Breakfast Business

On Monday May 19th, the company Egis was awarded a long-term contract to operate and maintain the Dublin Tunnel, the Jack Lynch Tunnel and monitor 1,200km of motorway across Ireland. Joining Tom on the show was Steve Preece, CEO of Egis.

Leonie MacCann from Irish Life Investment Managers looks through all the business news and markets with Joe Lynam.

Up to quite recently, if you had had a cancer diagnosis, you probably found it next to impossible to get life insurance cover even if you were fully recovered. There has been a code of practice in place from the insurance industry for the past year but no legislation. Now the insurance industry has stepped back and is supporting laws to enshrine the so-called “right to be forgotten“ when it comes to cancer survivors. Speaking to Joe this morning was Robert Troy the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Insurance. 

The domestic economy in Ireland will remain ticking along nicely with modified domestic demand set to be 2.5% this year.  Unemployment is set to pick up a little bit next year but it’s all clouded by the global macroeconomic perspective.  That’s the view of AIB in its latest economic snapshot.   The report expects GDP here to soar then fall notably next year while consumer spending is set to moderate next year.  To discuss the report findings Joe spoke to David McNamara is the AIB Chief Economist. 

Kate English Deloitte  joins Joe on the show to look through all the business news.

The government is setting up a new Small Business Unit within the department of Enterprise.  Its purpose is to test all proposed new laws to see if they meet the so-called ‘SME test’ and don't add unnecessarily to the cost and regulatory burden on small companies.   But will it just be a talking shop without teeth to really block legislation which might come from different parts of the government? All to discuss with Peter Burke Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. 

Howden started off as a small mortgage broker in Britain but has grown to a worldwide operation with 22,000 staff.  They’ve grown to the point where they now sponsor the forthcoming Lions rugby tour of Australia this summer.  Here in Ireland they are known as Finance Solutions and they also act as brokers for insurance, home loans and now Life insurance products. They are creating 100 new jobs in the capital. Robert Kennedy, CEO of Howden Ireland joined Joe in studio this morning.

US and Japanese bond yields have been soaring in recent days.  To some it might be a reflection in recovery of stock markets in the 1st and 4th largest economies in the world.  Or it might be investors waking up to the fact that both nations are heavily in debt with no prospect of getting that debt mountain down. Joining Joe this morning was Gregory Perden, a well known fund manager and was named among Citywire's most ‘Influential Wealth Managers’. He’s also a Senior adviser with Moore Ireland.

Founded in 1997 in Galway by a very well known face and voice here in Newstalk Bobby Kerr. Insomnia coffee was the first of the new wave of American style frothy coffees in an Ireland which overwhelmingly drank only tea.  Bobby may have moved on but the Irish love affair with modern coffee continues at a pace to the point where Coffee has supplanted tea and Insomnia now has 157 outlets on both sides of the Irish Sea.To chat about the business of coffee Joe spoke to Harry O’Kelly the Chief Executive of Insomnia Coffee.

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

Joe Lynam brings us Wednesday's business headlines and news.

The South African insurer Outsurance has been on the Irish market for a year selling home and motor insurance.  Now business is obviously good enough to warrant hiring an additional 100 staff here. Joe spoke to Peter Broom the chief executive of OUTsurance Ireland about their business.

The business lobby group IBEC has some clear ideas for the Enterprise Minister Peter Burke about what should be done when it comes to beefing up Ireland’s skill sets, speeding up Infrastructure delivery as well as cutting down on red tape. IBEC also thinks that spending on infrastructure should come before any tax cuts. Fergal O’Brien Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence at IBEC spoke to Joe this morning. 

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

The Irish Management Institute has new owners.  UCC has sold its share to the publishers of the Business Post.  The IMI joins a stable of brands including Red C research and iQuest experiences and certainly diversifies and broadens the portfolio.  But will the investment pay off in a world of AI learning?  All to discuss with Enda O’Coineen, Publisher and CEO of the Kilcullen Business Post Group. 

Martin Dubbey is a former detective turned corporate investigations sleuth who tracks down beneficial owners and information that companies might want to hide.  His business Harod also featured in the movie which exposed Russian doping cheats. Martin Dubbey the Managing Director of Harod Associates explained his business to Joe this morning on the show.

Ryanair has just posted its full year results for the financial year 2025.  They made a post tax profit of €1.62bn down 16% on the previous year.  Average fares were also down 7% over the past 12 months. The airline carried a record 200m passengers and bought back 7% of their own shares Neil Sorahan. Group Chief Financial Officer discussed the report findings with Joe.

Are we back to crazy levels of borrowing?  This comes as the foreign banks based here express confidence in Ireland as a base for investment.  Employment by the international banking sector is up by a fifth on pre Covid levels. All to discuss with Brian Hayes the Chief Executive of the Banking and Payments Federations Ireland.  

Monday business news and markets along with Ross Mould from AJ Bell.

Joe Lynam and Austin Hughes from AJ Bell brings us all the national and international business news this morning.