New Electricity Levy on household bills: Is it fair?
An electricity levy that was previously suspended in 2007 has been revived and will now be imposed on all electricity customers come this October. The new levy will see an increase in electricity prices of up to 5% and plans to raise €156 million in order to improve the security of energy supply and for the development of renewable energy.
Leo Varadkar, the Fine Gael spokesman on energy said “Consumers and businesses are going to have to pay the bill for Eamon Ryan’s green energy revolution and his unwillingness to squeeze the ESB.” The Labour Party described the increase as…
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern announced earlier this week the long awaited initiation of a property sale price database that will be used to monitor market trends, house prices and ultimately create much-needed transparency in the property market. “I am very aware of the need for reliable and up-to-date data on house prices and other property,” he said.
“Ireland is awash with buildings that few people either can afford or want to purchase,” states a new report published by The National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (Nirsa).
During the week Mr. Justice Edwards ruled, with ‘very great regret’ against a couple in County Meath and agreed that the local County Council were entitled to a demolition order for their two-storey home, which was built without planning permission.
After a 2-week visit to Ireland last month, the IMF released a report yesterday commending the measures the Irish Government took to deal with its financial crisis. The report also endorsed plans to help struggling homeowners burdened with mortgage difficulties as a result of the financial crisis by putting in place “narrowly-targeted support measures for vulnerable homeowners”.
Receivership sales are becoming more common as the banks try to sell off the surplus of houses and apartment schemes left over by the Tiger. 
“Mortgage arrears may just be the biggest legacy issue from the financial crisis” commented Mr. Elderfield (Head of Financial Regulation at the Central Bank) at a packed gathering in the RDS during the week.
According to the annual report released by Homeless agency Focus Ireland this week, there are currently 5,000 people without accommodation in Ireland with a further 100,000 households waiting for local authority housing. 
Taoiseach Brian Cowen will meet the euro zone heads of government in Brussels today to discuss the Greek bailout and Irelands €1.3 billion contribution to the IMF’S rescue plan for the Greek economy. Greece currently has the highest debt burden and the largest interest-rate bill of the euro countries.