Upturn for hardware stores

The latest Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) scheme figures continue to boost trade for urban hardware retailers and merchants;with figures from the first two months of 2015 topping over €50 million, bringing the total value of works since the scheme commenced to €348 million.

Hardware Association Ireland chief executive, Annemarie Harte said, ‘These figures, combined with a very successful hardware show in February, show continued signs of confidence in an industry brought to its knees since the collapse of the construction industry’, she continued

‘This sector is bucking the trend and we urgently need to see the scheme take hold in rural areas so we’ll be calling on the Minister to extend the scheme in the Budget beyond December 31, 2015, its scheduled termination date.”
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The overwhelming majority of the works are based in Dublin and its environs, recording over 66% of the total value of the works. Cork, Galway and Limerick follow some way behind with a total of 16% combined of the works value.