Initiative Ireland to lend €600m to build 5,000 homes rte.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rte.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Knowledge is power, as the phrase goes, and that applies to householders as much as anyone else.
A bit of know-how when it comes to the operation of our houses gives us the ability to alter our behaviour and make significant savings in the process.
For many of us, energy consumption amounts to flicking a switch until we achieve a desired outcome - hot water or warm house - but by and large, we pay little attention to the efficiency of the process.
Smarter houses
With the roll out of smart metres over the coming years, every home and business will be armed with greater knowledge and information about their energy usage and how they can make more efficient use of it.
Subscription Notification
We have noticed that there is an issue with your subscription billing details. Please update your billing details here
Please update your billing information
The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. Please update your billing details here to continue enjoying your subscription.
Your subscription will end shortly
Please update your billing details here to continue enjoying your access to the most informative and considered journalism in the UK.
Business Journalist
Despite it being a record year for savings in Ireland, much of it was accidental given that large sections of the economy were shut down for long periods in 2020 so there was reduced opportunity to spend.
And many people were not in a position to accumulate savings given that their source of income had been severely curtailed because of those restrictions.
We look at areas where long-term savings can be made into the future in our New Year personal finance checker.
Overpaid on tax?
The answer is most likely yes .
People leave thousands in unclaimed refunds and reliefs with Revenue every year that they are unaware they are entitled to, according to Marian Ryan, Consumer Tax Manager with Taxback.com.
Initiative Ireland’s new partnership will allow credit unions to lend to Approved Housing Bodies 6th January, 2021
Sinead Byrne and Padraig Rushe of Initiative Ireland: the start-up plans to ramp up activity this year in both Ireland and Britain. Picture: Harrison Photography
When Pádraig Rushe launched Initiative Ireland three years ago, his aim was to level the playing field in property lending, allowing ordinary people to co-fund social and affordable housing.
Since then, Initiative Ireland has financed more than €25 million in loans. Now, under a new partnership with the Credit Union Development Association, it is preparing to launch a fund that will allow credit unions to lend to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) nationwide.