Irish energy: retail competition depends on wholesale opening

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) argues that the Irish market is too small to cater for new entrants' needs. This stems from insufficient independent power production (IPP) and a lack of capacity created through virtual-IPP auctions. As Ireland needs a competitive wholesale environment to stimulate retail competition, ESRI has identified the right problem.

Published By Datamonitor

Irish electricity: market opening in name alone

The electricity market opening mechanism introduced in Ireland is based on supplementing independent power producer (IPP) capacity with released capacity from monopoly ESB (virtual IPP), so that new entrants have the volumes to supply customers. Initially, enough IPP and discounted VIPP capacity was available for new entrants, but there is not yet enough for full market opening in 2005.

Published By Datamonitor

Ireland: nuclear power is not the obvious solution for low-carbon goals

Nuclear power is being cited as a possible way to cut Ireland's carbon emissions, but the lack of current nuclear generation in the country may make it unfeasible, as supporting infrastructures, regulations and political issues would have to be addressed. With the Ireland-to-Wales interconnector starting up in 2012 and the nation's ambitious renewables targets, nuclear seems to be the last resort.

Published By Datamonitor

Ireland's wealth market to outperform the rest of the PIIGS

The wealth markets in Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain (PIIGS) are among the worst performers at a global level, highlighting the difficulties faced by some of the traditional wealth markets. Western Europe as a whole has performed poorly in recent years, and the outlook up to 2015 is now even bleaker, with downward developments looking increasingly likely.

Published By Datamonitor

Ireland's upstream boom will produce significant opportunities

Recently revised estimates of Ireland's oil and gas resource endowments paint an upbeat picture of future production levels. If these latest estimates translate into the production levels forecasted, Ireland has the potential to not only meet its indigenous oil and gas needs but also to become a net exporter.

Published By Datamonitor

Investments: EU causes alarm and despondency

Published By Datamonitor

HMV Group: HMV updating, Waterstone's stagnating

HMV Group has announced encouraging results for the 16 weeks to April 25, 2009, defying the overall decline among its core product sectors. While HMV UK & Ireland is well placed to exploit a lack of high street competition in its core categories and sales opportunities that will arise from its numerous new ventures, Waterstone's faces an uphill struggle in its bid to reverse its fortunes.

Published By Datamonitor

High net worth investors' high exposure to sovereign debt should be a major cause for concern

The passage of legislation in the US to raise the debt ceiling will be welcomed by investors worldwide, but US Treasuries are not out of the woods yet and Europe's debt faces further downgrades. This is bad news for the eurozone's high net worth investors, who hold 13% of their wealth in these supposedly "safe-as-houses" investments.

Published By Datamonitor

Health insurance: Irish market to break E1 billion mark in 2004

Published By Datamonitor

HBOS: taking a punt on Ireland

UK banking group HBOS plans to open 46 outlets in Ireland under the banner of Bank of Scotland over the next 14 months. The GBP110 million investment will see HBOS shake up the established order, but the timescale of more than a year to open what will still be a comparatively small branch network should give Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks time to react.

Published By Datamonitor