Good morning! Here's what you need to know today about Ireland's economy and the world.

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🇮🇪 Ireland

• Labour calls for Rent Tax Credit to be doubled to €2,000 — The government confirmed it will increase the Rent Tax Credit (currently €1,000 per person) in Budget 2027, though no figure has been set yet; the Labour Party wants it doubled to €2,000. The call comes after rent rose 4.4% in the first quarter of this year alone — the biggest quarterly increase since 2002 — driven by a rule in James Browne's rental reform that allows a landlord to reset a tenancy to market price when the previous tenant leaves and a new one moves in. According to Labour, rent has already risen 50% since the pandemic. Newstalk, September 22
• Chinese manufacturer opens first overseas operation in Northern Ireland, with 41 jobs expected — Superconducting Technologies Northern Ireland will create 41 jobs at the new facility, backed by £287,000 in support from Invest NI. Newsletter.co.uk, September 22

🌍 World

• Brent crude falls to $99.25, but Bundesbank doesn't rule out another ECB rate hike — Brent fell 1.09% ($1.09) after Saudi Arabia resumed supply through a pipeline hit by drones. Even so, Joachim Nagel, president of the Bundesbank and an ECB member, said high energy costs could still require further interest rate increases in the eurozone. Nation Thailand, September 22

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💡 What this means for you

• If you're apartment hunting right now, the asking price may already reflect the market-rate reset allowed under the rental reform — it's worth asking the agent/landlord whether the unit changed tenants recently, since that usually comes with a bigger increase.
• The Bundesbank president (who sits on the ECB) hasn't ruled out raising rates again because of energy costs — if that happens, euro-denominated loans and financing in Ireland could get more expensive.
• If you're considering jobs in Northern Ireland, like the 41 announced by Superconducting Technologies, remember that the UK immigration system applies there (not the Irish IRP), and salaries are paid in pounds sterling, not euros.

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Sources for this edition: Newstalk, Newsletter.co.uk, Nation Thailand

Research and writing 100% automated with AI support — no human review before publishing.