Ireland is not fully maximising the growing business and social enterprise emerging from the “circular” economy, it is claimed.

Our consumption patterns are at the heart of the challenge to provide our grandchildren with the same opportunities that we enjoyed, writes Dara Lynott.

Fresh proposals for rent certainty and ways to regulate the rental sector are set to give the Government a major headache after the last coalition blocked similar plans for legal reasons.

Leading trade unionist and prominent Labour supporter David Begg is set to earn €100,000 over the next five years after being named the new chair of the Pensions Authority.

The number of families on the brink of homelessness nationally has risen by 84% since January, while Cork has experienced a seven-fold increase from 2011 to 2014 in those forced to sleep on the streets.

The Simon Community has criticised the Government for failing to introduce rent certainty measures in the budget.

The Housing Agency’s first National Statement highlights the difficulties besetting efforts to house people. But as Rory Hearne points out, few practical solutions are offered.

Ireland’s rental sector is under “enormous pressure” and is becoming a threat to job creation, according to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).

A report to the Taoiseach has warned that thousands of families won't be able to buy their own home for years to come.

The Government is being urged to do more to make affordable housing available, including sourcing private finance.

The head of the Nevin Economic Research Institute has warned that an “almost complete” removal of investment from quality public housing following the financial collapse has left a legacy “that will take years to address”.

Ireland has the EU’s highest proportion of young children in homes where nobody is working, creating a risk of further generational poverty and educational disadvantage.

A new report shows 23% of Irish households are jobless, above the European average of 11%.

Almost a quarter of Irish households are jobless — either none of the occupants are working or have very limited access to work — and there is a real danger those households will "transmit" joblessness and poverty across generations.

The cost of renting across the country rose by 3.5% over the past year, but tenants are still paying 23% less than they were at the height of the boom in 2007.

An EPA report highlights the potential impact of rising sea levels over the next 100 years, writes Frank McGovern.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has just overseen the publication by his department of an in-depth report on apprenticeships in Ireland.

Political leaders failed to adequately address the problems of unemployed and disadvantaged groups during the Celtic Tiger boom while economic progress was less comprehensive and sustainable than believed, according to a major report.

The €370m further education and training sector could face a major change in focus as a review examines how well it is addressing the needs of the unemployed.

Progress on increasing the representation of women on state boards “has been slow” the Taoiseach has admitted.

The paper published by the Economic and Social Research Institute yesterday makes for depressing, challenging reading.

Nearly a quarter of Irish households are now jobless according to a new report out today.

We have a seven-year window to tackle the climate crisis if we are to avoid some of its worst consequences.

Far from encouraging positivity on climate action, Victoria White (Opinion, Feb 21) instead promotes effective denial of climate science and increases my despair for our future.

Sometimes it’s very hard to see the wood from the trees, and in a society — and a world — struggling to come to terms with frightening unemployment figures, falling incomes, globalisation, and lives corralled by unmanageable debt, that, naturally, may be even more difficult.

The troika has been told that Budget 2013 impacted disproportionately on the poor.

Irish people have lost trust in the public service, despite a series of reports outlining significant progress and reform in the sector.

The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, is due to start independent inspections of residential centres for people with disabilities next year.

A new report has found that policing in Ireland would benefit from taking on lessons learnt by local Garda initiatives.

Nursing home owners need more guidance from the health watchdog HIQA, according to new research published today.

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society has named Seamus O’Donohoe as its new chief executive officer.

Dairy farming is entering an era of great opportunity with the end of quota restrictions in 2015, says incoming Irish Co-operative Organisation Society chief executive Seamus O’Donohoe.

GOVERNMENT promotion of the positive environmental contribution of Ireland’s grass-based farming in its new National Climate Policy is a very welcome evolution in state strategy, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association.

THE labour market will take “years to recover” and the Government will have to do much more if it is to tackle the crisis, an advisory group to the Taoiseach has warned.

Official jobless figures showing almost half a million people are out of work are too low, an economic think-tank has warned today.

LEADING economist Jim Power has supported the call for a Strategic Investment Bank in order to free up credit for the small business community.

As part of the GAA's National Strategic and Vision Plan, the Association today confirmed an investment of €200,000 in its National Urban Programme as efforts to raise the profile of Gaelic games and participation levels in urban bases across the island continue.

IRELAND escaped the worst of the global recession thanks to its membership of the European Monetary Union (EMU); but it must still become more disciplined as a eurozone member, according to a new report.

Ireland would have fared much worse in the economic crisis had it not been a member of the European Union, according to analysis by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).

A seminar is being held in Dublin this morning to focus on formulating new policy initiatives on employment.

THE Government will attempt to avert the threat of escalating industrial unrest by inviting the social partners back for talks on a national response to the economic crisis.

SOCIAL partnership talks on a new economic recovery plan appeared to be floundering late last night after unions rejected demands by IBEC for a pay pause to the end of 2011 and a more employer-friendly inability to pay clause.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen says he hopes a broad agreement can be reached in new social partnership talks aimed at devising an economic recovery plan.