Regulators face claims nearing €390,000 from holidaymakers likely to lose out as a high-profile travel agency is wound up. Dublin-based Platinum Travel, run by directors Austin Carroll and Ciara Foley, is destined for liquidation after it ceased trading days before Christmas. Barry O’Halloran has the details.

Renewable power generated from wind and solar has saved Irish electricity customers as much as €840 million, energy specialists Baringa have said. The firm’s analysis of how renewables are influencing price has found the financial benefit of developing renewable energy in the Irish market has significantly outweighed all possible costs for consumers “even based on conservative estimates”. Kevin O’Sullivan reports.

Last year’s boost to new housing starts needs to continue if the Republic is to tackle its chronic housing crisis, experts warn. Multinational consulting engineers Aecom calculate that work had started on 54,574 new homes in the first 11 months of 2024, echoing other estimates of high levels of housing starts last year. Barry O’Halloran reports.