Latest news with #LauraOMahony
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Budget watchdog forecasts fresh corporation tax surge
The mood music around the economy may not be good right now, but the State's budgetary watchdog sees a silver lining. Indeed, Ireland could be on the brink of another surge in corporation tax , according to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac). Eoin Burke-Kennedy has the details. Housing activity dipped in May for the first time in nine months, according to AIB's latest construction PMI. Colin Gleeson reports. Colin also has details of an Ibec policy paper on regulation , which sees the business lobby call for an overhaul of Government regulations. Gender issues is one of the biggest story of our times, and sits at the heart of politics and the culture wars . Yet Irish media seems reticent to cover the issue in depth, according to Hugh Linehan. In his column, he explores why. READ MORE Cantillon goes deeper on the Ifac report , while also assessing Dalata's options after the hotelier rejected a bid from a potential suitor, and looks at why nursing homes are a convenient target for Government right now but no-one cares to talk about the hypocrisy around funding for the care of older people. In Your Money, Dominic Coyle answers a reader question on whether to move house now, or wait for another potential drop in interest rates. How to manage your pension in these volatile times Listen | 37:00 Fiona Reddan meanwhile, looks at how a new tax relief scheme for residential landlords is already causing headaches. In Me & My Money, comedian and theatre director Laura O'Mahony talks through her spending habits. Ireland's tax on idle land zoned for housing must be reformed to encourage the level of private investment required to help solve the Republic's housing crisis, PwC has said. In its pre-budget submission, the Big Four accountancy firm has called on the Government to address the issue of housing development costs through taxation policy. Ian Curran has read the submission. Dublin City Council has given the green light to Fáilte Ireland for its planning application to set up a food hall at the vacant St Andrew's Church on Suffolk Street in central Dublin. Gordon Deegan reports. Irish factory output fell sharply in April, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said on Monday, despite a strong start to the year, particularly for multinational-dominated manufacturing industries including pharmaceuticals. Ian Curran has the story. The tariff saga continues. Dozens of executives from some of the world's biggest companies will travel to Washington this week to push back against a plan to raise taxes on foreign investments in the US, warning it may hit millions of American jobs. Novo Banco, the Portuguese bank lead by former AIB chief financial officer Mark Bourke, has attracted two bids from French banking group BPCE and CaixaBank of Spain, according to people familiar with the matter. If you'd like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money , the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Laura O'Mahoney: ‘I once paid €70 for a massive quiche as I was too embarrassed to say I only wanted a slice'
Comedian and director Laura O'Mahony directs Footnote, at Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, on June 14th, 16th and 17th as part of Cork Midsummer Festival. Are you a saver or a spender? I am a spender. A wild spender. I don't necessarily spend on myself, but I do spend on my children. In fact, I recently queued outside a Brown Thomas store to purchase a shamrock Jellycat for my kids. Did they need it? No, but it did fill them with joy, and I am into joy. What was the first job you received money for, and how much were you paid? Working in a bookshop in Cork . I think I got paid quite well but I was emergency taxed , and I remembered being scandalised because it felt like my money had simply disappeared. Do you shop around for better value? I don't. I know I should, but I'm not that type of person. I am a fan of immediacy and getting things solved quickly, so shopping around feels like a major hassle. It makes no sense, I know, but at nearly 40 years of age I understand the way my mind works. READ MORE What has been your most extravagant purchase, and how much did it cost? I bought an absolutely beautiful bike for my birthday. I think it was €700. It has a stunning basket at the front. I had images of myself popping into town to buy bread for my basket, but sadly this dream is yet to be realised, and my cycling leaves a lot to be desired. What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? We bought a rice cooker recently and, quite honestly, it's a game changer. We now have rice coming out of our ears morning, noon and night. With three hungry mouths to feed, it's a lifesaver and a timesaver. Is there anything you regret spending money on? I don't really ever regret anything. I mean, I have a leaky Stanley cup that I absolutely did not need, but it did bring me joy, and it at least attempted to keep me hydrated for a small while. Do you haggle over prices? I don't have the guts to do that. I get all flustered, so I am such an easy target. I would nearly pay too much not to be mortified. I once paid €70 for a massive quiche because I was too embarrassed to say I just wanted one slice. We were eating quiche for weeks. Do you invest in shares and/or cryptocurrency? I don't, mainly due to lack of knowledge and a bit of trepidation. It's not really my area of expertise, and I suppose I have heard horror stories about things going wrong. Ultimately, I like to know what my money is up to at all times. Do you have a retirement or pension plan? No. As a theatre director and comedian, it is hard to ever see myself retiring. Plans such as these are, of course, something I need to resolve and seek advice on but I'm not brilliant at taking advice even when it's for my own good. What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? I bought a holiday to London for my family for my 40th birthday and it was great value. We are staying in a lovely apartment close to everything. Those kinds of memories are priceless. Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? I saved up for our wedding. Aside from our house, it was probably the biggest purchase but there was real pleasure in saving for something so beautiful. Have you ever lost money? I haven't, but my son lost €20 in a toy shop the other day. His little heart was so sad. I should have used it as a learning experience about the importance of money but, instead, I pretended I found it. The world will teach him the tough lessons; I am a soft touch, and I don't feel the need to yet. Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win? I am not a gambler. I will take risks in life but not with money. I threw a fiver on Sweden to win the Eurovision this year, and look where that got me. What is your best habit when it comes to money? And your worst? My best habit is not overspending on myself. My worst habit is wildly overspending on everyone else and forgetting that saving is a very important life skill. How much money do you have on you now? I could probably scrape together about a tenner for you from coins at the end of my bag. In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
