Breakfast Business with Joe Lynam

Sinead Donovan used to chair Grant Thornton under whose tenure the consultants went from 60 to 3000 staff.  Sinead Donovan was also the president of Chartered Accountants Ireland as it merged with CPA Ireland and now she’s with the headhunters Barden as a non Executive Director.  I’ve asked Sinead to join us to talk about what boardrooms in Ireland should be thinking about amid some of t...

This time 5 years ago most of us were working from home and amazingly it worked. Technology enabled us to do jobs without being face to face.  But now that the virus has abated many employers want their staff in the office.  But they have to offer incentives and make the workplace more attractive - especially Gen Zs.  Savills have carried out a comprehensive survey of what peop...

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

Wednesday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

Do you feel 78% wealthier than just before the Celtic Tiger crash?  Well you should because on average on paper you are.  That's according to research from the consultants Fordel, who also say that the average household has net wealth of €663,000.  Of course much of that wealth is tied up in housing and that’s why no country in Europe has grown its average wealth as fast as Ireland...

An Irish founded company Limbo has a new weight loss scheme which involves monitoring your glucose levels and food consumption tailored to each individual’s biology. And it claims that you will lose 12% of your body weight over 3 months.  They’re chaired by the serial entrepreneur Pat Phelan and have the backing of the basketball giant Shaquille O’Neal and the former rugby captain Jamie Heasl...

The international film making circuit was rocked over the weekend when Donald Trump said he would be slapping 100% tariffs on US-owned TV and film production companies who don't make their movies in America.  The American filming making sector made a $15.3bn surplus last year.   There are plenty of people in Ireland worried this week.  Speaking to Joe this morning wasJohn Glees...

To the surprise of almost no one in the pensions industry, Ireland’s auto enrolment scheme has been delayed again.  This time to the start of next year. It’s designed to get the less well off saving for their retirement. But a new survey from Red C suggests that women are far less likely to have heard of the new scheme than men and they are the ones who will need more money in their dotage.&n...

Tuesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

Friday's business news headlines and markets along with Kate English from Deloitte and Joe Lynam. 

John Cashman is the first legal whiskey maker from Co Wicklow.  He makes the Fercullen 15 year old single grain whiskey on the Powerscourt estate and that’s now a recent award winner of the prestigious Worlds Best Grain category.  But with Donald Trump slapping tariffs on all European imports and threats out there to hike that up to 200%, many in the whiskey sector are pausing or reducin...

The sustained cost of living increases in recent years have changed how consumers behave. They are increasingly looking for so-called “private labels“ to find value and quality. And a survey from EY suggests that consumers still like shopping in the traditional bricks and motorway rather than online.  Joe discusses these findings with Colette Devey, EY. Consumer Partner.

Joe brings us the main business news headlines this Wednesday morning.

My next guest is from Texas but started her business as a cafe within a gay nightclub.  Now she runs a vegan, coeliac wholesale and retail food business with a glass deposit scheme and a food waste digestion programme.  It’s a great story and it’s our April Green Businessperson of the month sponsored by Repak.   Her name is Virginia O'Gara and her and her husband’s business is...

Dublin Bay Cruises bring thousands of tourists, corporate guests and cruise ship passengers around Dublin bay every year. Now it's repurposed its St Bridget boat to run on Hydrotreated vegetable oil despite the eco-friendly fuel costing considerably more than standard diesel. But what have they noticed about tourism in Ireland after the CSO said visitor numbers are down substantially year on year?...

Tuesday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

The continuing rise in the population and especially in the workforce means that investors are looking increasingly favourably at Ireland’s so-called ‘Living sector’ which includes private rentals and student accommodation.  That’s the view of the property advisers Cushman & Wakefield, who also think that the commercial sector may have bottomed out.  But will our notorious Planning s...

From next week, America’s busiest port Los Angeles expects the amount of traffic to fall by a third as a direct consequence of Donald Trump's 145% tariffs on imported Chinese goods.  Similar drops are expected in Seattle and on air freight from China.  Much of this abrupt slowdown stems from companies holding off moving goods until this Trade war s either sorted or settles down.  Ha...

The Central Bank of Ireland said a few weeks ago that profit levels among Irish insurers were 2½ times those in other European countries. Now the government is calling for ideas from stakeholders in the insurance sector by launching a public consultation.  But what can be achieved now that couldn't be achieved over the previous decade?  All to discuss with Robert Troy is the Minister of...

It’s been around since 1978 and has recorded music by some of the world's most famous artists including the Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, Myley Cyrus and a local band called U2.  Windmill Lane recording studios may no longer be on the quays but it still trains the next generation of music engineers and is one of the more popular tourist sites in the city.  Speaking to Joe this morning was N...

Monday's international business news along with Joe Lynam and Ross Mould from AJ Bell.

Earlier this week Donald Trump said that the US was in daily talks with China over a trade deal.  The markets reacted well.  Then yesterday Beijing said there were no such talks underway and that none would begin until all the unilateral US tariffs on Chinese goods were removed.  Joe spoke to Finbarr Bermingham is the Brussels Correspondent for the South China Morning Post. 

We chat to Austin Hughes on a regular basis about monthly or even quarterly consumer sentiment but now he’s thinking much further ahead to 2030 in fact.  He also compares the consumer mood on either side of the border. For Example 37% of consumers here in Ireland think that the jobs market will be weaker whereas the number for the North is 39%.  Households in the South think that their i...

Friday's business news headlines and markets along with Joe Lynam and Aidan Donnelly.

Last Autumn’s report by Mario Draghi was designed to ignite action throughout Europe and force it to focus less on regulation and more on competitiveness. Now in light of the global trade war, Ireland may need to step up its efforts to make its companies thrive on a global stage and be a bit less dependent on the US. Now the Government says it’s accelerating the competitiveness and productivity ac...