Ibec Podcasts

In this episode of Courageous Leaders, Ibec Head of Skills and Social Policy Dr. Kara McGann is joined by Oisín O'Reilly, CEO of Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre and Chair of the Irish Refugee Council (IRC). Together they explore why protecting Ireland’s reputation as an open, welcoming nation is not just a social imperative, but a structural necessity for our economic success. Oisín also shares his th...

In this episode of Ibec Responds, Executive Director of Ibec Global, Jackie King speaks with Christopher Skeete, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, Québec, Canada. In an era increasingly defined by global fragmentation, protectionism, and intense strategic competition, countries face a common challenge: how to maintain international influence while building resilience at home...

In this episode of Courageous Leaders, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy is joined by Frances Fitzgerald - former Tánaiste, Minister for Justice, and current member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council. Danny and Frances together discuss the strategic importance of protecting "Brand Ireland" as a beacon of inclusion in the face of rising divisive narratives and misinformation. Frances shares he...

We are pleased to share a special episode of Ibec Responds. Recorded in our Brussels office, Fergal O’Brien is joined by Pat Ivory and Neil Willoughby to discuss the geopolitical backdrop and key legislative developments leading up to Ireland’s EU Presidency. This episode breaks down the general outlook for the six-month term, offering critical insights into US trade, EU industrial policy, and the...

In this special edition of our Ibec Responds podcast series, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy is joined by Ibec President Colin Hunt to reflect on their recent high-level global engagements. Recorded in our Brussels office, the discussion covers Ibec’s engagement in the UK-Ireland Summit and the Tripartite Social Summit, including meetings with the UK and Canadian Prime Ministers, the Presidents of the three...

In this episode, Harry Wall and Catriona McKeating, Associate Legal Directors in our Employment Law Service Team, will discuss case law in the area of equal pay, a core principle of the Pay Transparency Directive.  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, Maeve McElwee, Employer Relations Executive Director, and Aoife McFadden, Legal Director in our Employment Law Services Team, discuss the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 – new legislation which restricts the use of contractual retirement ages below State pension age. Maeve and Aoife discuss the changes and how employers should integrate them into their own retire...

Five generations. One workplace. Endless possibilities—or potential friction. How do you lead in an era where your team spans from seasoned experts to digital natives? In this episode, we’ll explore why understanding generational diversity isn’t just a HR trend—it’s a business imperative. Vicky O’Neill speaks with Rebecca Robins, Author of Five Generations at Work: How We Win Together, For Good, a...

In the latest episode of our Courageous Leaders podcast series, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy is joined by Kevin Bakhurst, Director General of RTÉ, to discuss the link between a responsible media, a thriving economy, and a cohesive society.    As part of Ibec’s "Open for Business" campaign, this conversation explores how our global reputation for openness and inclusion, is a fundamental driver of...

In this episode, Fiona Higgins speaks with Dr. Dale Whelehan Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin and former CEO of 4 Day Week Global about why time is emerging as the most critical resource in modern work. Dale explains concepts like temporal intelligence, temporal stewardship and temporal sovereignty and shares practical ways leaders can design time more intentionally to get a better re...

Why are human rights and equality economic assets for Ireland?  In this episode of our Courageous Leaders podcast series, Ibec Head of Skills and Social Policy Dr. Kara McGann is joined by Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC).  With a background leading the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and advising President Michael D. Higgins, Liam brings...

What can the corporate world learn from a radical feminist and activist? In the second episode of the Courageous Leaders podcast, Ibec Head of Skills and Social Policy Dr. Kara McGann is joined by Ailbhe Smyth, one of Ireland’s most influential social changemakers. As a key figure behind the Marriage Equality and Repeal the 8th campaigns, Ailbhe has endless experience in building broad coalitions...

In this episode, Bernie McMeel, OSH Executive, and Neil O’Brien, Senior Employer Relations and Communications Executive, discuss the data protection responsibilities that arise when dealing with occupational safety and health issues.   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 our Preparing for Pay Transparency series, Pauline O’Hare, Senior Legal Director, and Kara McGann, Head of Skills and Social Policy, discuss the changes the transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive will have on gender pay gap reporting and how employers can best prepare for this. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here .  Make s...

Courageous Leaders is a brand new Ibec podcast series, as part of our 'Open for Business' campaign, where we hear from leaders across business and wider society on the importance of Ireland’s commitment to openness, inclusion and respect, in underpinning our economic success and social progress.   In the first episode of the Courageous Leaders podcast, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy sits down with...

In this episode of KC Connect, Neil O’Brien, Senior Employer Relations and Communications Executive, and Aoife McFadden, Legal Director, discuss new regulations which set minimum contribution rates which must be met for an employee to be exempted from pension auto-enrolment and how employers should approach this.  Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here...

Despite some signs of softening, the Irish economy has proven resilient in the face of the uncertainty of the past year. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Ibec’s Chief Economist Gerard Brady, and Economist Mourad Mejdi, discuss the major economic events of 2025 including the areas of international trade and the labour market… and look forward to 2026, analysing how developments in geopolitics and...

Accessibility and inclusive leadership practises are reshaping how organisations attract, develop, and retain talent. With one in five working-age individuals living with a disability, and many others experiencing differences that may not always be visible, proactive and strategic approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential for removing barriers and creating equitable opportunitie...

At the mid-point of the EU’s ‘Digital Decade’, the Irish Presidency provides a crucial opportunity to engage with business to deliver shared digitalisation ambitions.   In this episode of Ibec Responds, Erik O’Donovon, Head of Digital Economy Policy, is joined by Áine Clarke, Digital and AI Affairs Executive.    Together, they examine Ibec's latest paper “Digital and AI: Simplification, Innov...

Security and defence are central to Europe’s capacity to prosper. The geopolitical shocks of recent years have confirmed that competitiveness cannot be separated from security. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Jackie King, Executive Director of Ibec Global, is joined by Ibec CEO Danny McCoy, together they examine how security sits within a broader framework of resilience, serving as the essential...

Europe stands at a crossroads where social ambition must align with economic reality. Following a tidal wave of new directives, businesses are now facing "legislative saturation," prompting a call to shift focus from creating new laws to ensuring competitiveness and practical implementation. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Dr. Kara McGann, Head of Skills and Social Policy, is joined by...

With pension auto-enrolment due to commence from 1 January 2026, businesses are taking steps to make sure they are ready for how this might impact them. In this episode, Neil O’Brien, Senior Employer Relations and Communications Executive, and Aoife McFadden, Legal Director, discuss the basic details of the scheme and what employers need to know to prepare.  Thank you for listening. To explore all...

The Pay Transparency Directive came into force in June 2023 and Ireland will have to transpose the Directive by June 2026. The Directive contains a range of new obligations for employers including the obligation to categorise employees according to who is performing work of the same work or work of equal value based on objective gender neutral criteria. This will require a complex job evaluation e...

Renewed political momentum around the EU Single Market comes amidst increasing geopolitical uncertainty, positioning it as key to enhancing competitiveness and resilience, and withstanding trade and economic turbulence. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Róisín de Bhaldraithe, EU Policy Executive, and Martynas Barysas, Director for Internal Market at BusinessEurope, examine the European Commission’...

Ireland's eighth Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026 arrives at a pivotal time for our country and for Europe, offering a unique opportunity to influence the EU's policy direction. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Fergal O’Brien, Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence, is joined by Pat Ivory, Director of EU and International Affairs, to provide overview...