Irish Times Inside Business

Two housing reports delivered two different takes on the Irish property market in the past week. MyHome.ie, which is owned by The Irish Times, suggests that house price growth is slowing in the face of cost-of-living concerns and rising interest rates. However Daft.ie says they’re accelerating, fast approaching the Celtic Tiger peak, amid chronically low levels of supply. So, what’s really going on?In this episode, Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy sheds some light on the differences in the two reports, while Marian Finnegan of Sherry Fitzgerald has the estate agents view from the ground.The European Central Bank is expecting to hike its interest rates from next month, with further increases anticipated as the year rolls on. Cliff Taylor explains what effect those hikes might have on house buying over the next 12 months. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last week markets worldwide wobbled as investors fretted about a recession and aggressive monetary tightening by central banks.In addition, cryptocurrencies have slumped this year leaving many people nursing major losses. So, is this just a blip, or is there something more fundamental going on? In this episode of The Irish Times Inside Business podcast, Ciarán Hancock is joined by Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times, Aidan Donnelly, head of equities at Irish stockbroker Davy, and Irish Times Washington Correspondent Martin Wall, to make sense of it all and discuss what it might mean for the Irish economy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week the UK introduced a Bill to unilaterally scrap the Northern Ireland protocol, the post-Brexit set of rules which govern Northern Irish trade. The EU has now launched infringement proceedings against the UK for not complying with significant parts of the deal, which it describes as a clear breach of international law. Ciarán is joined by Public Affairs Editor Simon Carswell, chief executive of Manufacturing Northern Ireland Stephen Kelly and Robert Sweeney, a policy analyst at TASC, to discuss this standoff over the protocol. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Government plans to introduce a 20c tax on all single-use takeaway coffee cups in a bid to make Ireland the first country in the world to eliminate their use.The so-called ‘latte levy’ forms part of the Circular Economy Bill, which aims to introduce world-leading moves to reduce waste and influence behaviour.Nearly half a million takeaway cups are sent to landfill or incineration every day. So why do some claim that the proposal won’t achieve its aims?In today’s episode of the Inside Business podcast, we hear from Dairine Keogh, owner of the Clement and Pekoe coffee shops in Dublin, about her views on the tax.Presenter Laura Slattery also speaks to managing director of Retail Excellence, Duncan Graham, and Sadhbh O’Neill, an assistant professor at Dublin City University and lecturer in climate policy and environmental politics. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tourism and air travel have rebounded strongly in 2022 after two years of pandemic restrictions. But both are also facing major issues around pricing, staff and availability of product.Hotelier Lorraine Sweeney and Irish Times Business Affairs Correspondent Mark Paul outline some of the problems faced by the hospitality sector. Ciarán is also joined by aviation expert, Joe Gill of Goodbody, to discuss how airlines across Europe are faring and whether the queuing at Dublin Airport will have a lasting impact on Ireland’s reputation as a tourism destination. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The European Commission says there's a limited risk of another housing bubble developing in Ireland due to stricter rules that have reduced risk in the financial system. The positive finding comes despite the fact that house prices are expected to continue to rise this year. Cliff Taylor gives his views on the matter. Also in today’s episode: after a gap of more than two years, the World Economic Forum has gathered again in Davos, Switzerland. Joe Brennan is there for The Irish Times and tells us what has been happening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Irish Times current affairs editor Arthur Beesley has the latest on the Siteserv deal, following a seven-year inquiry into its sale to a company owned by Denis O’Brien.Plus: Markets correspondent Joe Brennan reports on the Government’s efforts to address the thorny issue of banker’s pay, as it seeks the views of the public on continuing pay restrictions across Irish banks which were bailed out during the financial crisis, as part of a review of the future of the sector. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With rampant inflation, rising interest rates and the continuing war in Ukraine, warnings about the potential for a global economic downturn are getting louder by the day. Ciarán talks to Irish Times writer Cliff Taylor and Washington Correspondent Martin Wall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With his new company Admatic, chief executive Stuart Fogarty is seeking to disrupt the traditional advertising market in Ireland. It allows clients to buy advertising directly online with the big media companies, cutting out the middleman. Fogarty explains the concept to Ciarán and the traction it has gained in its first five months. He also sounds a warning on the Irish economy, based on the spending levels he’s seeing coming through at Admatic, and they look back at Fogarty’s own storied career in advertising, which involved running two of the biggest ad businesses in Ireland and a brush with the law more than a decade ago. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dalata Hotel Group founder and former chief executive Pat McCann retired last year, after more than half a century in the hotel business. Last week Mr McCann was presented with an award for Distinguished Leadership at the Irish Times Business Awards. Today, he talks to Ciarán about his life and career, as he settles into a very active retirement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Interpath Advisory, the UK-based corporate restructuring and insolvency firm, is planning to build up a practice in Ireland with 120 staff within the next three to four years, after poaching six partners from KPMG and Deloitte in Ireland. Its chief executive Blair Nimmo talks to Ciarán about Interpath’s ambitious plans for its Irish arm. Plus: Sixty years after it first launched, Golden Discs is opening a brand-new concept store POP! at their flagship Dundrum Town Centre retail unit, to coincide with Record Store Day 2022. Chief executive Stephen Fitzgerald, whose father Jack was one of the founders of Golden Discs in 1962, talks to Ciarán about POP!, vinyl’s renaissance and the future of one of Ireland’s best-known retail brands. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pat Davitt of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers talks to Ciarán Hancock about the impact of rent controls on the Irish market.And The Irish Times investigative reporter Colm Keena explains the links between a company in Sandyford, Dublin and one of Vladimir Putin’s closest associates.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The economy is being affected by several strong trends - where will those trends take us in the year ahead? Cliff Taylor looks at the latest Central Bank growth forecast, inflation, and other economic threats posed by the war in Ukraine. The end of this month will see the return of the Pendulum Summit to Dublin after a pandemic hiatus. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is among the big names appearing at the annual business and self-empowerment event. Pendulum founder and former Irish rugby international Frankie Sheahan talks to Ciaran about what it takes to attract big names to the summit and what attendees can expect this year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On Monday, VHI took the insurance market by surprise by announcing rebates to customers and a price cut to premiums that will take effect in May. So what has brought about these changes and what will rival companies do? Health insurance expert Dermot Goode from Totalhealthcover.ie joins Ciaran Hancock to discuss this latest development in the market. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With energy prices soaring and fears mounting over access to oil and gas, Cliff Taylor speaks to Muireann Lynch, Energy economist with the ESRI and Gerard Brady, Chief Economist at Ibec about the potential impact of EU embargoes on Russian energy supplies. Later on, Cliff is joined by Kevin O’Donovan, Managing Director at Statkraft Ireland and Senior Vice President of the company’s wind and solar activities across Northern Europe. They speak about Statkraft’s Irish offshore wind project, North Irish Sea Array and the future of renewable energy in Ireland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, ICS Mortgages increased its fixed interest rates for owner-occupier loans with immediate effect. Ciaran Hancock speaks to Joe Brennan of The Irish Times about this development and whether other lenders might follow suit. Later on, Simon Carswell joins Ciaran again, to discuss the latest headaches for Irish aircraft lessors after the Kremlin passed a law re-registering foreign-owned aircraft in Russia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nearly two weeks into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Cliff Taylor and Mark Paul of The Irish Times take a look at the impact of the war on the global economy. They speak to Ciaran Hancock about rising energy costs and the implications for Irish consumers and businesses. They also speak about the growing list of firms withdrawing from the Russian market. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown global markets into turmoil and seen a spike in the price of oil and gas. Cliff Taylor explains what impact the conflict will have on the global economy and how it will be felt in Ireland. Ciarán is also joined by The Irish Times public affairs editor Simon Carswell, who outlines how EU sanctions on Russia are causing problems for aircraft lessors based in Ireland.In the second part of the show: Veteran entrepreneur and whiskey maker John Teeling on how exposed the Irish whiskey sector is to the sanctions on Russia.Presenter: Ciarán HancockProduced by Jennifer Ryanwww.irishtimes.com/podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Government’s target to have almost one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030 will be “a huge challenge” according to a new report by economist Jim Power and engineering consultancy firm, Arup. So what needs to be done to decarbonise public, private and commercial transport and what will it mean for exchequer revenues? Power joins Ciaran Hancock to go through the findings. Also, with news this week that the newly built Holiday Inn in Dublin is to close after just seven months of trading to become an asylum center, Irish Times Business affairs correspondent Mark Paul and General Manager of Buswells Hotel Paul Gallagher speak to Ciaran about the post pandemic recovery for Dublin’s hotel sector. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Should Dublin Port relocate? Yes, according to a submission made to Dublin City Council by a group called the Docklands Business Forum, as the council prepares its development plan for the city for the next six years. But the idea also has many detractors, not least Dublin Port Company which plans to grow its operations where it is. Alan Robinson is CEO of the Docklands Business Forum and he joins Ciaran and Current Affairs editor Arthur Beesley to explain why he thinks the port would be better off elsewhere. Ciaran is also joined by Dublin editor Olivia Kelly to look at why Dublin City Council wants to block the construction of "build-to-rent" apartments in the city, and how it is running into problems in its efforts to do so. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.