Starting a business? Here’s what you need to know about grants and microfinance Ireland is one of the easiest places in Europe to start a business. It is also one of the most likely places to watch that business fail.

Starting a business? Here’s what you need to know about grants and microfinance

I was in Oslo in 2019 and had the chance to go on a driverless bus that was still being trialled so great to see that it’s finally becoming a reality

Please contact Geraldine. My delivery van goes twice as far on a tank at 80kph on the motorway as it does at 120kph. Adding 40 minutes to my journey to Dublin. Saving me 14 euros on the journey. Payback about 20 euros per hour.

Looking to speak to people who’ve cut energy use to lower bills from driving less to changing heating, appliances or gadgets. Get in touch if you’d like to contribute. RTs appreciated
Email: geraldine.herbert@independent.ie
#JournoRequest

📣 New research just published in the journal of Energy Economics.

This research provides a hierarchical framework for transport decarbonisation, emphasising that transformational changes must be prioritised over incremental technological fixes

doi.org/10.1016/j.en...

Looking to speak to people who’ve cut energy use to lower bills from driving less to changing heating, appliances or gadgets. Get in touch if you’d like to contribute. RTs appreciated
Email: geraldine.herbert@independent.ie
#JournoRequest

In today’s Sunday Independent, I look at road safety and Ireland’s growing dashcam culture. Are we improving safety, or just watching bad driving in real time?
@independent.ie

#RoadSafety #Ireland #Dashcams #Driving

www.independent.ie/life/geraldi...

‘A business that spends €90k opening and keeps €10k aside is already in trouble’ – how much does it really cost to open a coffee shop in Ireland? On paper, a €4 americano may appear like a licence to print money but strip out Vat, beans and a paper cup, and things look quite different.

'Whatever you think it will cost, just add 25pc and cross your fingers': how much does it really cost to open a coffee shop in Ireland?

‘A business that spends €90k opening and keeps €10k aside is already in trouble’ – how much does it really cost to open a coffee shop in Ireland? On paper, a €4 americano may appear like a licence to print money but strip out Vat, beans and a paper cup, and things look quite different.

In today's @independent.ie I look at the real cost of opening a coffee shop in Ireland
#CoffeeBusiness #HospitalityIreland #SmallBusiness #StartupsIreland #BusinessCosts

www.independent.ie/business/mon...

Geraldine Herbert: We love watching bad driving on social media, but why doesn’t more dashcam footage lead to safer roads? On a wet Galway road, a driver is seen reversing their car through a bend during the morning commute. They are deliberate and unhurried, despite traffic nearby.

Clips of bad driving posted online get high engagement, writes Geraldine Herbert. But as deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads continue to rise, does more surveillance actually equal better safety?

Anyone in Ireland want to try and save some money on fuel and electricity for a week? (I can give you lots of ideas how)

Would you try an energy rationing experiment? Cut back on fuel & electricity, keep a short diary, and share your experience for a feature. Interested? Email geraldine.herbert@independent.ie or DM asap please
RTs very much appreciated #JournoRequest

Would you try an energy rationing experiment? Cut back on fuel & electricity, keep a short diary, and share your experience for a feature. Interested? Email geraldine.herbert@independent.ie or DM asap please
RTs very much appreciated #JournoRequest

More than 1,200 learner drivers have been turned away from driving tests because they could not provide proof that their vehicle was insured

EU road deaths drop by 3% in 2025 The European Commission has released preliminary figures on road fatalities for 2025, reporting around 19,400 deaths.

New EU data shows that #roadsafety in Ireland continues to decline.
In 2025, there were 34 deaths per million people up 7% on 2024 and 31% on 2019.

The EU average is 43 per million, but it is falling down 3% year-on-year and about 15% since 2019.

transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/...

Thank you @gerherbert.bsky.social for highlighting our TRACT app here

www.tcd.ie/transport-re...

pre war price as the comparison is over three years so its an average price

That quote is based on someone with no access to a home charger and it is 70% standard charger and 30% fast use

the data for insurance was supplied by Chill Insurance and they that compared quotes from 14+ major insurers, the reasons for the increase was supplied by them not me

They are the same trim and a fair comparison

Twisting what data? Please do enlighten me

Electric vehicles or petrol cars – which is cheaper to run? The conflict in Iran and rising fuel prices are likely to accelerate the shift away from petrol cars, but how much could you actually save by opting for an electric car?

Electric vehicles or petrol cars – which is cheaper to run? www.independent.ie/business/mon...

What’s the best health insurance plan for young families and first-time parents? In a semi-detached house on the edge of Dublin, a couple in their early 30s have three browser tabs open and a baby due in eight weeks.

Choosing health insurance when starting a family can be confusing and very costly. In @independent.ie I look at maternity waiting periods, fertility cover & what the public system already provides.
#HealthInsurance #Ireland #FamilyFinance

www.independent.ie/business/mon...

What's happening with the electric car market?

#BehindtheStory: @gerherbert.bsky.social joins @franmcnulty.bsky.social and @paulnews.bsky.social to discuss why electric car resale values appear to have stabilised - and why the biggest challenge for owners is shifting from price to infrastructure
open.spotify.com/episode/7tEo...

Coming soon- your cat or dog can take the bus, rail and Luas. The National Transport Authority wants your feedback. Preferably not chewed. 🐕🚋
consult.nationaltransport.ie/en/consultat...

How much do film extras earn in Ireland and how regular is the work? On a grey day in a remote forest, a bus pulls up and dozens of extras spill out in puffer jackets and trainers. Within an hour, they will be transformed into Norse peasants waiting for Vikings to ride...

Ireland’s film industry may be booming, but life as an extra is far from lucrative. In today’s @independent.ie I look at how much film and TV extras really earn in Ireland and how regular the work actually is.
#IrishFilmIndustry #FilmExtras

www.independent.ie/business/mon...

From 9 March 2026, all learners must show proof they’re insured to drive the car used for their driving test (own or instructor’s). Bring an insurance certificate or insurer letter.
No valid proof on the day = no test, and you’ll lose your test fee.
#DrivingTest #LearnerDrivers

The e-scooter boom: Fast, convenient and everywhere – but are they more trouble than they’re worth? In the pouring rain, Suzanne Maguire zips past the rush-hour traffic on two small wheels, and just six minutes after leaving her office in Dublin 3, she is in her front room, greeted by two ecstatic d...

In today's @independent.ie I look at e-scooters - why people rely on them, and why injuries and enforcement gaps are raising serious concerns. They’re fast, convenient, and everywhere. But they’re also exposing deeper failures in our transport system. #escooters
www.independent.ie/life/the-e-s...

Thanks again!