Aengus Cox

Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Online payment concept. Over shoulder view of a woman accessing a mobile banking app on her smartphone, highlighting the ease of digital finance management. Internet bank, money transaction, fintech,

Irish banks to launch instant payments across euro zone

Bank customers are being advised to prepare for changes in how they send and receive money, with the introduction of SEPA Instant Payments and Verification of Payee (VoP) from this month.

Business • 03 Oct 25

Just €3.9m of €190m energy support fund paid out - C&AG

Just €3.9 million out of a €190 million fund set up to support consumers dealing with spiking energy costs has been paid out, the State's spending watchdog has found.

Business • 30 Sep 25

OPW paid €20m to lease 2 buildings that stayed unoccupied

A review of State spending for last year has found the Office of Public Works (OPW) paid around €20 million to lease two buildings that remained unoccupied afterwards.

Business • 30 Sep 25

Three black and white cows stand in a field

Bovine TB budget exceeded each year since 2020 - C&AG

Annual expenditure on the State's bovine TB eradication programme has exceeded its budget each year since 2020, according to a report from the State's spending watchdog.

Ireland • 30 Sep 25

Health insurance policy brochure with paperwork. There is also a stethoscope, mobile phone and digital tablet in the image.

46% of Irish population now have health insurance - HIA

The number of people with private health insurance rose slightly between April and June, despite a significant spike in the cost of premiums.

Business • 30 Sep 25

Group of people about the cut the ribbon on a new manufacturing facility

Kerry sets up new Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig

Irish food ingredients multinational Kerry Group has established a new biotechnology centre in Germany.

Business • 24 Sep 25

Crowds attending day one of the National Ploughing Championships at Tullamore, Co Offaly

5 takeaways from the National Ploughing Championships

After three days at the National Ploughing Championships, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Correspondent Aengus Cox runs through five key takeaways from the event and the challenges facing farmers the length and breadth of the country

Analysis and Comment • 22 Sep 25

SSE Airtricity to increase electricity prices by 9.5%

SSE Airtricity is to increase its standard variable electricity prices by 9.5% from next month, which will add around €150 annually onto a typical customer's bill.

Business • 19 Sep 25

Anna Marie McHugh of the ploughing championships and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon walk two cows on a lease.

Long list of issues for farmers in spotlight

The National Ploughing Championships this year is less about showcasing all that is good and great about agriculture and more about highlighting the growing list of challenges threatening the future of many farmers.

Analysis and Comment • 16 Sep 25

A tractor parked beside a marquee at the launch of the National Ploughing Championships.

Up to 300,000 expected to attend Ploughing in Offaly

Up to 300,000 people are expected to attend this year's National Ploughing Championships, which is under way in Screggan, Co Offaly.

Leinster • 16 Sep 25