Breakfast Business

Donald Trump has put the issue of physically transported goods front and centre of global politics.  It matters a lot in Ireland as one of the world’s most open trading economies.An astonishing €165 billion of worth of goods flows through Dublin Port every year .  But how will it and the economy handle an all-out trade war as we struggle to grow our infrastructure and get things built?  All to discuss with Barry O'Connell, Chief Executive of Dublin Port. 

Bio methane is a renewable gas made from animal and plant waste. The government has had a target of having 3.7 TW/h of bio methane before the end of the decade. To that end gas networks Ireland which distributes gas around the country to companies and households, has signed a deal with the danish bio-methane provider cycle to build facilities in Limerick, Kildare Cavan and Galway. But like all infrastructure projects, Planning could be the biggest issue. All to discuss with David Kelly, Director of Customer business with Gas Networks Ireland.

Medical technology or Medtech is a growing area of specialty in Ireland, especially in and around county Galway where numerous medtech companies have set up.   SymPhysis Medical  is hoping to soon get approval from the FDA in the United States.Joining Joe this morning was Dr Michelle Tierney (Chief Scientific Officer), the co-founders of SymPhysis Medical.

Tuesday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

The inexorable rise of property prices and rents continues seemingly without end.  According to the latest MyHome.ie survey house prices rose by 7% over the past year and by almost 8% outside the capital. And it only takes 2.6months to sell a house these days - close to the quickest on record. Worryingly for house hunters, the average house sells for 7.5% above the asking price. Joining Joe this morning was Conall MacCoille who compiles the MyHome.ie survey and is Chief Economist with Bank of Ireland.  

We are in the middle of the summer season. Dublin & Cork Airports have never been as busy but much of that are Irish citizens going abroad on holidays. What about the people coming to this country and the visitor attractions that they wish to see? The CSO says that visitor numbers are down 10% year on year. But the Tourism authorities dispute some of the data. So what is going on with our visitor attractions? Catherine Flanagan the chief executive of AVEA visitor attractions body discussed all with Joe this morning. 

Joe takes a run through all the business new stories with Mike O'Sullivan from Unio Wealth Management.

If you hate vacuuming the house and love the idea of someone or something else doing it for you, there’s a chance that you have considered products from my next guest. Homebot Ireland sells robot vacuum cleaners as well as robot lawn mowers and business is booming. But do they work?  Clara Mulligan, co-founder of Homebot Ireland. 

There was a time when many people sought to get steady, reliable jobs, which were permanent and pensionable.  Nowadays having multiple employers and even multiple different careers is normal.  But what will happen when AI starts eliminating vast swaths of white-collar jobs?  Well one EU agency which follows how the workplace has changed and is changing is Eurofound which is incidentally based in Loughlinstown co Dublin and Joining Joe this morning was Barbara Gerstenberger the Head of the Eurofound Working Life Unit.  

Aidan Donnelly from Davy's takes a look at today's business news along with Joe Lynam,

The IDA has known for a few months that change was in the air.  Donald Trump’s tariff war and America First policies look set to change the global investment landscape. But so far, Ireland has escaped any major damage.  In fact inward investment into the country was up 37% in the first half of this year. But were these deals long in the pipeline and will that river of FDI dry up in the coming years as companies sit on their hands?  That was just one of the issues Joe raised with Michael Lohan the Chief Executive of the IDA. 

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

My next guest builds classrooms for the Department of Education ‘Off site’ and bolts them in on-site.  It’s called modular construction and CPAC is building around 80 new classrooms for 25 different schools before they reopen in 2 months.  It announced a major expansion at its off-site manufacturing site in Co Meath and CPAC was also one of the winners at the Newstalk Changemaker awards last month. Mark Whitehead, Director of Construction CPAC Modular Construction joined Joe this morning.

David McRedmond has just finished up as the chair of the Dublin taskforce which set out some clear recommendations to be taken by local and national government to improve our capital city.  His day job though is running An Post and he has some notable thoughts on the issue of NIMBYism and delivering infrastructure in this country. Joe asked David about how An Post leverages all that data it has about nearly every single person in Ireland. 

Wednesday's business headlines along with Joe Lynam.

 It was Canada Day yesterday.   It’s been a testing time for the world's 2nd largest country with a major row developing with its southern neighbour.  The whole thing has forced Canadian companies to search for deeper markets in Europe.  That includes its flag-carrier airline which now flies to three Canadian cities most days from Dublin.  Joe caught up with the Sales Manager for Air Canada, Bláithín O'Donnell and began by asking about those flights from Dublin.

Will AI decimate many white-collar jobs including those for lawyers, auditors and administrators But if you have a trade or work in a profession that requires creativity or empathy, your salaries may double over the next five years due to increased demand. It could be a major problem for a country like Ireland, which prides itself with having so many graduates in the workforce. Haim Israel a futurologist with Bank of America discuss this and more with Joe.

United Airlines now operates 2 flights a day from Dublin to New York. That’s despite the passenger cap still officially in place at the airport.   Another newer factor is Donald Trump who is making it less attractive to fly to the US for some. But will cheaper flights mean you can bury or hide your political views to get to the States this year?  All to discuss with Martina Coogan Head of Corporate Sales for United airlines in the UK and Ireland.

Joe Lynam takes a run through Tuesday's business news headlines.

According to a study from AIB, golf Tourism leads to 220,000 people visiting this country every year. Furthermore, golfers spend three times as much on their holiday here than any other type of tourism.  This chimes with a separate study from Golf Ireland which says the sport adds €717m in gross value added to the economies on both sides of the border.  Joining Joe this morning was Mark Kennelly the Chief Executive of Golf Ireland.