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Teen girl awarded €72,000 after allegedly suffering serious injury in West Wood gym

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 23h

Teen girl awarded €72,000 after allegedly suffering serious injury in West Wood gym
www.independent.ie/irish-news/c...

A teenager who it was claimed suffered a neck injury when she was exercising in a gym five years ago has settled a High Court action for over €72,000.

www.independent.ie

Charlie Weston: Big Mac budget will not give us enough to pay for a meal deal

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 1d

How am I wrong?

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 1d

Comment: Big Mac budget will not give us enough to pay for a meal deal
Vat cuts are unlikely to get passed on to struggling consumers and there are no energy credits or increase to tax credits to support workers
m.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

It could be categorised as the Big Mac budget. Except it has left a sour taste.

Budget 2026: How middle-income will end up paying almost €500 extra

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 1d

Budget 2026: How middle-income will end up paying almost €500 extra
Worker on a typical €50,000 salary will end up paying almost €500 extra in income tax, USC and PRSI
m.independent.ie/business/per...

Workers will pay more next year in what has been labelled “stealth” tax rises on earnings.

Budget 2026: Disability services to get half-a-billion boost, as carbon tax to push up prices at the fuel pumps

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 2d

Budget 2026: Disability services to get half-a-billion boost, as carbon tax to push up prices at the fuel pumps
Rent tax credit to be extended and welfare payments to increase by €10
m.independent.ie/irish-news/b...

A €10 increase in core welfare payments will be announced in today’s budget, as talks went down to the wire last night.

Chief Justice hits out at Jim O’Callaghan over decision not to increase personal injury awards

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 2d

Chief Justice hits out at Jim O’Callaghan over decision not to increase personal injury awards
m.independent.ie/irish-news/c...

The Chief Justice has hit out at a decision by the Justice Minister not to seek approval from the Oireachtas for substantial increases in personal injury awards recommended by the Judicial Council.

Revealed: How much green tax rises in Budget 2026 will add to price of motor fuels over the next two months

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 3d

Revealed: How much green tax rises in Budget 2026 will add to price of motor fuels over the next two months
High taxation means a fall in cost of crude oil is having little impact on what motorists are paying at the pumps
m.independent.ie/business/per...

Motorists have been warned that fuel prices are set to rise sharply from a budget hit.

Your money questions: If I rent out a house to my son, can he benefit from the Rent-a-Room scheme?

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 5d

Your money questions: If I rent out a house to my son, can he benefit from the Rent-a-Room scheme?
Plus, queries about income-protection insurance and investing
m.independent.ie/business/per...

Q: If I rent out a house I own to my son, can he rent out the two spare rooms under the Rent-a-Room scheme?

No income tax break for workers in next week’s Budget, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirms

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 5d

No income tax break for workers in next week’s Budget, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirms
m.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Paschal Donohoe has firmly ruled out any income tax package in next week's budget in a blow to workers.

Insurers told to reduce premiums after Central Bank cuts levy on home and motor policies

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 5d

Insurers told to reduce premiums after Central Bank cuts levy on home and motor policies
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

Motorists and householders could be in line for a small break after a decision to reduce the levy on vehicle insurance policies.

Large numbers of householders failing to prepare for Storm Amy, says insurance provider

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 6d

Large numbers of householders failing to prepare for Storm Amy, says insurance provider
www.independent.ie/business/mon...

Large numbers of homeowners are failing to prepare for Storm Amy.

www.independent.ie

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 6d

Q&A: Here’s what you need to know about the big changes to new Sepa Instant bank payments process
Transactions will now go through in just 10 seconds
m.independent.ie/business/per...

Here’s what you need to know about the big changes to new Sepa Instant bank payments process

Major changes are on the way that will mean payments from bank accounts will now be processed in seconds.

New instant-payment option for transfers in under 10 seconds will include extra layer of security

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 6d

New instant-payment option for transfers in under 10 seconds will include extra layer of security
Sepa system will be introduced this weekend
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

A radical change will allow consumers and businesses to make payments in seconds if they have the other person’s bank identification number.

Most believe family homes should be exempt from inheritance tax, survey shows

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 7d

Most believe family homes should be exempt from inheritance tax, survey shows
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

The majority of people believe the family home should be exempt from inheritance tax, according to a new survey.

Second energy supplier to freeze prices as over a million households face higher bills this winter

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 8d

Second energy supplier to freeze prices as over a million households face higher bills this winter
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

A second energy supplier has announced a price freeze on gas and electricity prices for the winter months.

Health cover hikes to hit families for up to €600 as premiums rise again

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 8d

Health cover hikes to hit families for up to €600 as premiums rise again
VHI, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health increasing cost of plans from this week
m.independent.ie/irish-news/h...

Consumers are facing hundreds of euro in higher health insurance costs as the three main insurers increase the cost of their plans from this week.

House-price inflation eases but homes are still unaffordable for most potential buyers

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 9d

House-price inflation eases but homes are still unaffordable for most potential buyers
Asking prices are still up by 6pc over course of a year
m.independent.ie/irish-news/h...

The rate of property-price inflation has eased slightly as the stock of homes to buy has stabilised.

‘I do the work of two, yet the tax system doesn’t reflect this reality’ – GP says lone parents punished by tax system

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 12d

I do the work of two, yet the tax system doesn’t reflect this reality’ – GP says lone parents punished by tax system
Mother of two says she pays about €7,000 a year more than married couples on same combined income
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

Single mum Vanessa Phillips says she does the work of two people, but gets clobbered by the income tax system.

Mortgage approvals drop as first-time buyers and movers struggle to find homes

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 13d

Mortgage approvals drop as first-time buyers and movers struggle to find homes
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

The numbers of both first-time buyers and movers approved for a mortgage has fallen, in the latest a sign of deepening malaise in the housing market.

Filing a tax return to Revenue sends stress levels soaring, research finds

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 15d

Filing a tax return to Revenue sends stress levels soaring, research finds
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

The prospect of having to file a tax return leaves people feeling stressed and anxious.

Petrol and diesel prices hold steady but carbon tax in next month’s Budget will lead to rises

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 16d

Petrol and diesel prices hold steady but carbon tax in next month’s Budget will lead to rises
m.independent.ie/business/mon...

Petrol and diesel prices have held steady this month after falling in August. But they are due to go up again next month with the imposition of another carbon tax rise.

Radical waste-collection system shake-up would let bin firms take over entire regions

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Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 16d

Radical waste-collection system shake-up would let bin firms take over entire regions
Move away from individual customers ‘could increase bills’
m.independent.ie/irish-news/r...

The household waste-collection system could be in line for a radical shake-up, with bin companies taking responsibility for an entire geographic area rather than competing for customers on the same s...

Grocery inflation rises to 6.3pc as pressure mounts on household budgets

Charlie Weston @charlieweston.bsky.social · 17d

Grocery inflation rises to 6.3pc as pressure mounts on household budgets
m.independent.ie/business/per...

The cost of groceries has shot up again, squeezing household budgets.