Jason Walsh is Ireland correspondent of the Boston-based Christian Science Monitor newspaper and has contributed to other publications including the Irish Examiner, the Irish Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the Sunday Times, the Washington Times, El Mundo, PressEurop and USA Today.
Developer pulls out of social housing
State asked to pick up the pieces as PPP schemes flounder
'Affordable' housing to revive market
Desperate builders develop social conscience?
Housebuilder McInerney Holdings has warned it is facing difficult conditions in both its Irish and UK markets and that, as a result, it is delaying new site starts and focusing on its affordable
British house prices fall
Ireland not alone in collapsing property market
The Times reports that house prices in Britain are likely to fall by seven per cent in the next year alongside a 40 per cent fall in sales.
Interestingly, Britain is currently suffering from an acute housing shortage with
Consumer spending to fall
Mintel survey says 'times is tough'
The Irish Times reports that 67 per cent of Irish consumers are now more mindful of rising living costs.
The Mintel Ireland survey, Irish
Off grid in the middle of nowhere
Life on the most northerly inhabited island in Britain can be very tough indeed. On Unst the winters are harsh, and the winds brutal and relentless, regularly sweeping across the treeless landscape at more than 100mph. But Unst is the island chosen by a retired couple from Wiltshire to build one of the world's greenest houses - a "zero carbon" home powered entirely by the wind and the sun. It sits on the same latitude as southern Greenland, but will soon boast lemon trees, grapevines and green pepper plants in its greenhouse, an electric car powered by the wind, and floors heated by drawing warmth from the air.
Oil prices peak again
Now over US$127 per barrel
As if we weren't bored hearing about oil prices, BBC News Online is reporting that the commodity is now over US$127 a barrel, an all-time high.
Oil prices have hit a record high above $127 a barrel on speculation that China will
Half of Irish building firms not working
Half of Ireland's construction companies have stopped building houses while they attempt to offload existing properties.
A report published today by Merrion Capital said that the current housing oversupply will take more than twelve months to clear up.
"The overall conclusion
Ireland could become renewable leader
Kingspan sees profits fall
Housing slump hurts construction kingpin
The Cavan-based Kingspan Group will see lowered earnings as a result of the construction slowdown.
The group, which includes Kingspan Century, Ireland's largest timber-frame building manufacturer issued a statement saying trading over the first four months of the
Oil prices stabilise
At US$125
The Irish Times reports that oil prices have stabilised at around US$125 this week while there has been a larger than expected inventory of stocks.
Meanwhile, today's Seattle Times is reporting