Breakfast Business

Last month Donald Trump scrapped the old de minimus rule for parcels coming into America, which allowed small packages to arrive tariff-free for US consumers.  Now the EU is set to follow suit and make it far tougher for individual parcels to arrive tax-free into Europe. But British exporters will also be affected and what will it mean for European Consumers?  All to discuss with Dr Anna Jerzewska Global Customs Director at the freight forwarding company DSV. 

Wednesday's business news with Joe Lynam.

Joe Lynam brings us through Tuesday's business news headlines.

Professor Carl Benedict Frey thinks that high value technology jobs have a far higher multiplier effect than manufacturing jobs. Ie each highly skilled professional creates or supports up to five other jobs whereas each manufacturing job only has 1.6 supported jobs elsewhere in the business.   Professor Carl Benedict Frey the Dieter Schwarz Associate Professor of AI and Work at the Oxford Internet Institute discussed all with Joe this morning.

We are exactly two weeks out from the budget, and although the leaking of tax or spending measures hasn't begun in earnest yet, we’re starting to get a sense that this won't be like the last one ie a pre-election giveaway.  So what can we expect in 2026 and what could that mean for companies? And which sectors can expect or even deserve the most support? Speaking to Joe was Daryl Hanberry the Head of Tax and Legal with Deloitte Ireland which hosts its “Global Shared Services Conference” this week. 

There are twenty listed companies on the main ISEQ index of share on Euronext Dublin but only two of them are chaired by women and no female Chief Executives.  That’s despite numerous efforts to get women higher up the management food chain.  Chief Executive of Kella Leadership  Hannah Wrixon has started and run a number of companies and believes she may have the formula to get more women in senior roles and it involves building a community of female executives. 

The American telecoms and broadcasting giant Comcast bought Sky in 2019 from Rupert Murdoch. Ggiving it a large footprint in the Irish TV and broadband market.   Comcast also owns NBC which is coming under huge pressure from Donald Trump to give him more favourable coverage in a huge clampdown on free speech. But the Comcast brand itself is making inroads into the telecoms sector here going up against the likes of Eir and Virgin.   Joining Joe this morning was Gavan Smyth the Country lead of Comcast Ireland. 

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

Joe Lynam and Aidan Donnelly from Davys brings us Friday's business news review.

Economic growth has been sluggish in Europe over the past 20 years.  Few of the big new technology companies originate from here and red tape is a huge burden on businesses. How do investors handle the global tariff war and an unreliable but huge American market for European goods?  All to discuss with Yves Bonzon, the Group Chief Investment Officer at the Swiss Bank Julius Baer.

Since last month every parcel no matter how small that is sent from a company to a consumer in the US faces a tariff. It means that if you're an Irish exporter and are selling something to an American consumer, you need to add 15% tariffs on top of the sale price.  Only personal gifts from one household to another will be exempt.  It’s a new world and here to explain it is Mike Farrell, is Managing Director of DHL Express Ireland. 

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

The latest quarterly economic bulletin from the Central Bank of Ireland is out. On the upside Modified Domestic Demand which is a measure of growth, has been revised upwards because the tariffs agreed with the US aren't as draconian as feared 6 months ago.  On the downside, inward FDI is expected to slow as companies work out how and whether to set up factories in Trump’s America. All to discuss with Martin O'Brien, Head of Division, Irish Economic Analysis with the Central Bank of Ireland .

You're probably aware of the SEAI grants that you can get for your home to install solar panels or better windows and insulation. But the Authority also provides a lot of financial support to companies hoping to slash their own energy bills and do their bit for the environment. SMEs can get grants for solar panels but also free advice on how to make their premises more sustainable. Fergus Sharkey, is Head of Business Supports and Transport in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Tuesday's business news review, along with Joe Lynam.

The arrival of AI means quite a few white collar jobs will become redundant in the very near future.  It also means that those who work with their hands such as Tradesmen will be way more in demand.  Chris Moran  is in the final shakeup for the Screwfix Tradesperson of the Year and he’s very worried about the number of young people going into the trades he joined Joe to discuss

Public procurement involves governments advertising to companies, encouraging them to apply or tender for State-backed contracts.  It could be to provide services or to build a road or a hospital.  The sums involved can reach into the billions, and because taxpayer value is at the heart of the process, the government wants as many companies to bid for contracts as possible.  That’s why it’s organising a big procurement conference in 2 months.  Emer Higgins is the junior minister with special responsibility for Public Procurement and is the driving force behind the expo and she joined Joe this morning to discuss.

It's time to dig out your wellies for the National Ploughing Championships. But a new study from the consultants Ifac suggests that tariffs and geopolitics mean that a record 44% of food producers are pausing investment . Despite 80% feeling very positive about their own company’s outlook All to discuss with David Leydon, Group Head of Growth and Agrifood Consulting at Ifac. 

Tuesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

They used to be known as industrial estates but given very few of them physically make stuff these days, they’re now known as business districts.  And Sandyford in south Dublin is the biggest in employment terms in the State housing as it does the likes of Microsoft, MasterCard and the Beacon hospital.  Now the SBD wants to copy the highly successful Station F in Paris to attract the next generation of technology wizards.  To chat more Joe spoke to Ger Corbett, chief executive of the Sandyford biz district.