Irish Times Inside Business

This week it’s the business of sport with Ciaran Hancock and Mick O’Keefe of Teneo. Together, they speak with Mick Dawson, CEO of Leinster Rugby and Peter Twiss, Secretary of the Kerry County Board to gain an insight into how Covid-19 has impacted their respective organisations both on and off the pitch.

"Some people called it brave. A lot of people called it stupid too!" That's what coffee shop owner Ger O'Donohoe tells Ciaran on this week's podcast about his decision to open a second business in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ciaran also talks to entrepreneur Connor Keppel, who is launching a tech startup.

Why did they decide to talk the plunge in these uncertain times, and how is it going for them?

Dublin city centre faces a unique threat to its business ecosystem. Retail and hospitality are suffering, tourists are absent, office workers are absent, and new lockdown measures look increasingly likely. To add insult to injury, its wet pubs face yet another delay before being allowed to reopen. Ciaran talks to Mark Paul, business affairs correspondent with The Irish Times, and to Ronan Lynch, proprietor of The Swan pub on Aungier Street and chairman of the Licensed Vintner's Association, about the challenges facing Dublin.

Ireland is officially in recession. Recent figures from the CSO, show the economy contracted by 6.1% between April and June, the sharpest decline ever recorded. In today’s episode, Laura Slattery speaks to Irish Times business journalist Eoin Burke-Kennedy about the path the economy might take from here, how we compare to our European counterparts and what challenges lie ahead for Finance Minister Paschal O’Donohoe. Later on, Irish Times technology journalist Ciara O’Brien joins Laura to discuss Google’s recent decision to cancel a major office deal in the capital.

First up in today’s episode, Cliff Taylor is joined by Dee Ryan, Chief Executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce and Irish Times reporter Barry O’Halloran to discuss another bleak week in Irish aviation. With reports that Aer Lingus is to move two aircraft from Shannon to the UK, what will this mean for regional connectivity and the industry as a whole? Later on, we’ll hear from Sebastian Barnes, Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, who takes a look back at the economic impact of Covid-19 and what we should be expecting in the weeks and months to come.

One of the many ways that Covid-19 has impacted daily life, is the complete overhaul of the office working environment. Since March, many Irish people have adapted their professional lives to working from home, while others have returned to the office on a staggered basis . In today's episode, we examine what the future holds for the traditional office. Is remote working the way of the future and what will happen to the empty office blocks in our towns and cities? Joining Ciaran to discuss this and more is CEO and Co-founder of Teamwork, Peter Coppinger and Roland O'Connell from Savills, one of Ireland’s leading commercial real estate agents.

Over the past few months we've spoken to many businesspeople in different sectors about their struggles to adapt and survive in the Covid-19 economy. Today we revisit some of them a few months after we first heard from them, to see how things are going. They are: restauranteur JP McMahon, hotelier Des O'Dowd and travel agent Mary McKenna.

The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim was set up in 2014. In just under six years, the young business has proved a success at home and in international markets, with it’s famous Gunpowder Irish Gin rated amongst the top five premium gins in the US. The distillery is also due to expand with the construction of a €3 million visitor centre in the small town of Drumshanbo. In today’s episode, managing director and founder Pat Rigney speaks to Ciaran Hancock about how the industry is powering through the pandemic and the future of the new visitor centre.

Certain parts of the economy remain almost completely shuttered, either as a result of restrictions or changed consumer behaviour.

Can these stricken sectors survive?

Cliff Taylor talks to two entrepreneurs, in events and tourism, who say the government must do more or their small businesses will go to the wall.

And Eoin Burke Kennedy analyses the news that the reopening of "wet pubs" has been delayed again until August 31st - and probably beyond.

This week the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 heard from representatives of Ryanair, Aer Lingus, the DAA and Shannon Group on how Irish aviation has been affected by the pandemic. Irish Times journalist, Barry O’Halloran has the latest.

Also, Ann Chapman from Stonechat Jewellers speaks to Ciaran Hancock about expanding her premises in Dublin city centre in March, only to close down the shutters the very same week.