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13/12/2024: ICS Mortgages is to cut its variable rates following the European Central Bank, which cut rates by 0.25% yesterday.

From February 2025, Owner Occupier variable rates will reduce by 0.25% and 0.41%, depending on the loan to value.

Buy-to-Let variable rates will also reduce by 0.25%.

12/12/2024: The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced a further 0.25% interest rate cut, the fourth drop this year. The move is in response to falling inflation rates.

The latest decrease in the ECB refinancing rate - the rate tracker mortgages are based on, takes it to 3.15%. Tracker mortgage customers will see their rate cut immediately.

The latest drop may prompt mortgage lenders to reduce their variable and fixed rate mortgages.

11/12/2024:The average mortgage rate in Ireland fell to 4.03% in October, latest figures from the Central Bank reveal.

This is down from 4.27% for the same time last year, and leaves Ireland with the sixth highest mortgage rates in the Eurozone - who have an average rate of 3.52%.

The Central Bank figures for Ireland show the average variable rate was 4.39%, while the average fixed rate stood at 3.89%.

09/12/2024: MoCo has cut their fixed term interest rates again, by an average of 0.18%.

The lender’s 3-year fixed mortgage rates are dropping by an average of 0.22% while their 5-year product will fall by an average of 0.14% - with the exact decrease depending on your loan-to-value (LTV).

The average interest rate across both fixed-terms now stands at 3.71%, down from an average of 3.90%.

22/11/2024: Irish Life is set to increase health insurance premiums by an average of 3.7% from January 1st, 2025.

This is the third increase in twelve months, with the insurer rising prices in January and July of this year.

Many family plans will increase by hundreds of euro a year, while other plans will increase by as much as 4.3%.

Insurance premiums have risen across the board this year, with insurers quoting the rising costs of delivering healthcare, increased use of more expensive, high-cost drugs, and a spike in claims.

19/11/2024: Bank of Ireland has reduced the interest rate across its full suite of fixed rate products by 0.5%.

The reduced rates are available to all new and existing customers from 19 November and apply to all properties regardless of BER rating.

15/11/2024: A new health insurance company has launched in the Irish market.

The new player, Level Health, is backed by insurance giant Aviva and will have just four plans: A, B, C and D.

The insurer says its mid-level plans will be up to €500 a year cheaper for a family compared to rivals, while its high-end plan will be €2,700 cheaper for an adult.

It is also offering free cover for children under three, free family multi-trip worldwide travel insurance worth €228, and discounts from Aviva Insurance on things like motor insurance and mortgage protection.

13/11/2024: New figures from the Central Bank show that Irish mortgage rates fell to their lowest level for over a year in September.

It’s reported that mortgage rates fell from 4.11% to 4.08% in September. Despite the fall, they are still higher than the EU average of 3.59%.

The fall comes as another ECB rate cut is predicted in December, which could lead to a further round of rate cuts for mortgage holders.

11/11/2024: There is currently a €7,405 difference between the lowest and highest mortgage rate in Ireland.

With variable rates ranging from 3.6% to 6.65%, a survey by Irish Independent and Doddl mortgages found that homeowners could save as much as €617 a month by switching and securing the lowest rate.

The lowest rate in the market right now is a green rate of 3.1%, though only those with A1-B3 rated homes can avail.