Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock

All over the country, restaurants are being forced to close their doors, unable to function in the current economic climate. Fears are growing that closures within the industry could reach one per day, levels last seen during the recession in 2012. With energy costs continuing to rise and Covid-era supports due to end early next year, the worst may be yet to come. In today’s episode, chef and restaurateur JP McMahon tells Ciaran Hancock about his decision to close his Galway-based restaurant Tartare in August this year. We also hear from Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, who believes the government could be doing a lot more to ease the pressure on the industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although sterling has rallied since the British government’s mini-budget announcement, the bond market remains disturbed.  All eyes are now turning to the ECB and how it will react to the turbulence. The effect on interest rates will play out in the coming weeks, but could they peak sooner than expected?  To discuss the impact of the mini-budget on the global economy, Ciaran Hancock is joined by Joe Gill of Goodbody Stockbrokers.  Irish Times Economics Correspondent, Cliff Taylor, also takes a look at what it means from an Irish perspective.  We also examine the latest bumper exchequer returns, and whether they may help offset what looks like an impending consumer-recession.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ciaran Hancock is joined by guests to analyse Budget 2023.On the panel:Cliff Taylor, Managing Editor, The Irish TimesSven Spollen-Behrens, Director, Small Firms AssociationKevin McLoughlin, Head of Tax and Law, EY IrelandJennifer Bray, Political Correspondent, The Irish TimesInside Business is produced in association with EY Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part one of today's podcast, Jack Horgan-Jones and Cliff Taylor discuss next week's budget when the government is expected to deliver a huge package of relief for households as well as the usual adjustments to taxes and new fiscal initiatives. In part two: Once again, the tourism sector will be hoping for an extension to the 9% VAT rate that was brought in to help businesses survive the pandemic. But there are indications the rate, which was extended by six months earlier this year, will not be extended again. Eoghan O'Mara Walsh is Chief Executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation and he tells Ciaran why the rate should stay and how the sector is faring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new employment survey by ManpowerGroup has shown that hiring intentions in Ireland’s tech sector have fallen dramatically.  Rising interest rates, previous high volume hiring campaigns and an early post pandemic recovery have knocked confidence in the sector.So is this just a temporary blip or a sign of something more serious? John Galvin, managing director of ManpowerGroup and Una Fitzpatrick, director of Technology Ireland join Cliff Taylor to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a result of Europe’s ongoing energy crisis, Irish businesses are experiencing rising costs across the board. In this episode, Cliff Taylor speaks to Tony Walker, general manager of the Slieve Russell hotel and golf resort in Co Cavan about how his hotel is dealing with runaway energy bills and increasing supplier costs. We also hear from Business Affairs Correspondent Mark Paul who explains what the Government might do to respond to the crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Businesses are worried they’ll be forced to frontload high energy payments to finance temporary electricity generation this winter. Large energy users will also be the first firms forced to cut their energy demand if the national grid comes under unsustainable pressure. Cliff Taylor speaks to Ibec’s chief economist, Ger Brady, about the implications for the sector and the economy as a whole, in the event of rolling blackouts. The Irish Times’ Barry O’Halloran reports on the diverging views of the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and operator Eirgrid, at yesterday’s Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action.   We also look at how the CRU proposes to deal with shortages over the coming winter. Plus, we examine the European Commission’s mooted redesign of the electricity wholesale market, after the EC President announced the commission is working on an “emergency intervention and structural reform.”  The Irish Times’ Fiona Reddan also looks at what domestic measures may be announced in the upcoming budget to ameliorate the situation facing households.   And we take a look at what tax and spending changes might be made in the areas of housing, social welfare, income tax and once-off payments.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors are worried about energy prices, with those worries reflected in a series of bad sessions for European stocks this week.To understand what's happening, Ciaran is joined by Aidan Donnelly, Associate Director at Davy Global Fund Management.And Eoin Burke-Kennedy on new analysis from the UK that suggests staggering inflation of over 18% could be possible there. Could it happen here?Plus, Laura Slattery on moves by big streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ to run advertising on its services, with more expensive payment tiers for those who want to keep an ad-free experience. Will it rub consumers up the wrong way? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eoin Burke Kennedy from the Irish Times and DCU Professor John Doyle join Ciaran Hancock to discuss the potential economic impact of Irish reunification.This episode was originally published in May 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Glenveagh Properties, one of the State’s largest homebuilders, faced criticism over a design plan they put forward to Minister Darragh O’Brien, in a bid to solve Ireland’s housing crisis. The plan suggested an overhaul of existing planning regulations which would replace apartments with more own door homes. A move which CEO Stephen Garvey describes as “a win-win for society across the board”. Here he speaks to Ciarán Hancock about the suggestions in the report, how it could keep building costs down and where he thinks house prices will go next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.