The Government is urging businesses to take concrete steps to avoid any disruption that might be caused by Brexit to the day-to-day running of their enterprises. Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys said whether a business is a construction company, local beauty salon, bakery or even an Irish base of a multinational medical device company, it is crucial that they check their supply chains for vulnerabilities to the impact of Brexit. | A new consumer monitor shows that 45% of all the properties sold last year with bought with cash or savings. The latest quarterly Consumer Market Monitor, from the Marketing Institute of Ireland and UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, shows that 55,000 homes were purchased in 2018, an increase of 8% on 2017. | A target of delivering more than 47,000 graduates with high level ICT skills by 2022 has been set by the Government to meet Ireland's need for graduates in computing, electronic and electrical engineering. Technology Skills 2022, Ireland's third ICT Skills Action Plan will be launched in Letterkenny this afternoon by Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys. | Thomas Cook has enlisted Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch to explore the possible sale of its airline business, a source familiar with the discussions said. The holiday company this month said it was willing to sell its profitable airline business to fund its fightback from losses racked up in 2018. | Norwegian Air's chief executive and its board chairman agreed to sell some of their subscription rights to a share issue at a discount, in a deal that will help the loss-making carrier raise cash. The sale of the subscription rights, which had been expected, will dilute the 24.66% stake held in Norwegian by chief executive Bjoern Kjos, chairman Bjoern Kise and their families, via their HBK Holding vehicle, although it was not clear by how much. | A new €1.8m fund has been established to support charitable and social enterprise organisations that improve the economic mobility of women. Organisations that provide training, education and other services to disadvantaged women, will benefit from the Women of Ireland Fund. The new fund is operated by the Social Innovation Fund Ireland, in partnership with Bank of America and the Department of Rural and Community Development.   |||