerable." The singer-songwriter experienced a difficult birth with her second child during which her uterus split, writes The Mirror. At the time, Joss said doctors told her she could have another child but that she would be unable to give birth naturally. The star previously spoke about experiencing a miscarriage in October 2021. The singer said her two youngest babies would be 'Irish twins' as they will they will be 'the same age for four months'. The term 'Irish twins' is sometimes used to describe two children who were born within a year of each other. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Journal
05-06-2025
- The Journal
Debunked: Video of Dublin used in false claim about ‘massacre' on day of Carlow shooting
A VIDEO TAKEN in Dublin that was falsely said to show a 'shopping mall massacre' in which a nine-year-old child was shot by a man carrying explosives, has been shared millions of times on social media. The claim is untrue, and the video is unrelated. Several posts making this claim appeared online on 1 June, after reports of a gunman at a shopping centre in Carlow. Gardaí quickly stated that a shooting incident had occurred, but within hours explained that the only person who had died was the suspect, from self-inflicted injuries. The suspect was a white, Irish man from the local area. A girl was injured when she fell while running away from the scene and required attention from paramedics, though did not need hospital care. While the bomb squad had been called in, no explosives were found at the scene. These events are likely to have spurred speculation about a child being shot and explosive vests. Some of the misinformation that was spread on social media included claims that seven people had been shot; that the gunman was shot dead by Gardaí; and that he was an Islamic terrorist. However, one viral post about the incident was notable for sharing a video that wasn't from anywhere near the scene and for including a number of other false claims. It was viewed millions of times. The post shared a video of Gardaí rushing down a street with sirens blaring in the background, alongside a caption that stated: 'Something very serious is unfolding in Ireland right now. 'Today's Shopping Mall Massacre, which saw a 9-year-old girl shot by a man who had explosives strapped to his body, has enraged the General Public. Ireland may have a Civil War VERY soon. The Irish have had enough.' However, there was no 'massacre', a nine-year-old was not shot, and the gunman did not have explosives strapped to his body. The video clearly shows Gardaí on Grafton Street in Dublin. Advertisement The scene in the video does not look anything like the area around Fairgreen Shopping Centre, where the incident occurred, nor anywhere else in Carlow town. The post was shared by the @CilComLFC account on X, and has been viewed more than 5,700,000 times at the time of writing. The @CilComLFC account has a blue tick on X, a symbol that previously signified that the account belonged to an organisation or public figures, including politicians, recognised authorities and journalists. However, since the takeover of the company by Elon Musk, these ticks now indicate that the account has paid for a subscription — though X still, misleadingly, refers to these accounts as being 'verified' . Paid subscribers also have their posts boosted to get more views and are eligible for X's Creator Revenue Sharing programme , where accounts get paid for getting high engagement with their posts. Posts by the @CilComLFC account have been re-shared on the feed of Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform. The account frequently spreads misinformation, often targeting migrants, and claims to be Irish. Identical posts, using the same footage and wording, were also posted to Facebook multiple times. There, they have accumulated more than 34,000 views, according to statistics from Meta, Facebook's parent company. They repeat the false claims that the video from Dublin shows a 'massacre' in which a nine-year-old was shot by a gunman who had explosives strapped to his body. In reality, there was no massacre, no explosives, and nobody aside from the shooter sustained injuries from a gun. Want to be your own fact-checker? Visit our brand-new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for guides and toolkits The Journal's FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network's Code of Principles. You can read it here . For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader's Guide here . You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here . Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone. Learn More Support The Journal
