Breakfast Business

My next guest is from Texas but started her business as a cafe within a gay nightclub.  Now she runs a vegan, coeliac wholesale and retail food business with a glass deposit scheme and a food waste digestion programme.  It’s a great story and it’s our April Green Businessperson of the month sponsored by Repak.  Her name is Virginia O'Gara and her and her husband’s business is called MyGoodness.Green Business Person of the Month with thanks to Repak.   

Joe brings us the main business news headlines this Wednesday morning.

Dublin Bay Cruises bring thousands of tourists, corporate guests and cruise ship passengers around Dublin bay every year. Now it's repurposed its St Bridget boat to run on Hydrotreated vegetable oil despite the eco-friendly fuel costing considerably more than standard diesel.But what have they noticed about tourism in Ireland after the CSO said visitor numbers are down substantially year on year? Joe was joined on the show by Eugene Garrihy is the boss of Dublin Bay Cruises. 

The continuing rise in the population and especially in the workforce means that investors are looking increasingly favourably at Ireland’s so-called ‘Living sector’ which includes private rentals and student accommodation.  That’s the view of the property advisers Cushman & Wakefield, who also think that the commercial sector may have bottomed out.  But will our notorious Planning system scare off would-be investors in the market?  Tom McCabe from Cushman & Wakefield joins me now 

Tuesday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

From next week, America’s busiest port Los Angeles expects the amount of traffic to fall by a third as a direct consequence of Donald Trump's 145% tariffs on imported Chinese goods.  Similar drops are expected in Seattle and on air freight from China. Much of this abrupt slowdown stems from companies holding off moving goods until this Trade war s either sorted or settles down.  Hapag Lloyd with 300 giant container ships is the 5th biggest shipping company in the world and Nils Haupt from Hapag Lloyd joined Joe on the show this morning.

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

It’s been around since 1978 and has recorded music by some of the world's most famous artists including the Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, Myley Cyrus and a local band called U2.  Windmill Lane recording studios may no longer be on the quays but it still trains the next generation of music engineers and is one of the more popular tourist sites in the city.  Speaking to Joe this morning was Naomi Moore is the chief executive of Windmill Lane Recording Studios. 

The Central Bank of Ireland said a few weeks ago that profit levels among Irish insurers were 2½ times those in other European countries. Now the government is calling for ideas from stakeholders in the insurance sector by launching a public consultation.  But what can be achieved now that couldn't be achieved over the previous decade? All to discuss with Robert Troy is the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance.

We chat to Austin Hughes on a regular basis about monthly or even quarterly consumer sentiment but now he’s thinking much further ahead to 2030 in fact.  He also compares the consumer mood on either side of the border. For Example 37% of consumers here in Ireland think that the jobs market will be weaker whereas the number for the North is 39%.  Households in the South think that their incomes will be higher in 5 years  slightly more optimistic than in Northern Ireland.  Austin Hughes is the compiler of the Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey. 

Earlier this week Donald Trump said that the US was in daily talks with China over a trade deal.  The markets reacted well.  Then yesterday Beijing said there were no such talks underway and that none would begin until all the unilateral US tariffs on Chinese goods were removed.  Joe spoke to Finbarr Bermingham is the Brussels Correspondent for the South China Morning Post. 

Friday's business news headlines and markets along with Joe Lynam and Aidan Donnelly.

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

Last Autumn’s report by Mario Draghi was designed to ignite action throughout Europe and force it to focus less on regulation and more on competitiveness. Now in light of the global trade war, Ireland may need to step up its efforts to make its companies thrive on a global stage and be a bit less dependent on the US. Now the Government says it’s accelerating the competitiveness and productivity action plan.  But what’s in it and what can be done given Ireland’s notoriously slow legal and planning system.   Joe spoke to Alan Dillon is the Minister of State for Small Businesses and Retail. 

The cost of a full listing on the stock exchange can often be prohibitive for smaller or scaling companies.  On top of that there’s the pressure of filing regular public accounts.  Now in conjunction with Guaranteed Irish, the Dublin stock exchange or Euronext Dublin has launched a ‘Scale to Stay’ initiative alongside its new ‘Access’ market which is cheaper and easier to use for Medium sized companies hoping to stay and grow in Ireland.  But is the capital market here big enough to attract would-be investors? All to discuss with Niall Jones, Head of Listings UK and Ireland Euronext Dublin. 

Paul Kavanagh from Patronus Partners joins Breakfast Business with the latest on the markets and global financial trends. Listen here.

Mark Price, former Waitrose CEO and UK Trade Minister, joins Breakfast Business to discuss his new book Happy Economics — and why the most successful businesses are often the happiest.Listen here.

Ciaran McCormack, Managing Director of DID Electrical, joins Breakfast Business to talk about their new partnership with Homevalue and how consumer confidence is holding up in retail. Listen here.

John Mullane of Cantor Fitzgerald joins Joe Lynam with the latest from the markets and how global events are affecting investor confidence.Listen here.

Pat Rigney, founder of the Shed Distillery, joins Breakfast Business as the threat of US tariffs puts Irish whiskey and gin exports under pressure; with warnings the sector could face real damage.Listen here.