Breakfast Business

How many times have you received something via a courier which is drowning in bubble wrap and how many times did you wonder what happens to all that protective wrapping which you throw in the recycling?  Peter Gregory wondered and decided to do something about it.  So he recycles bubble wrap for a living.  Peter Gregory is the founder of green-bubble.ie and our Green Business person of the month for December courtesy of Repak. 

Friday's business and markets review along with Joe Lynam and Kate English from Deloitte. 

The Central bank of Ireland paints a positive picture for the domestic economy in its latest quarterly bulletin.  It says modified domestic demand will end up just below 4% this year and a more modest 2.9% next year. But it expects the labour market to cool next year and inflation to remain above target. All to discuss with Martin O’Brien is the Head of Irish Economic Analysis with the Central Bank of Ireland.  

Joe takes a run through of the main business news headlines.

When the infrastructure action plan was published 2 weeks ago, there was plenty of reaction from big business and the major pressure groups but we haven't heard what family run companies think of it. After all, they employ twice as many people in this country as the public sector and the FDI sector. Joining Joe in studio this morning was John McGrane Head of the Family Business Network.

Unemployment has remained near all-time record lows of between four and 5%. Despite that research from the professional social media site LinkedIn, suggests that those already in jobs are “hugging“ those jobs are not sniffing around for newer opportunities. This seems to suggest that the market is not as tight as it once was, and moving around is more of a risk than it might have been. All to discuss with Cara O’Leary the Country Manager with LinkedIn. 

Boeing sold its first plane into Ireland 65 years ago.  It has since sold 1400 aircraft to Irish airlines and leasing companies making us amazingly the 3rd biggest customer in the world.  Now the Seattle based plane-make is opening up a new European hub in Dublin airport - possibly to get closer to its biggest single customer. Joe was joined on the show by Jeremy Quin the President of Boeing UK & Ireland and ask him about those delays but began by asking why they had chosen Ireland.

Mike Lynch used to run the chip design giant Autonomy before it was sold to HP for $12bn.  HP then sued Lynch for fraudulently overstating the value of Autonomy and won in the British civil courts.  His life story is fascinating from an Irish point of view because both his parents were born here and now there’s a superb book about him.  It’s called ‘The Curious Case of Mike Lynch: the Improbable Life & Death of a Tech Billionaire’.  And its author is Katie Prescott, the Technology Business editor with the Times of London.

Newstalk's Business Editor Joe Lynam brings us Wednesday's business news headlines.

In 2025 Ireland was the leading European domicile for active exchange-traded funds with a huge 94 per cent of market share.  That data comes from Irish Funds and ETF Book. Emmet chats to Pat Lardner, Chief Executive of Irish Funds.

Retail pay has increased 40% since 2020, and with National Minimum Wage set to reach €14.15 per hour in January 2026 retailers will face another year of balancing compliance, competitiveness and cost control.    This is according to recruitment specialists Excel Recruitment. With more on this Emmet spoke to Nikki Murran, Director of Grocery Retail at Excel.

Tuesday's business news review with Emmet Oliver.

Venture capital investment in generative AI jumped by 65% in the first 11 months of the year.  That’s according to new analysis from EY Ireland, whose Technology, Media and Entertainment and Telecommunications Industry Leader Grit Young.

Echelon data centres welcome the new direction from the commission for the regulation of utilities concerning large energy users. All to discuss with Niall Molloy, CEO, Echelon Data Centres.

Monday business markets news with Emmet Oliver along with Russ Mould from AJ Bell. 

All the market and business news with Joe Lynam along with Austin Hughes  from AJ Bell.

Needless to say cyber risks top the poll for major international companies as the biggest source of threats.  That's followed by a global economic slowdown and potential regulatory or legislative changes coming down the tracks.  The global risk survey was carried out by the professional services company AON. Speaking to Joe this morning was Rachael Ingle the Chief Executive of AON Ireland. 

There was another serious warning about Ireland’s over dependence on a small cohort of American multinationals today.  The ESRI said that these firms were making substantial positive contributions to the country But potential job cuts and America’s tilt towards nationalism could jeopardise that Foreign investment and growth in Ireland.  The report also looks at how we can grow home-grown productivity here. Prof Martina Lawless is the Director of the ESRI.

Thursdays business news headlines with Joe Lynam.

December and early January are usually the busiest period for furniture sales. Many of us like new stuff for Christmas and others like to refresh our homes during the Winter sales.  One of the biggest furniture retailers is of course IKEA and now they've launched an interest free financing for bigger purchases. But should we be encouraging shoppers to take out money on credit - even if the rate is 0%?  Joe discuss all with Callum Leavy, the Country Service Experience Lead with IKEA Ireland.