Latest news with #Moran
Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Is it sensible to buy a house together in Ireland if you're not married?
Ireland is in love with cohabiting. Indeed, couples here have been shacking up together without marrying at a rapidly increasing rate. If you're saving for a house , or someone is struggling with rent, living together can make financial sense too – just don't forget to protect yourself. Upward trend Since the financial crash, couples here have become a whole lot more enamoured, it might seem. The number of those living together without children rose by 6 per cent between 2011 and 2016, CSO figures show. This increase then almost tripled, with a further 17 per cent rise recorded in Census 2022. There were almost 80,000 cohabiting couples without children recorded in that census; there were more than 85,000 cohabiting with children. A living arrangement seen as anything from bohemian to deviant a few decades ago is now unremarkable. In a housing and cost-of-living crisis, the home economics can work too. There are few more significant ways to commit to someone than by sharing a home – just know that mixing property and finances when you're not married can get tricky. Saving for a deposit One in three first-time-buyer homes now exceed €400,000 in value, according to the latest Banking and Payments Federation figures. These buyers, whose average age is now 36, are having to come up with a €40,000 deposit at least. With national average rents surpassing €2,000 a month, according to amassing a house deposit as an individual can seem unattainable. Living and saving together as a couple can speed things up. Committing to the future financial goal of home ownership bodes well for a relationship. An account where savings are combined can give a better return on lump sum deposit accounts or saving accounts. Just make sure the savings account is in joint names, that you both know the account password and have visibility of what's going in and out, says solicitor Niamh Moran of Carmody Moran solicitors. There is a move away from marriage. It's almost thought of as an old-fashioned concept. But marriage does bring certainty. You are potentially in a greyer area with cohabiting — Niamh Moran 'You would be minded to keep a record of what you are putting in, and make sure the money is in joint names. Know the amount, particularly if it has amassed to being a large sum,' says Moran. If either of you receives a large lump sum, such as redundancy or inheritance money, you could decide to ringfence it in a separate account. When buying a house together, your solicitor can itemise in a 'completion statement' who contributed what. If you split up, or if something happens to your partner, accessing funds in a bank account in their name only could be very difficult. As a cohabitant, you are not automatically their next of kin. 'There is a move away from marriage. It's almost thought of as an old-fashioned concept. But marriage does bring certainty. You are potentially in a greyer area with cohabiting; you are not in as solid ground,' says Moran. If you are living with someone and they die without a will, you have no automatic right to any share of 'their' money, no matter how long you have been together. 'Be aware. You are not a married couple, you don't have automatic entitlement, so in the event of a break-up or a death, the situation isn't entirely clear. So it's no harm to keep records,' says Moran. Moving in to 'your' place With rents through the roof, it's no wonder boyfriends or girlfriends are moving in. If you or your parents own the property, however, know that your love can acquire rights. Two types of law can apply in this situation, says solicitor Keith Walsh. The first has to do with gaining equity in the property – so if someone moves in and contributes to, or puts money into a property owned by someone else, they can be entitled to get it out, says Walsh. 'If your partner starts to pay the mortgage or contributes substantially to any structural-type repairs or direct costs in the home, they could be establishing some sort of equity interest in it,' he says. If, for example, a parent owns a property, and their daughter takes on the mortgage, she is gaining an interest in the property. If her partner puts money into the couple's joint account and that account is paying the mortgage, that potentially gives the partner an equitable interest in the property, says Walsh. If money is being paid towards the home, it's important to say that the purpose of the money is rent, he says. 'They can pay as much rent as they like and they are never going to acquire an interest in the property,' says Walsh. However, the rent is taxable, he says. Indirect contributions of labour or money towards renovation of the property can also count in a claim for equity in the property, says Moran. Financial dependence Where one cohabiting partner is financially dependent on the other, they can also make a claim for redress. This redress scheme is to protect financially dependent cohabitants should the relationship end due to a break-up or death. To qualify, you must have been living together with a partner in an intimate and committed relationship for at least five years, or two years if you have a child, and be financially dependent on them. Most cohabitants working without children are not going to be financially dependent on each other, says Walsh. 'You could argue, however, if you are staying in a property owned by your partner's parents, not paying rent, and you have forgone chances to buy a house, that you are financially dependent because you are getting free accommodation as part of the relationship,' he says. Having other housemates living in the home doesn't diminish the intimate and committed nature of your relationship either. Redress for cohabitants isn't automatic, however; you have to apply to the court, proving you are a financially dependent cohabitant. Those claiming redress must apply within two years of the breakdown of the relationship, or within six months of the grant of probate issuing where the cohabitant has died. Cohabitation agreement If you live together as partners and you do not intend to marry, you can protect your financial interests by entering into a 'cohabitation agreement'. This is where couples agree to opt out of the right to make a redress claim against each other. 'You are opting out of the redress scheme under the 2010 Cohabitants Act; you are waving those rights, basically,' says Moran. 'Quite often, [living arrangements] can develop into something much longer than anyone had intended.' A cohabitants' agreement can specify how you plan to separate your assets should the relationship come to an end. This way, you can agree what happens while things are amicable. 'If you are bringing another person into a property that is yours, or has been in your family, signing a cohabitation agreement would be highly advisable,' she says. It's not very romantic, but by signing this agreement at the outset, your beloved is agreeing not to make a claim on the property where you live. For the cohabitants' agreement to be valid and enforceable by the court, you must both get independent legal advice, and both of you must sign the agreement. 'By having everything down in black and white, these agreements don't tend to trouble the courts because everyone knows where they stand. If you enter into something very clearly, it does diminish the chances for dispute,' says Moran. 'I know those are very difficult conversations to have, but they are worthwhile having.' The difficulty can be that people fall into living together without anticipating the long-term consequences. Inheritance implications Cohabitants should know that if one of you dies without a will, you have no automatic right to any share of the other's property, money or possessions – no matter how long you have been together. Even if your partner has made a will, you will pay Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) at 33 per cent on gifts or inheritance over €16,250. Had you married, you would be automatically entitled to your spouse's whole estate, tax-free if there was no will, or two thirds of it if there was no will and they had children. Cohabitants should know that being in a long-term, committed relationship where you are not married means that the surviving partner can pay significantly more inheritance tax if the other dies. Thinking of breaking up? If you've been living together, you want to break up and you are worried about your blended finances, take legal advice before pulling the plug, says Moran. 'Sit down and look at it with someone impartially and plan for what might happen,' she says. If you have difficulty agreeing who is owed what, mediation will be less costly than legal proceedings. Couples can mitigate disputes by being clear-headed before they move in. 'I see these things when they get contentious. It causes stress and upset and takes time to resolve,' says Moran. 'The best thing is to deal with it at the outset and not let yourself drift into a situation because problems do arise.'
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Award-winning retailer praises Love Tipperary Gift Card after bumper six months of sales
An award-winning Tipperary retailer has praised the county's local gift card for its ease of use and commission free nature after enjoying a bumper six months of sales through the card. The Love Tipperary Gift Card is backed by County Tipperary Chamber and Tipperary County Council, with 300 businesses accepting the card. Both physical and digital versions of the card are available. Second generation family-run business Moran's Menswear opened its doors in 1970 and celebrates 55 years in business in 2025. The menswear retailer joined the Love Tipperary Gift Card when it launched in November 2024, with over €5,000 worth of gift cards spent in the store in six months. In the past five years, the retailer has tripled the size of the store in Thurles, added a private wedding room and won the Drapers Award for Best Independent Menswear across Ireland and the UK. Diarmuid Moran, owner of Moran's Menswear, said the Love Tipperary Gift Card supports their ethos as a business. 'We're proud supporters of the independent sector and the power of shop local,' said Mr Moran. 'If a person shops with Amazon that money is leaving Ireland but if you buy local it stays local and gets reinvested in the economy through jobs and the support local businesses provide to community projects and clubs.' He added: 'One of the main benefits of the Love Tipperary Gift Card is the fact that it's commission free. 'For example, I had a One4All Gift Card in the store today for €100 and I gave €12 of that to One4All in commission. In comparison, accepting the Love Tipperary Gift Card is 100pc commission free. 'Another major benefit is the ease of use. I can swipe the physical version while the digital version is added to the recipient's digital wallet so they can 'tap to pay'. 'We've accepted over €5,000 of Love Tipperary Gift Cards since the initiative launched in November 2024, and I think that is down to the ease of use for merchants accepting the card and recipients spending it.' Mr Moran said that what he sees in particular is the gift card users are tending to spend more than the value of the gift card in his shop. Diarmuid encourages local organisations to consider using the cards as rewards, and urges businesses who are not currently accepting the card to register. 'I'd like to see the Love Tipperary Gift Card becoming even more embedded within the community, and more organisations using the cards for rewards, ringfencing reward spend into County Tipperary,' he said. 'For local businesses in County Tipperary, it's very simple. If you're not part of the Love Tipperary Gift Card then people are not going to visit your business to spend their cards with you. 'As a business, you have to keep reinventing and moving forwards, and that includes participating in positive community initiatives that benefit the community like the Love Tipperary Gift Card. €5,000 of additional spend in just over 6 months is a positive for any independent business.' Michelle Aylward, chief executive at County Tipperary Chamber, said: 'It's fantastic to see the positive impact our gift card is having on our local businesses across a range of sectors. Some 300 local businesses now accept the card, but there's still time for other businesses to register to accept the card and experience the benefits of zero commission, easy revenue through their tills.' The Tipperary Gift Card is part of the Town and City Gift Card concept active across Ireland that has won several awards. Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex, who manage these gift cards, and said: 'There is a huge shift in organisations making the move to local rewards for their rewards and incentives. 'In our research, 89pc of organisations in Ireland said supporting local businesses was important to their organisation. With 300 businesses accepting the card, the Love Tipperary Gift Card offers unbeatable local choice for employees, while the option of physical cards to hand over or digital cards to send to their email or phone makes support for local simple.'
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
The bizarre reason why restoration of Rathfarnham Castle has taken 30yrs
Restoration works at one of the country's oldest examples of Elizabethan-era grandeur will take another two years at least – because the weather hasn't been right. In a statement read into the Dáil record, the Office of Public Works (OPW) said it anticipates that it will now complete the restoration of the facade of Dublin's Rathfarnham Castle in 2027. The OPW had been under fire recently for its costly and delayed projects including at the Workplace Relations Commission in Ballsbridge, Dublin, which resulted in a 70 metre stretch of low wall outside the building costing €490,000 to complete. The beleaguered agency, which also oversaw the building of the now infamous €336,000 Dáil bike shed, has been engaged in a restoration project at Rathfarnham Castle for three decades. This month the OPW admitted that the promised completion of render to the front of Rathfarnham Castle which had been promised by this summer, will now take at least another two years. Rathfarnham Castle. Pic: Sean Dwyer The issue was raised by the Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart who asked OPW Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran why, having been told in 2024 that the job of restoring the frontage of the castle would be finished in 2025, the OPW was now saying the job wouldn't be completed until 2027. The minister replied the exterior of the castle is showing signs of wear and tear and needs to be finished with a substance called lime harling, to be restored to its former glory. However, Mr Moran said he had been advised by the OPW that the 'problem with lime harling is that there is a short seasonal window, along with weather conditions, in which the lime harling finish can be applied and these works are not expected to take place until 2027'. Mr Lahart asked why 2027 was the new date, given that in 2024 he had been told 'a weather window would be required to carry out the works and the works would be carried out in 2025'. The beleaguered agency, which also oversaw the building of the now infamous €336,000 Dáil bike shed, has been engaged in a restoration project at Rathfarnham Castle for three decades. He said: 'The warm weather window has well and truly been with us for the past four or five months. Now, the Minister of State is saying the works will be carried out in 2027. What has changed?' In reply the minister said: 'To be honest, I can't say.' Mr Moran noted that funds have been allocated to undertake this project, with a senior architect assigned to oversee the design and completion. The minister also assured the Fianna Fáil TD that he would not let the matter rest, saying 'I will pursue it because I fell in love with the castle when I went there. It is a fabulous facility.' Rathfarnham Castle was built in 1583 and has been owned by Archbishop Adam Loftus, the founder of Trinity College, 18th century politician Speaker Conolly, and the Jesuit Order. The castle is one of Elizabethan houses. It was declared a national monument and purchased by the State from the Jesuits in 1987. Responding to this latest delay, Mr Lahart told this week: 'The OPW appear to exist in a different time zone to the ordinary citizen, where one year in citizen time is three years in OPW time. Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart. Pic: RTÉ One 'The castle is a critical social and cultural asset and yet the driest summer on record does not apparently provide them with the three decades-long job. Apparently, even climate change cannot speed up the OPW.' Elsewhere, the OPW is also embroiled in a row with locals in Co. Kildare over Castletown House. Last year, it proposed a new entrance and car park to the popular estate near the village of Celbridge but locals objected. In response, some locals have been maintaining a protest at the entrance to the Castletown estate for 11 months. The site has been open to the public for the past three decades but over the past year the row has bitterly divided the Co. Kildare town.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Campaigners rally at Cork City Hall in protest against LNG terminals
Climate activists, local councillors, and concerned residents gathered outside Cork City Hall this week to protest against potential plans for liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in the region. Organised by the environmental group Not Here Not Anywhere (NHNA), the demonstration featured banners reading 'No LNG Terminals' and chants of 'Flooded Lee, rising seas, we say no to LNG.' Campaigners warned that the Government's reversal of a ban on fracked gas imports earlier this year has opened the door to new fossil fuel projects along Ireland's coast — including the Port of Cork. The protest supports a motion submitted to Cork City Council by Green Party Councillor Oliver Moran, which calls on the Council to oppose any LNG infrastructure and instead prioritise large-scale renewable energy. The motion is due to be debated in September by the Council's Environment, Water & Amenities Strategic Policy Committee. It states: 'That, as a Mission City to be climate neutral by 2030, Cork City Council is opposed to the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, as new fossil fuel infrastructure, and will work to ensure no LNG terminals are developed in the Cork region; and shall focus its support on the development of large-scale renewable infrastructure for energy security instead.' "Cork City Council is a member of regional energy stakeholder groups and an EU Mission City to be climate neutral by 2030," said Mr Moran. "Cork's future is in renewables. It's why the Port of Cork is investing €100m in a deepwater berth dedicated to servicing offshore energy. "Offshore energy will bring jobs and energy security tied to Cork. LNG will bring neither of those." Niamh Guiry, an NHNA campaigner and PhD researcher, added: "The people of Cork have made it repeatedly clear, we do not want and cannot afford any new fossil fuel infrastructure in the midst of a widespread and devastating climate crisis. "We are at a pivotal point in history. Now is the time for radical action and political bravery." She urged Cork City Council to pass the motion in September, calling it a critical signal to Government that the fossil fuel era must come to an end. Campaigners argue that LNG terminals would lock Ireland into high-carbon energy for decades, risking failure to meet 2030 climate targets and potential EU fines of up to €26bn. A recent EPA report also identified 115 climate-related risks to Ireland, with Cork seen as particularly exposed. They also pointed to a landmark advisory opinion issued last week by the International Court of Justice, which found that states may breach international law by supporting fossil fuel development or subsidies. 'It's unthinkable that Ireland could be locked into fossil fuel infrastructure and dependency for years to come," Ms Guiry added. "Passing anti-LNG motions that champion a just transition and the development of widespread renewable energy infrastructure like the one before Cork City Council is hugely important."
Ottawa Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Calgary Hitmen name Dustin Friesen 12th head coach in franchise history
Article content The Calgary Hitmen announce Dustin Freisen as the 12th head coach in franchise history. Article content 'We are excited to welcome Dustin as our new head coach,' said general manager Garry Davidson. 'He is a proven winner at every level in his playing career and has had a direct impact on championship teams in the past two seasons.' Article content Article content 'He has a passion to develop players and to create a strong culture. We know he will lead and guide our team and build on our progression and success from last season.' Article content Friesen joins the Hitmen on a multi-year deal after a standout season as associate coach of the Moncton Wildcats, where he helped lead the team to a QMJHL championship and a Memorial Cup appearance. Prior to his time in the CHL, Friesen served as head coach of the Prairie Hockey Academy's U18 Prep team (CSSHL) from 2021 to 2024. He also contributed to the Moose Jaw Warriors during the 2023–24 season, capturing the teams first-ever WHL championship. Article content Article content Friesen brings a wealth of experience from an 11-year professional playing career, including three seasons in the AHL and eight seasons in Germany, where he served as captain of ERC Ingolstadt and won a DEL2 championship. Before turning pro, he spent five seasons with the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds where he captained the team to two USports titles. His junior career includes four seasons with the Swift Current Broncos. Article content Article content Article content Joining Friesen on the bench is Hitmen alumnus Brad Moran as assistant coach. Moran played five seasons with the club from 1995 to 2000. Following a successful career as a player, Moran transitioned into coaching and has spent the past seven years with the AJHL's Calgary Canucks. As head coach and general manager for the last six seasons, he guided the team to two AJHL championships and a Centennial Cup title this year. Article content Moran remains the Hitmen franchise's all-time leader in games played (357), goals, assists, and points, with an impressive 450 points (204 goals, 246 assists). His number 20 is the only jersey number retired by the organization. Article content Also returning as assistant coach is Dakota Krebs, who joined the team's coaching staff last season as video coach. A Hitmen alumnus, Krebs played for the club from 2018 to 2020 following three seasons with the Tri-City Americans. He later spent four years with the University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey program, where he served as an assistant captain for two seasons and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
