PODCAST · business
Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
by Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
A weekly look at business and economics from an Irish perspective hosted by Irish Times Business Editor Ciarán Hancock. Produced in association with EY. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Microsoft president Brad Smith: Ireland is “well-positioned for future of AI”
This week’s guest on Inside Business is Brad Smith, vice chair and president at tech giant Microsoft. He was in Dublin this week to speak at the Government’s international AI summit in the RDS. Brad sat down with host Ciarán Hancock to discuss the need for regulation of AI, both globally and for...
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Budget 2027: Does this giveaway budget have potential banana skins that might lie ahead for the Government?
First up on this budget special, host Ciarán Hancock was joined on the line by Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy from Leinster House who took us through the headline elements of the budget. In part two we focused on childcare, where many parents are put to the pin of their collar paying for...
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Ireland’s economic outlook ahead of Budget 2027 and agentic AI going rogue
On this episode of Inside Business, we start with Ireland’s economic outlook a week out from the Budget 2027 announcement. After years of consistent steady growth and running a surplus, what potential challenges await next year? Are we putting enough into the State’s rainy-day funds? And why do...
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Should Ireland share its corporation tax bonanza with the EU?
On this episode of Inside Business, we look at Ireland’s bulging tax receipts from the major multinationals. Last week in an interview with Naomi O’Leary of The Irish Times, French finance minister Roland Lesscure suggested that this bounty should be shared around Europe, to reflect where the...
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Soaring energy costs and why ‘we can’t protect everyone from the impact of war’
Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, fuel prices at the pump continue to rise and Energia last week became the latest domestic player to increase its electricity and gas prices. A winter of discontent potentially lies ahead with the Government scrambling to put together support packages...
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From kitchen counter to supermarket shelves, the rise of Ballymaloe Foods
First up on this episode of Inside Business, a family firm that has become one of Ireland’s best-known food brands. Maxine Hyde’s grandmother - Ballymaloe founder Myrtle Allen - began making relish in the kitchen of their family run hotel. Today, Ballymaloe Foods has a range of products sold in...
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Has the Government’s strategy to keep fuel costs down proved to be ‘knee-jerk’ and difficult to reverse?
First up on this episode of Inside Business, the issue of fuel costs after the Dáil voted to postpone the restoration of fuel excise duty last Friday. Did they wilt in the face of more potential protests? What is the cumulative impact of taxes, levies, regulations and other fuel-related charges…
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Will the upcoming budget drive inflation and increase costs for Irish households?
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council have made their pre-budget submission. They feel the Government’s proposed budgetary package will drive inflation and increase costs for households and firms. The council also warned that current plans would increase reliance on corporation tax receipts, which it...
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How many new homes does Ireland really need?
The Government has introduced 46 tax measures since 2013 to stimulate house building here. Have they worked and do they represent good value for money for taxpayers? To help answer that question Ciaran Hancock is joined by Marian Finnegan, chief executive of Sherry Fitzgerald, Ireland's largest...
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Should Meta's 'intrusive' smart glasses be banned?
It's been a busy week for tech giant Meta. Its new glasses have sparked controversy over privacy concerns, while founder Mark Zuckerberg published his AI manifesto, and the company indicated that it might be willing to pay local communities to host data centres in their areas. Irish Times tech...
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Are middle earners getting gouged by the tax system here?
In a column last week, Cliff Taylor posed the question as to whether middle earners are being ripped off by the Irish income tax system. And with no income tax package introduced in 2026, that meant the real tax burden has increased this year. Minister for Finance Simon Harris has signalled that...
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What size does your pension actually need to be for a comfortable retirement?
First up this week’s episode of Inside Business, we are looking at pensions and what constitutes a comfortable retirement here. A recent survey from Royal London Ireland suggested Irish workers believe they will need almost €41,000 per year to achieve that. So, when should you start contributing...
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Aer Lingus job cuts and Ryanair’s profits plunge - what is happening in the Irish aviation sector?
First up on Inside Business this week, we look at the woes impacting the Irish aviation sector. Aer Lingus last week announced plans to cut up to 500 jobs at the airline, the equivalent of 8 per cent of its workforce. And Ryanair announced on Monday that its profits had dropped in the first half…
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Will the State’s plan for the Carlton Cinema site revitalise O’Connell Street?
First up on this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock speaks to Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times about the State’s purchase of the a 5-acre site on O’Connell Street in Dublin that used to house the Carlton cinema. Officially, it has been purchased for the Metrolink underground…
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How can tech offer solutions for obesity and weight management?
On this special episode of Inside Business recorded at EY’s head office, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Dr Harriet Treacy, founder and CEO of BeyondBMI, Ireland’s first online medically led weight management and obesity clinic. She explains how frustration at the inefficiencies of healthcare...
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The 9 per cent VAT rate has been welcomed by restaurants but does the hospitality sector actually need it?
In the first half of this week’s Inside Business, we debate the merits or otherwise of the now permanent 9 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality sector which kicked in on Wednesday. This followed a pledge in last year’s budget to cut the rate, and a long lobbying campaign by many in the industry....
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Has the Irish building sector got themselves hooked on Government subsidies?
On this week’s episode of Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock has Irish Times new recruit Killian Woods in studio to discuss a Government scheme to support the building of apartments in our cities, which looks set to miss a key target. Croi Conaithe cities is a Government support scheme to help...
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Will a Middle East peace deal make any difference to inflation?
The announcement of a 60 day ceasefire in the Middle East to allow detailed negotiations on what we understand could be a deal to end the conflict, has given the financial markets breathing space. First up on this week’s podcast is the potential impact on energy prices through the opening of the...
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‘No profit and crap governance’ – is Elon Musk’s SpaceX actually worth $1.75 trillion?
First up on this week’s episode of Inside Business is Elon Musk's company SpaceX and its plan to raise $75 billion through what will likely be the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in history this Friday. The company values itself at $1.75tn, but some analysts feel it is worth far less. Could...
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David McRedmond: ‘O’Connell Street needs high density housing’
This week, Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by An Post chief executive David McRedmond, who is about to step down after 10 years in charge of the State-owned company. He recently wrote an article for The Irish Times about the explosion in online shopping in this country and...
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Will new pay transparency rules close the gender pay gap for good?
This week Inside Business looks at pay transparency. A new EU directive requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in the workplace and toughen rules enforcing gender pay equality comes into effect on June 7th. However, Ireland is set to miss that deadline, with no draft legislation in place....
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Rents and evictions soar as house price inflation slows
House price growth hit 6.5 per cent in March, the slowest rate in two years, offering some chink of light to those hoping to buy. For tenants however, the news is grim, with rents rising by 4.4 per cent in Q.1, the highest quarterly increase since 2022. While the number of eviction notices issued...
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Could we be heading toward a world recession if Trump can’t broker a deal with Iran?
How high could oil prices go? It has shot up since the United States and Israel’s war with Iran began a couple of months ago. But not by as much as might have been expected. Talks on a deal are taking place but in the absence of a deal there is concern that a prolonged conflict could lead to a...
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PrepayPower are hiking their prices - will other energy suppliers soon follow suit?
First up on this episode of Inside Business, the rising cost of living. Prepay Power last week became the first Irish energy supplier to announce an increase in its prices since the Middle East conflict began. Daragh Cassidy is Head of Communications at consumer advice website bonkers.ie, and he...
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Inflation remains steady; and Conor Pope’s energy saving tips
On today’s Inside Business podcast Cliff Taylor from The Irish Times discusses the latest inflation figures, and our Current Affairs Correspondent Conor Pope offers tips on cutting your energy bills. Headline inflation in the Irish economy remained steady at 3.6% in April, figures published today...
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Kerry Group CEO on the impact of Middle East conflict, AI and drive to keep bread fresher for longer
Our guest this week on Inside Business is Edmond Scanlon, chief executive of Kerry Group, the global food ingredients player and one of Ireland’s biggest stock market companies. The Tralee-based company has left behind its dairy roots to focus on high value nutrition and ingredients, supplying...
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Has the fuel protest shown that the loudest lobby generally gets what they want?
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…
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“Back yourself”: Aimee Connolly shares her story of 10 years in business
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…
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Iran’s cyber-attacks on Irish-based companies and the ongoing impact of conflict in the Middle East
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...
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Are Government's fuel measures betting on a quick resolution to the conflict in Iran?
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...
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The difficult choices that could dramatically increase housing supply in Dublin
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...
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‘Over a billion eyeballs will be on the parade’: St Patrick’s festival CEO Richard Tierney
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…
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How the conflict in the Middle East is already affecting Irish consumers
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…
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Could Trump’s new global tariff scupper the US-EU trade deal?
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...
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Could Simon Harris’s savings scheme for the ‘middle classes’ prove to be a sound investment?
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…
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David McWilliams on how social media giants are making billions from fake ads
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...
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Is it time Ireland abolished mandatory retirement?
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…
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With the price of an ounce now more than $5,000, why is everyone going for gold?
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…
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Old order ‘not coming back’ as Trump overshadows World Economic Forum
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…
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Trump vs the Fed: What does it mean for global trade and Ireland?
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...
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Ireland’s record tax take makes light of Trump tariffs fear
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...
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Another huge corporate tax take to AI’s next phase: What’s in store for 2026?
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…
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Trump’s tariffs, a deepening housing crisis, and more corporate tax bonanza: The big stories of 2025
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...
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Could the decision to spend most of next year’s corporation tax come back to bite the Government?
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...
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Why are apartments in Ireland so much more expensive to build than houses?
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…
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Will the Government’s new plan speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure projects?
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...
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If Irish households are so rich, why does it feel like an illusion?
On this week’s Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by senior lecturer in housing at TUD Dublin, Lorcan Sirr. The episode starts with some recent good news, that the net wealth of Irish households is nearly €1.3 trillion, or an average of €228,000 each. Sounds good but as…
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How AI is beginning to wreak havoc in the jobs market
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at the role of AI in the hiring and firing of workers. Host Ciarán Hancock is joined on the podcast by Ciara O’Brien of the Irish Times to discuss why Amazon recently announced 14,000 job cuts globally as it seeks to trim expenses. Is this being...
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Irish business grandee Gary McGann on working with Michael Smurfit, the fall of Anglo Irish and the current state of the Irish economy
This week on Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Gary McGann, a grandee of Irish business whose many roles included being chief executive of drinks group Gilbeys, Aer Lingus and packaging group Smurfit. Born and raised in Dublin, Gary actually began his career in the civil...
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Will Imagine’s big gamble double its customer base?
This week’s episode of Inside Business sees host Ciarán Hancock joined in studio by Niall Tallon, chief executive of Irish telecoms group Imagine. A minor in the Irish market, the company recently made a bold move offering cheap fibre broadband products along with a promise not to increase those...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A weekly look at business and economics from an Irish perspective hosted by Irish Times Business Editor Ciarán Hancock. Produced in association with EY.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
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A weekly look at business and economics from an Irish perspective hosted by Irish Times Business Editor Ciarán Hancock. Produced in association with EY. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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