Irish Times Inside Business

By The Irish Times

What's Irish Times Inside Business about?

A weekly look at business and economics from an Irish perspective hosted by Irish Times Business Editor Ciarán Hancock. Produced in association with EY. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Irish Times Inside Business episodes:

04.24.2024
Aviva re-entering the Irish health insurance market: ‘this can only be good news for all consumers’
On this week’s Inside Business with Ciarán Hancock we look at Aviva’s plan to re-enter the Irish health insurance market and what that might mean for consumers. Will this deliver lower prices for hard pressed Irish consumers? Will it...
04.17.2024
A third terminal at Dublin Airport - urgent necessity or pie in the sky?
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by aviation entrepreneur Ulick McEvaddy. With his brother Des, Ulick has established a successful aviation business over the past 40 years called Omega. He and...
04.10.2024
The auto-enrolment pension scheme seems good on paper, but how will it actually work?
On this week’s episode of the Inside Business podcast, we look at the pension pots that auto enrolment could deliver for workers on an average wage. The State is planning to establish the scheme for workers who do not...
04.03.2024
Declining electric car sales: ‘depreciation is wild at the moment’
Figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry this week showed that electric car sales are in reverse, falling by 14 per cent year on year in March. This compared with double digit increases in the sales of petrol...
03.27.2024
In Profile: Barry Napier, Irish Times Business Person of the Year 2023
In this episode of Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Chief executive and founder of Cubic Telecom, Barry Napier. In a wide-ranging interview, Barry discusses his formative years in Ireland and Chicago, his early career before...
03.20.2024
What is behind Bitcoin's remarkable recovery?
It feels like recent history repeating itself with TikTok again facing a ban in the US on national security grounds. A Bill passed through the House of Representatives last week requiring a change in ownership for the social media platform...
03.13.2024
Should banks be on the hook for access to cash into the future here?
With the use of cash declining in recent years, a trend accelerated by the pandemic, the Access to Cash Bill is designed to manage future cash demand here, initially preserving the cash infrastructure at December 2022 levels. To discuss the Access...
03.06.2024
Is Ireland in recession?
With unemployment low, strong exchequer returns and an economy at full capacity, there isn’t much to suggest that Ireland has tipped into a recession. But the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show the economy contracting by 3.2 per cent in...
02.28.2024
Why did Bank of Ireland shares plummet despite record profits?
Bank of Ireland were in the strange position on Monday of reporting pre-tax profits of €1.94bn for 2023, up from €1bn in 2022, but seeing their share price plunge by over 10pc. There was also the announcement of a €1.15bn...
02.21.2024
Germany in recession: What does it mean for Ireland and the EU?
It was not good news for Europe’s largest economy on Monday when the Bundesbank announced during its regular monthly report that Germany was officially in recession. A range of factors, including weak external demand and cautious consumers, have contributed to...
02.14.2024
Electric vehicle prices are tumbling, but is it all good news for the customer?
The high price of electric cars has long been seen as a barrier for those looking to switch from the traditional combustion-engine car to an EV, but that is now changing with many car makers slashing their prices. But what...
02.07.2024
Vision Capital vs IRES REIT: trouble brewing at Ireland’s largest private landlord
Next week the battle between listed property landlord IRES REIT and its 5% dissident shareholder Vision Capital will come to a head at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in Dublin. IRES is the biggest private landlord in the state...
01.31.2024
‘It’s a fool who turns down money’
With ATMs now an endangered species, the Access to Cash Bill, recently announced by Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, would oblige banks to maintain access to cash dispensers at December 2022 levels. But should cash play an important role in our...
01.24.2024
‘To blame the lowest paid for challenges in our economy is cheap’
Employers group Ibec’s chef executive Danny McCoy sent an open letter to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Monday calling for a pause on labour policy measures to avoid ‘uncoordinated and cumulative’ costs to businesses. Those measures include upping the national minimum...
01.17.2024
Is the restriction on passenger numbers at Dublin Airport doing untold damage to our economy?
New research commissioned by Aer Lingus points to the current restrictions on passenger capacity at Dublin Airport potentially costing the Irish economy €1.4 billion for every 1 million passengers not allowed to arrive into the airport. Chief Corporate Affairs Officer...
01.11.2024
Is it time to start building homes on Dublin’s main parks?
Housing is undoubtedly the biggest domestic issue on the political agenda right now, with a focus recently on the long commutes being faced by workers in certain key roles in Dublin. So, it is perhaps timely that a new report...
01.03.2024
Housing in 2024: ‘several more years before we see the quantity of houses we need’
What awaits those looking to buy or sell property this year? Will the beginnings of an uplift in supply last year gain momentum in 2024? And will price inflation in rural areas continue to outstrip Dublin? Managing Director of Residential...
12.27.2023
What’s in store for 2024?
An Post CEO David McRedmond joins Ciarán Hancock to discuss a stellar year for the company with a move to a new HQ, a €30 million government loan repaid and some six million packages delivered this December. He also gives...
12.20.2023
2023: The year in business
With the dust settling on 2023, Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined by an esteemed panel to pore over the big stories from the world of media and tech and the economy. Cliff Taylor explains the notable slowdown in domestic...
12.13.2023
Are cheaper energy prices finally on the way for Irish consumers?
Energy provider SSE Airtricity is set to cut its prices for the second time in recent months. Conor Pope joins Ciarán Hancock to discuss whether this move from one of Ireland’s four main energy companies will spark a price war...
12.07.2023
IKEA's Irish store is its best performer globally
IKEA is one of the biggest retailers in the world and according to its latest sales results, IKEA’s store in Ballymun had over three million customers walk through its doors in the last 12 months, making it the Swedish retailer’s...
11.29.2023
Christmas time is ‘make or break’ for booksellers
They are the ideal stock-filler - inexpensive, entertaining with a huge amount of choice, so it’s no surprise that Dubray Books shift a serious number of titles over the festive period. Ciarán Hancock is joined by Managing Director of Dubray Books,...
11.22.2023
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme * (*But Were Afraid to Ask)
The Government’s landmark auto-enrolment scheme for pensions has moved closer to being a reality with the Department of Social Protection now saying that the process of finding a company to build and run the system will begin in earnest. But after...
11.14.2023
Will a new direction for RTÉ ensure the broadcaster’s long-term future?
On this week's episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Irish Times journalist Laura Slattery to discuss the latest twist in the RTÉ saga. A new strategic report, entitled ‘A New Direction for RTÉ’, has been delivered to...
11.08.2023
How to balance the demands of a career and competitive sport
With seven wins from the last ten championships, the Dublin football team are expected to be in the mix for the All-Ireland every year. Playing for Dublin means carrying that expectation, but it also means juggling a professional career and...
11.01.2023
Is the euro zone drifting into recession?
With inflation dropping to its lowest levels in two years across the euro zone, 10 straight interest rate hikes from the European Central Bank seem to be having the desired effect. But attention now turns to stagnating growth across the bloc,...
10.25.2023
Could a Supreme Court decision have huge implications for workers in the gig economy?
In a decision that has important implications for workers in the gig economy here, a Supreme Court ruling last week found that delivery drivers for a pizza restaurant should be treated as employees and not contractors. Ciarán Hancock is joined by...
10.18.2023
Will co-hosting Euro 2028 be of any real benefit to Irish football?
With Ireland confirmed as co-hosts for Euro 2028 along with the UK, could the tournament be a catalyst for positive change when it comes to the standards of training and facilities within the domestic game here? And while tournament football...
10.10.2023
Budget 2024: What it means for households and businesses
Ciaran Hancock is joined by guests to pore over the main elements of Budget 2024. The €14 billion package includes notable measures such as the threshold for higher income tax rate rising to €42,000, a €12 weekly increase to welfare...
10.04.2023
The cost of climate change: ‘almost like driving another budget through public finances’
A new report from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council points to the cost of climate change to the Government rising to billions by the end of this decade. On this week’s Inside Business, host Cliff Taylor is joined by IFAC’s...
09.27.2023
Are the EU and China edging towards a trade war?
The EU’s trade commissioner is unhappy with the vague nature of two new Chinese security laws, laws which he feels are putting European investment there at risk. Speaking to host Ciarán Hancock, Irish Times China correspondent Denis Staunton told Inside...
09.20.2023
‘These housing demand forecasts are not worth the paper they’re written on’
Joining Ciaran Hancock this week is Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy who has the latest figures from the CSO, which point to rising house prices outside Dublin, but house prices in the capital continuing to fall. Has supply finally...
09.13.2023
Will Apple’s new iPhone 15 have consumers rushing to upgrade?
After attending the glitzy launch of Apple’s new iPhone 15 range in California, Irish Times business and technology journalist Ciara O’Brien joins host Ciaran Hancock to pore over the incremental changes in the company’s new handsets. They are lighter, stronger...
09.06.2023
Budget 2024: 'You might have a bit of a bonanza in terms of one-off spending'
Budget 2024 is only a matter of weeks away, with the government flagging a package of measures amounting to €6.4 billion. So, what can we expect from this budget, and will we see any surprises with a general election on...
08.30.2023
‘We are in unchartered waters on health insurance pricing’
Selecting the correct health insurance policy can seem like a minefield at the best of times, but with premiums going up across the board this year, it feels especially difficult. Speaking to Cliff Taylor on this week’s Inside Business, Dermot...
08.23.2023
‘There’s no farming without profit, it’ll be gone in the morning if there isn’t money’
Farming In Ireland can often feel like a gamble, with external factors like Brexit, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine often impacting a producer’s bottom line. Speaking to Ciaran Hancock on this week’s Inside Business, Rob Coleman, a tillage...
08.16.2023
Will ending the 9% VAT rate spell disaster for the hospitality sector?
With the temporary 9% VAT rate for hospitality set to return to 13.5% at the end of August, what impact could that have on a sector still finding its feet post-pandemic? Ciaran Hancock gets some insights on the multitude of challenges...
08.09.2023
Challenging times ahead for Irish Stock Exchange as big companies look to the US
With cement giant CRH shifting its primary listing to the New York stock exchange and noises that gambling group Flutter could soon follow suit, the Irish stock exchange is facing significant challenges. Will there be moves to make the domestic stock exchange easier...
08.02.2023
Accenture job cuts: Staff ‘distraught and devastated’ after announcement
This week Accenture announced they are to cut a further 890 staff from their Irish workforce. The news comes just months after their last round of redundancies, which saw 400 staff let go from the company in March. To discuss...
07.26.2023
What are the big challenges facing the aviation sector post-pandemic?
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, Willie Walsh, and Founder and managing director of Tour America and Cruise Holidays, Mary McKenna, join Ciarán Hancock to discuss where the aviation sector finds...
07.19.2023
The latte levy: ‘Consumers want to do the right thing’
Will Government’s plan for a 20c tax on disposable coffee cups have the desired effect or could it end up hurting businesses? On this week’s episode of Inside Business, co-owner of Olive’s Room restaurant and co-founder of Vytal...
07.05.2023
The Irish economy has grown rapidly in recent years, how long can it continue?
On this week’s episode of Inside Business with Ciarán Hancock, Chief Economist at Davy, Conall MacCoille, explains why labour shortages and capacity pressures are putting the brakes on growth in some sectors here. And Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin...
06.28.2023
What are the key challenges when attracting new investment here?
On this week’s episode of Inside Business with Ciarán Hancock, IDA chief executive Michael Lohan tells us how housing, energy supply and a ready pipeline of new talent are need to keep Foreign Direct Investment flowing into the country. ...
06.21.2023
Is mortgage interest relief a really bad idea?
With the European Central Bank raising rates to a 22-year high, should Sinn Féin’s proposal for an introduction of mortgage interest relief be entertained by Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien? Brendan Burgess, founder of the consumer forum, askaboutmoney.com, thinks it is a...
06.14.2023
‘You can’t decarbonize without digitization, you can’t increase digitization without data centres’
With the latest CSO figures pointing to data centres in the Republic using as much electricity as urban households last year despite an effective moratorium on new connections to the grid in the Greater Dublin Area, does the proliferation of...
06.07.2023
Accountability for bankers and how it will work
Fifteen years on from the 2008 financial crash, a new accountability regime is due to come into force in Ireland for senior executives in the financial services industry here. In March, the Central Bank launched a three-month consultation period...
05.31.2023
'They are like heroin addicts, spending more and more money': The US debt ceiling explained
In the United States, the legislative limit on the amount of national debt that can be incurred by the US Treasury has reached its absolute limit. As it stands, the US government is limited by law to borrowing no more...
05.24.2023
Crisp entrepreneur Tom Keogh on tasting success in a crowded market
Tom Keogh delves into the 200-year history of his family's farm business in north county Dublin, the pivots those before him were forced to make, and how ingenious branding and marketing helped Keogh's stand out in a crowded market. We also...
05.17.2023
Norman Crowley on the business of decarbonisation
Cork entrepreneur Norman Crowley has signed a deal with a leading global mining company to retrofit some 8,500 diesel mining trucks into electric vehicles over the next three years, with much of this work to take place at sites in...
05.10.2023
IT Business Person of the Year Barry Connolly on 'fulfilling' his business goals
Barry Connolly scooped the award for Business Person of the Year in February at the fifth annual Irish Times Business Awards. He joined Ciaran at the time for a wide-ranging chat about his successful career to date. Barry is co-founder of...

What's Irish Times Inside Business about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Irish Times Inside Business episodes:

Aviva re-entering the Irish health insurance market: ‘this can only be good news for all consumers’

A third terminal at Dublin Airport - urgent necessity or pie in the sky?

The auto-enrolment pension scheme seems good on paper, but how will it actually work?

Declining electric car sales: ‘depreciation is wild at the moment’

In Profile: Barry Napier, Irish Times Business Person of the Year 2023

What is behind Bitcoin's remarkable recovery?

Should banks be on the hook for access to cash into the future here?

Is Ireland in recession?

Why did Bank of Ireland shares plummet despite record profits?

Germany in recession: What does it mean for Ireland and the EU?

Electric vehicle prices are tumbling, but is it all good news for the customer?

Vision Capital vs IRES REIT: trouble brewing at Ireland’s largest private landlord

‘It’s a fool who turns down money’

‘To blame the lowest paid for challenges in our economy is cheap’

Is the restriction on passenger numbers at Dublin Airport doing untold damage to our economy?

Is it time to start building homes on Dublin’s main parks?

Housing in 2024: ‘several more years before we see the quantity of houses we need’

What’s in store for 2024?

2023: The year in business

Are cheaper energy prices finally on the way for Irish consumers?

IKEA's Irish store is its best performer globally

Christmas time is ‘make or break’ for booksellers

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Auto-Enrolment Pension Scheme * (*But Were Afraid to Ask)

Will a new direction for RTÉ ensure the broadcaster’s long-term future?

How to balance the demands of a career and competitive sport

Is the euro zone drifting into recession?

Could a Supreme Court decision have huge implications for workers in the gig economy?

Will co-hosting Euro 2028 be of any real benefit to Irish football?

Budget 2024: What it means for households and businesses

The cost of climate change: ‘almost like driving another budget through public finances’

Are the EU and China edging towards a trade war?

‘These housing demand forecasts are not worth the paper they’re written on’

Will Apple’s new iPhone 15 have consumers rushing to upgrade?

Budget 2024: 'You might have a bit of a bonanza in terms of one-off spending'

‘We are in unchartered waters on health insurance pricing’

‘There’s no farming without profit, it’ll be gone in the morning if there isn’t money’

Will ending the 9% VAT rate spell disaster for the hospitality sector?

Challenging times ahead for Irish Stock Exchange as big companies look to the US

Accenture job cuts: Staff ‘distraught and devastated’ after announcement

What are the big challenges facing the aviation sector post-pandemic?

The latte levy: ‘Consumers want to do the right thing’

The Irish economy has grown rapidly in recent years, how long can it continue?

What are the key challenges when attracting new investment here?

Is mortgage interest relief a really bad idea?

‘You can’t decarbonize without digitization, you can’t increase digitization without data centres’

Accountability for bankers and how it will work

'They are like heroin addicts, spending more and more money': The US debt ceiling explained

Crisp entrepreneur Tom Keogh on tasting success in a crowded market

Norman Crowley on the business of decarbonisation

IT Business Person of the Year Barry Connolly on 'fulfilling' his business goals