Ibec Podcasts

For this episode of Ibec Responds, we are joined by Ibec's own Fergal O'Brien, Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence, and Gerard Brady, Chief Economist.

They discuss the key findings from our 2023 Q4 Economic Outlook. With the economy now entering a period of slowdown and consolidation, Government decisions on labour costs are now a major concern for business.

You can read the full Economic Outlook report on our website here. 

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The UN’s 28th annual global climate talks (COP28) are firmly underway in Dubai and expectations are running high that a significant breakthrough could be delivered in the coming days. The national statements and ceremonial events with global leaders have largely concluded and the focus now sharply turns to the negotiations themselves. While there is optimism, the need to reach a complete consensus is extremely demanding, and this year’s event has already been troubled by controversy. 

In this episode of Ibec responds, Associate Professor at DCU’s School Law and Government and Ibec’s Conor Minogue, offer their reflections on the first few days, recent controversies, the big items up for discussion, the markers for success, and the future of COP. Topics covered include fossil fuel phase out, sustainable finance, loss and damage management, and Ireland’s priorities.

If interested in more information that can aid you in your climate action journey and practical guidance on how to develop an enduring climate action strategy, take a look at our 'Climate Action: A toolkit for business'  launched earlier this year in collaboration with Accenture. 

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was signed into law in April of this year and introduces various new entitlements for employees, one of which includes domestic violence leave, which will commence on 27 November.

In this podcast, Pauline O’Hare, Senior Employment Law Manager and Aoife McFadden, Senior Employment Law Solicitor, discuss the upcoming entitlement to domestic violence leave

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of KC Connect, Ibec experts Muireann McEnery and Ciar Murtagh discuss two recent Labour Court decisions dealing with claims of discrimination on the grounds of age by individuals who wished to remain in employment past their normal retirement age. In both of these cases, the Employers were successful and they provide interesting take-aways for employers.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this podcast, Fiona Higgins and Stephen Driver discuss the findings of this year’s HR update survey including key insights into pay and resourcing as well as trends relating to HR priorities and investments, learning and development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), Hybrid and flexible working, ESG and Wellbeing.

The findings of the survey guide policy making and establish best practice in the development of HR related initiatives for employers.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of Ibec Responds, Ibec economists, Ger Brady and Hazel Ahern-Flynn sit down to discuss their reaction to this year's budget which showed ambition in terms of investment and establishment of schemes for SME's and startups.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of Ibec Responds, Ibec Chief Economist, Ger Brady and Executive Director of Employer Relations, Maeve McElwee sit down to discuss upcoming budget and the far-reaching impact of increasing labour costs for businesses.

By 2026 Government plans to replace the national minimum wage with a new, higher living wage.  This will be set at 60% of the hourly medial wages.  Here, Maeve and Ger discuss the lack of urgency in mitigating the potential unintended consequences of what will be an enormous increase in operating costs for many businesses.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The autumn season is often a busy time of year from an employee relations and employment law perspective, and we expect 2023 to be no different. 

In this podcast, Linda Reid, Senior Employer Relations Executive and Briana Duffy, Employer Relations Executive, provide listeners with an update on any legislative developments we expect to see over the Autumn period along with other HR updates or watchpoints for employers to be aware of.

Learn more about upcoming Ibec webinars mentioned in this episode of KC Connect here.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The European single market represents a vital component of Ireland's economy. Over the past thirty years Ireland has been able to take advantage of the free flow of goods, services, capital, and people, which has led to significant growth in the country's trade and investment. 

The single market has provided Irish businesses with access to a market of over 500 million consumers, allowing them to expand their customer base and increase revenue. For this episode of Ibec Responds join Pat Ivory from Ibec’s EU & International Affairs team and Deirdre Clune, Member of the European Parliament, for an overview of this powerful economic force and learn what the next 30 years of the EU Single Market will look like.  

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Ireland has a long and tradition of storytelling, from captivating mythology to heartfelt recounting of daily life to tales that impart lessons or foster a sense of community or historical understanding. These fascinating stories pique interest, broaden horizons, and encourage us to learn about and experience the world outside our own. They told in poems and homes, through ballads or fairy and folk tales.  

 We explore how the tradition of storytelling can serve as a tool for understanding and empathy, allowing us to better accept cultural differences, comprehend life experiences, and exchange knowledge. 

The origin of this tradition is oral storytelling, which is dependent on active listening, a skill that must be maintained in order to preserve the tradition. Learning from this, we consider how the skills from this tradition can support diversity in our communities and workplaces. 

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here.  Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.