Irish Times Inside Business

On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock speaks to Mayo entrepreneur Ciaran Crean. Ciaran is co-founder of Micksgarage.com, a business founded in 2004 selling car parts online. There have been a few bumps on the road since its foundation, but Micksgarage is currently in growth mode and has spun out a couple of businesses. One of those is WaveOMS, which provides software to Irish retailers looking to fulfil their online orders. Plus, IFAC chairman Seamus Coffey discusses the Government’s €505 million package of supports in response to last week’s fuel protests around the country. Is this money well spent? Will it be enough if the Middle East conflict drags on? And is it now a case that those who shout loudest will be appeased by the Government?Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 10 years since Aimee Connolly founded the viral beauty brand Sculpted by Aimee, it’s become a multi-million euro enterprise with plans to increase its revenues this year by 25 per cent.Today, Ciaran asks about her early days as an entrepreneur, starting the business with €10,000 in savings, and her tips on leadership, scaling, and plans to enter the lucrative US market.Connolly tells Inside Business that her supply chain - with some products coming from South Korea - have been impacted by delays in freight getting through the Middle East.“I remain optimistic and hope that whatever happens [in the conflict] we’ll be able to pivot” she says.Following the ceasefire between the US and Iran which began on Tuesday, Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times explains the impact of falling oil prices, and the jump in European and Asian stock markets.Produced by Andrew McNair and JJ Vernon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a year on since Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs and host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Aidan Meagher, EY partner and co-head of the geopolitical strategy team; to hear about the impact this has had on Irish exporters and global trade.They also chat about the current market turmoil and an increasing level of cyber-attack on the operations of American companies in Ireland by Iranian interests.In the second half of this week’s Inside Business, Ciarán speaks to Declan Bolger, the chief executive of the Irish Life group, one of the biggest asset managers in the country.Declan gives his thoughts on the State’s new auto enrolment pension scheme, the rising costs of health insurance premiums, and the impact of AI on his sector.He also explains why Simon Harris’s plan to introduce a tax-friendly savings and investment scheme will be an “absolute failure” if only viewed for the wealthy.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati

This week the Government introduced a €250 million package of measures to help businesses and households with their fuel bills over the next couple of months.But will it be enough? And is it merely a bet by Government on the Iran conflict being resolved quickly?Joining host Ciarán Hancock in studio to tease this out are Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times and Fergal O’Brien, director of lobbying and influence at employers group Ibec.But the episode starts with Irish times political correspondent Cormac McQuinn taking us through the various fuel measures introduced by Government. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on this week’s Inside Business is Ireland’s housing crisis and where it is felt most – Dublin city. Mark Fitzgerald is chairman of the Fine Gael Commission for renewal and a non-executive director of Sherry FitzGerald Group. He joined host Cliff Taylor in studio to discuss a recent piece he wrote for the Irish Times where he highlights restrictive geography and the lack of imagination around land use and zoning as some of the key contributors to the challenging housing situation in the capital. But what decisions led to the current scarcity of supply and what choices could be made to meet demand for future generations in the capital?Also on this episode, the latest report from the Economic and Social Research Institute suggests Ireland is trending to fall far below the 2030 targets as set out in the Climate Action Plan.Focusing on decarbonising Irish households, the report highlights the slow uptake in retrofitting and the installation of heat pumps. The report also points out some of the barriers pr

First up on this week’s Inside Business is St Patrick’s Day. It’s just six days away but the festival itself is a four-day affair this year and will begin on Saturday. The man in charge of this major annual undertaking is Richard Tierney, chief executive of the St Patrick’s Day festival. He joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to discuss year-long preparations that went into the 2026 festival, what it means for the economy and the part it plays in kicking off Ireland’s tourism season. Earlier this week, The Irish Times began an 8-week series on how to invest. Fiona Reddan is the author of the series, and she joined Ciarán in studio to discuss the thesis behind the series and the various that she will cover.She began with a piece on how Irish people are leaving up to €172 billion on deposit with the banks, earning little or no interest.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the US-Israel attacks on Iran intensify and the conflict spreads in the Middle East, the impact on the world economy is already being felt. Ireland is already seeing motor fuel prices creep upwards, and the cost of home-heating oil soar in recent days. Do those price increases reflect reality or are Irish consumers getting taken advantage of? Will prices continue to rise? And how soon before Donald Trump can claim victory and find a resolution? Host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times, professor in energy economics at UCD, Lisa Ryan, and Head of Global Equities at Davy, Aidan Donnelly.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on this week’s Inside Business are US tariffs. Last Friday, the Supreme Court there ruled that Donald Trump’s tariffs from last year via emergency legislation were illegal. Trump responded by introducing a 10 per cent global tariff under separate legislation. So, what does this mean for Irish exporters? And what does it mean for the trade deal agreed last year with the European Union?Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times has been writing about the tariffs decision while Pat Rigney of the Shed Distillery exports gin and whiskey to the American market, which is a huge part of his business. They explain the Supreme Court’s decision and outline what the position is right now for Irish exporters in terms of how much they will have to pay in tariffs. Also on this episode, we look at the Central Statistics Office figures published last week that showed the number of employees working remotely declined for three successive quarters to the end of 2025. Although just shy of 1 million workers are still working from h

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris announced a plan this week to introduce a new savings scheme to unlock the €170 billion that people here are keeping in mostly low-yield bank deposit accounts.His plan is to devise a scheme that generates good returns for savers in a way that puts the money on deposit to better use in the economy.Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times covered the story this week, he joins host Ciarán Hancock in studio to assess how such a scheme might work and what might be on the table come budget time.In the second half of this episode, we discuss how visitor numbers to Ireland were down last year, the weather in 2026 has been lousy so far and the country has been getting a reputation as a high-cost location for a holiday.On the flip side of the coin, the Government has decided to scrap the passenger cap at Dublin Airport and has eased rules that would have banned short term holiday lets in rural locations.Eoghan O’Mara Walsh is chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederat

First up on this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at new research this week from Revolut suggests that social media companies made €32 million in revenue from scam ads to Irish users in 2025. The figure for Europe as a whole was a whopping €4.4 billion.Host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Irish Times reporter Hugh Dooley to takes us through the headline findings from the Revolut research, while Irish Times columnist and economist David McWilliams discusses how his image was used by scammers last year to con people out of money.Also, research this week from the ESRI suggests the property industry is using ghost bids and other tactics to create a frenzy and nudge buyers into increasing their bids for properties here.It found participants’ bids were pushed higher in open auctions managed by estate agents or online platforms than in sealed bid auctions.Owen Reilly is a leading estate agent in Dublin, and he discusses how the research chimed with his own experience in the industry.Produced by John Casey with

On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we hear the argument for scrapping mandatory retirement here.Host Cliff Taylor is joined on the line by Irish Times contributor John Fitzgerald who thinks Ireland should follow the lead of Scandinavia, the Baltics and the Netherlands, where three-quarters of the population aged 60-64 are in the labour force. He makes the case that such a move could not only reduce the numbers on the State pension, ease the cost of ageing to the exchequer, but also help alleviate the housing crisis.Also on this episode, we look at the German economy, which is frequently referred to as the Engine of Europe, but has begun to sputter quite a bit in recent times.A lack of much-needed reform, low levels of foreign investment and ineffective fiscal stimulus measures are just some of the reasons the German Chancellor Freidrich Merz is under increasing pressure to revive the economy, and quickly.But what needs to be done before that revival can start? And is there any cause for positivity in

This week on Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Cliff Taylor to talk about the recent surge in the price of gold, which went past $5,000 an ounce on Monday, setting a new high. In January alone, the price has climbed by 17 per cent.So, who’s buying it? Why is it viewed as a safe investment? And what role has US president Donald Trump played in this price spike?Cliff has been following the story and explains the reasons behind the price surge. The EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme has been running since 1998, with Denis O’Brien chosen as the first winner. Each year 24 finalists are chosen for a months-long programme of events, culminating in awards night and the announcement of the category and overall winners. Last year, Edward McCloskey of WaterWipes fame took home the overall prize. Roger Wallace is the EY partner in charge of the programme while 2025 finalist James Kelly is a managing director with LMH Engineering in Arklow, Co Wicklow. They joined Ciarán in studio for a chat o

As the annual World Economic Forum enters its third day, host Ciarán Hancock is joined from Davos in the Swiss Alps by Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy.US President Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland, and the strain it is putting on EU-US relations, has dominated this year’s event so far. Trump is due to arrive in Davos on Wednesday afternoon.On Tuesday, French president Emmanuel Macron openly accused the US of trying to “subordinate” Europe and referred to the consequences that could arise from this “new colonial approach”.Also on Tuesday, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney was damning in his assessment of Donald Trump’s impact on global politics and a “fading” rules-based order. He also warned countries against a policy of appeasement when it comes to major powers like the US.Speaking in Davos, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke echoed the concerns of many there, he told those in attendance that US strategy on Greenland, and the threat of tariffs to countr

On this week’s episode, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by the Irish Times economics experts Cliff Taylor and Eoin Burke-Kennedy.Tensions are rising between US President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve. Trump has made it very clear that he is no fan of Fed chief Jerome Powell who is due to step down from his post in May, and that he wants the Fed to be more aggressive with interest rate cuts to stimulate the economy.Those tensions ratcheted up considerably when the US Department of Justice opened an investigation into Powell, and his handling of a $2.5 billion renovation of the central bank’s headquarters.Powell has publicly pushed back and warned the independence of the Fed is at stake, and senior central bank figures from around the world have also expressed their support for Powell. Cliff and Eoin also look at Ireland’s decision to vote against the Mercosur trade deal at EU level, it is still going to go through of course, but voting against it has led to charges of hypocrisy given all the tal

2025 proved to be a record year for tax receipt figures, with the total hitting €106bn.This was despite extensive warnings about the State’s precarious position due to Donald Trump’s series of tariffs, and the number of big multinationals that use Ireland as an export base.It was another bumper year for corporation tax receipts as they exceeded expectations, but perhaps the non-corporation tax take offers the clearest insight into how Ireland’s economic growth will progress as we start 2026.For analysis of the numbers, host Cliff Taylor is joined in studio by chief economist at Davy, Kevin Timoney.Also on this week’s Inside Business, we look at how new EV sales increased last year to overtake diesel, a massive turnaround from 2023 and 2024, which saw EV sales plummet.Will this trend continue? Can charging infrastructure start to meet demand? And what’s being done to increase road safety? Irish Times Motoring Editor Michael McAleer gives his take on the trends hitting Irish roads in 2026.Produced by John

For this week’s episode, host Ciarán Hancock Is joined by an expert panel to look forward to 2026. After another record-breaking year for corporate tax receipts, is there now a real threat of concentration risk in the Irish economy?A huge amount of money has been raised and spent on AI, but where is it at in terms of its development? When will investors start looking for a tangible return?And will Donald Trump turn his attention back to economic matters after moves to end the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine? Could more tariffs be on the way in 2026?The panel comprises CEO of the Sherry Fitzgerald Group, Marian Finnegan, tech entrepreneur and columnist at the Irish Times, Chris Horn, and Irish Times Economics Correspondent, Eoin Burke-Kennedy.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the major stories of 2025.A busy year in markets was dominated by US president Donald Trump’s threats to impose huge tariffs on the United States’ trading partners, including Ireland.Ireland’s housing crisis showed no sign of improvement with completions trending well below Government targets.And another record-breaking year for corporate tax receipts, coupled with Ireland's gross domestic product (GDP) growing exceptionally by over 10%, meant that the economy is in rude health as we head into 2026.The panel comprises Aidan Donnelly, Head of Global Equities at Davy, Susan Hayes Culleton, Managing Director, HayesCulleton Group, and Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Chairman of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) Seamus Coffey to discuss his concerns on how the Government is spending our corporation tax windfall.Ifac were this week in front of the Oireachtas Budgetary Committee giving its view on how that windfall is being spent. The corporation tax receipts for November topped €10 billion, the highest figure ever generated in a single month, with the overall figure for the year expected to hit a record €32 billion.Ifac argues that the Government is not saving enough of this bounty for a rainy day. Just 15 per cent of the projected €34 billion of corporation tax receipts for next year will effectively be squirreled away. That is just half the level of this year and was described as “risky” by Ifac.This week Fiona Reddan was writing about 50-year mortgages and posed the question as to whether they might be a solution to help first-time buyers here get on the property ladder.Donald Trump

The latest report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland shows that only the top 20 per cent of earners can afford to rent an average apartment built in Ireland in 2025, while just the top 40 per cent of earners can afford to buy one.Paul Mitchell, a chartered quantity surveyor and one of the authors of the Real Costs of New Apartment Delivery report, joins host Ciarán Hancock and Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times to drill down into the main findings of the report.And despite the numerous Government interventions, the cost of building apartments has soared in recent years, but Paul Mitchell is adamant that this report is actually a good news story.Produced by John with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at the sluggish delivery of large and necessary infrastructure projects that has been a feature of several successive Governments.A population surge means building more and better infrastructure for transport, water and housing has become increasingly urgent.The Government unveiled a new plan this week. The Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce contains 30 actions and deadlines by which projects have to be completed.This comes at a time when there are legal delays to the Greater Dublin Drainage project, and potentially to the capital’s MetroLink too.To get some insight into whether a plan like this can address the key issues holding back delivery, host Cliff Taylor was joined on the line by taskforce member and Chairperson of IDA Ireland, Feargal O’Rourke.Also in this episode, Irish Times Deputy Business Editor Dominic Coyle on the new pension auto-enrolment scheme 'My Future Fund' which begins on 1 January. How many employees will be opted in? Are companies