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Government “must upgrade infrastructure” for electric vehicles

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The Kerry chairman of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), David Randles, says the Government needs ‘to get up to speed’ if a new EU directive on electric cars is to work.

Earlier this week the EU voted to phase out the sale of any new international combustion engine cars by 2035.

That means in 12 years’ time it will be impossible to buy a new petrol or diesel engine car anywhere in the European Union.

Mr Randles, whose family have been involved in the Kerry motor industry for over one hundred years, has welcomed the news from a car sales and manufacturing point of view.

“Electric is the way forward,” he told the Killarney Advertiser.

“But it is up to the Government to provide the infrastructure and enough power. This can only work if everyone is up to speed.”

Meanwhile Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Cahill has renewed his call on the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Tourism to initiate a grant scheme, supporting the installation of Electric Vehicle chargers at hotels, guesthouses and other tourism sites.

“The prevalence of Electric Vehicles on our roads is increasing by the day as more people are encouraged to reduce their emissions to help the environment. Our network of EV chargers is small and long delays can occur when using them, even at present. When the expected rise in visitor numbers begins for the upcoming tourist season of 2023, we are not ready for a large increase in EV's requiring a daily charge,” said Cahill.

“If proprietors of all accommodation outlets were encouraged and financially supported to install EV chargers at their properties, this would be not alone attractive to potential guests, but would also be helpful in reaching our national target for emission reduction and at the same time would encourage more people to switch to Electric Vehicles.

“I am surprised that this initiative has not already been implemented as it is a quick fire way of increasing our EV charger network, which is woefully inadequate at present. I moved a Notice of Motion at a recent meeting of Kerry County Council in regard to this important matter and I was pleased to receive all party support to put pressure on the relevant departments to follow up on it.”

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Killarney to feature on TG4’s Country Music show

By Sean Moriarty A song about Killarney – once made famous by local Country Music hero Dermot Moriarty – will feature on TG4 tomorrow night (Tuesday). The second series of […]

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By Sean Moriarty

A song about Killarney – once made famous by local Country Music hero Dermot Moriarty – will feature on TG4 tomorrow night (Tuesday).

The second series of the Irish channel’s County Music show ‘Viva Ceol Tire’, which highlights emerging Country Music talent in Ireland, airs every Tuesday night at 9.30pm.

The next programme will feature Donegal singer David James’ version of ‘Oh Killarney’.

The programme was filmed entirely on location in Killarney including Torc Waterfall, Ladies View Moll’s Gap and Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

“The song was written by Dennis Allen. However, it was a hit for Dermot Moriarty in the 1980s. The first time I heard it I loved it and I was thrilled with the reaction my version has got,” James, who is from the small village of Killean in Donegal, told the Killarney Advertiser.

“It’s pretty rural but I love it. I’ll be in Country Music 10 years this May. My first gig was in the local GAA hall for my aunt’s 50th birthday. I was 14 and I’ve been at it ever since.”

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Five questions to ask yourself before buying a stock

By Michael O’Connor, theislandinvestor.com When it comes to investing, nothing is certain. There are no perfect stocks to buy because there’s no way of predicting the future with 100% accuracy. […]

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By Michael O’Connor, theislandinvestor.com

When it comes to investing, nothing is certain.

There are no perfect stocks to buy because there’s no way of predicting the future with 100% accuracy.

The truth is, investing is hard, and building a portfolio of top stocks that beat the market is something that even financial professionals have trouble doing consistently.

For most people, investing in index funds is the perfect hands-off approach, providing broad exposure to the stock market at a very low fee. Even my own personal portfolio is made up of roughly 70% ETFs despite the fact I invest in the market for a living.

But I believe some stock picking is a good strategy for many hands-on people.

Taking a small portion of your overall portfolio and diligently selecting a small number of companies to invest in gives you an opportunity to learn about the investing process and fully understand the businesses you are investing in, which helps to build conviction in your positions.

From a psychological standpoint “collector’s instinct” kicks in, enabling people to participate and invest more money over time.

Lastly, for Irish investors, there are tax benefits to consider. If you invest in individual stocks, you are taxed at the CGT rate of 33%, and the first €1,270 of your gains are exempt from CGT each year. When investing in index funds or ETFs, you are taxed at the exit tax rate of 41% with no annual exemption.

For those interested in picking individual stocks, here are five questions you should ask yourself before investing in any company.

Do I understand the business?

Too many people invest in businesses they don’t understand because it ‘sounds good’. If you have no idea how the company works, you won’t have the conviction needed to hold onto the stock when an inevitable downturn comes.

Can the balance sheet withstand severe, temporary adversity?

This seems obvious, but so many people invest in companies without understanding how much money a company holds and who they owe money to. Economic cycles are guaranteed. You must ensure that the company has enough cash-on-hand to avoid becoming obsolete when activity slows.

Will the company benefit from long-term trends?

Make sure the company will remain relevant into the future. If the stock is cheap now, it may be cheap for a reason.

Is the company enjoying profitable growth?

Not growth at all costs, but a combination of sustainable growth and value. All this information can be found online at sites like stratosphere.io.

What are the risk factors?

Is the company trying something new and untested? If yes, who are its competitors and how successful are they? If other players are more established, this company may have a tough time breaking into the market.

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