Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock

David McRedmond: ‘O’Connell Street needs high density housing’ 03.06.2026 50m

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 how it would impact on bricks and mortar retailers.Last year An Post delivered 75 million parcels to Irish homes.This year he expects that figure to be well north of 100 million parcels. All this in a country of just two million homes.In this episode, you’ll hear David outline how he believes we need to reimagine the streetscape in our towns and cities to reflect this shift.And he gives ideas on what to do with the historic GPO in Dublin, which An Post largely vacated some time back for new offices in the docks.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will new pay transparency rules close the gender pay gap for good? 27.05.2026 28m

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. Nichola Harkin is head of employment law services at employers’ group Ibec and joins host Ciaran Hancock in studio to explain the key elements of the new EU pay legislation and what it will mean for employers and their staff.How is it being received by companies here? And will it close the gender pay gap?In the second half of this episode, Ciarán speaks to Irish Times Washington Correspondent Keith Duggan about the new governor of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh. He has been described by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman as Donald Trump’s sock puppet.So, the question is, will he be his own man or a Trump patsy?Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rents and evictions soar as house price inflation slows 20.05.2026 39m

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 by landlords rose by 50 per cent in the same period. All that against the backdrop of new government rules around renting.To make some sense of these data points, Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Marian Finnegan, CEO of Sherry Fitzgerald, the country’s largest estate agent, and on the line by Irish Times Economics Correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy.In the second part of this episode, Ciarán is joined by Irish Times business reporter Ian Curran who was in Toronto last week as part of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards programme. Ian highlights some of the business leaders who impressed, their sales pitch, and reaction to Canadian prime minister Mark Carney’s group address as he seeks to wean Canada off its reliance on the US.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could we be heading toward a world recession if Trump can’t broker a deal with Iran? 13.05.2026 34m

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 global recession. Economist John FitzGerald and Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times join host Ciarán Hancock in studio to discuss the implications for Irish householders and businesses. In the second half of this week’s Inside Business, we hear about how plans for a €250 million winter sports arena in Cherrywood, south Dublin are progressing. This  week we learned that several US and Canadian ice hockey stars, including former Stanley Cup winners, have signed on as investors in the proposed ice hockey arena.Eoin Burke-Kennedy of The Irish Times has been covering the story, and he joined Ciarán to outline who these investors are and what their involvement means for the project. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PrepayPower are hiking their prices - will other energy suppliers soon follow suit? 06.05.2026 26m

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 joins host Ciarán Hancock to discuss the outlook for a range of consumer prices, and whether other energy suppliers would follow Prepay Power’s lead and increase their prices.In the second half of this episode, Professor at the School of Computer Science & IT at UCC, Barry O’Sullivan, joins Ciarán to get under the skin of artificial intelligence and its poor image. Some say it will cure cancer and solve climate change; while others view it as a threat to humanity and something that will take away all our jobs. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inflation remains steady; and Conor Pope’s energy saving tips 29.04.2026 31m

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 show.“It’s hard to know how things will go but it looks like we could have a turbulent three to six months where energy is concerned” Cliff Taylor said.For consumers that could mean the need to take a look at the small changes that could, by the year’s end, tally up to substantial savings.The time you spend in the shower, the amount of water you put in the kettle, and how often you put the immersion heater on are all behaviours worth looking at, explains Conor Pope.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerry Group CEO on the impact of Middle East conflict, AI and drive to keep bread fresher for longer 22.04.2026 47m

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 major food companies around the world.Edmond joins host Ciarán Hancok in studio to discuss how Kerry Group has created ingredients that have reduced the salt and sugar levels in popular foods without compromising on taste while also keeping prices down.It is also working on ways to extend the life of bread, so it lasts for up to two weeks.Edmond also explains how the current Middle East conflict is affecting its operations in the region and why the weak dollar, rather than Donald Trump’s tariffs, are impacting on its operations in the US.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has the fuel protest shown that the loudest lobby generally gets what they want? 15.04.2026 44m

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 growth mode and has spun out a couple of businesses. One of those is WaveOMS, which provides software to Irish retailers looking to fulfil their online orders. Plus, IFAC chairman Seamus Coffey discusses the Government’s €505 million package of supports in response to last week’s fuel protests around the country. Is this money well spent? Will it be enough if the Middle East conflict drags on? And is it now a case that those who shout loudest will be appeased by the Government?Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Back yourself”: Aimee Connolly shares her story of 10 years in business 08.04.2026 44m

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 savings, and her tips on leadership, scaling, and plans to enter the lucrative US market.Connolly tells Inside Business that her supply chain - with some products coming from South Korea - have been impacted by delays in freight getting through the Middle East.“I remain optimistic and hope that whatever happens [in the conflict] we’ll be able to pivot” she says.Following the ceasefire between the US and Iran which began on Tuesday, Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times explains the impact of falling oil prices, and the jump in European and Asian stock markets.Produced by Andrew McNair and JJ Vernon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran’s cyber-attacks on Irish-based companies and the ongoing impact of conflict in the Middle East 01.04.2026 47m

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 turmoil and an increasing level of cyber-attack on the operations of American companies in Ireland by Iranian interests.In the second half of this week’s Inside Business, Ciarán speaks to Declan Bolger, the chief executive of the Irish Life group, one of the biggest asset managers in the country.Declan gives his thoughts on the State’s new auto enrolment pension scheme, the rising costs of health insurance premiums, and the impact of AI on his sector.He also explains why Simon Harris’s plan to introduce a tax-friendly savings and investment scheme will be an “absolute failure” if only viewed for the wealthy.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Government's fuel measures betting on a quick resolution to the conflict in Iran? 25.03.2026 27m

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 studio to tease this out are Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times and Fergal O’Brien, director of lobbying and influence at employers group Ibec.But the episode starts with Irish times political correspondent Cormac McQuinn taking us through the various fuel measures introduced by Government. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The difficult choices that could dramatically increase housing supply in Dublin 18.03.2026 43m

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 he wrote for the Irish Times where he highlights restrictive geography and the lack of imagination around land use and zoning as some of the key contributors to the challenging housing situation in the capital. But what decisions led to the current scarcity of supply and what choices could be made to meet demand for future generations in the capital?Also on this episode, the latest report from the Economic and Social Research Institute suggests Ireland is trending to fall far below the 2030 targets as set out in the Climate Action Plan.Focusing on decarbonising Irish households, the report highlights the slow uptake in retrofitting and the installation of heat pumps. The report also points out some of the barriers preventing homeowners from taking such measures.Muireann Lynch is a Senior Research Officer with the ESRI and co-authored the report. She joined Cliff on the line to go through the report’s key points.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Over a billion eyeballs will be on the parade’: St Patrick’s festival CEO Richard Tierney 11.03.2026 40m

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 joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to discuss year-long preparations that went into the 2026 festival, what it means for the economy and the part it plays in kicking off Ireland’s tourism season. Earlier this week, The Irish Times began an 8-week series on how to invest. Fiona Reddan is the author of the series, and she joined Ciarán in studio to discuss the thesis behind the series and the various that she will cover.She began with a piece on how Irish people are leaving up to €172 billion on deposit with the banks, earning little or no interest.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the conflict in the Middle East is already affecting Irish consumers 04.03.2026 36m

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 or are Irish consumers getting taken advantage of? Will prices continue to rise? And how soon before Donald Trump can claim victory and find a resolution? Host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times, professor in energy economics at UCD, Lisa Ryan, and Head of Global Equities at Davy, Aidan Donnelly.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Trump’s new global tariff scupper the US-EU trade deal? 25.02.2026 37m

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 Irish exporters? And what does it mean for the trade deal agreed last year with the European Union?Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times has been writing about the tariffs decision while Pat Rigney of the Shed Distillery exports gin and whiskey to the American market, which is a huge part of his business. They explain the Supreme Court’s decision and outline what the position is right now for Irish exporters in terms of how much they will have to pay in tariffs. Also on this episode, we look at the Central Statistics Office figures published last week that showed the number of employees working remotely declined for three successive quarters to the end of 2025. Although just shy of 1 million workers are still working from home. Louisa Meehan is a HR expert with Woodview HRM and she joins host Ciarán Hancock on the line to tease out whether the tables have turned on hybrid working or if this is just a statistical blip. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Simon Harris’s savings scheme for the ‘middle classes’ prove to be a sound investment? 18.02.2026 38m

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 the money on deposit to better use in the economy.Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times covered the story this week, he joins host Ciarán Hancock in studio to assess how such a scheme might work and what might be on the table come budget time.In the second half of this episode, we discuss how visitor numbers to Ireland were down last year, the weather in 2026 has been lousy so far and the country has been getting a reputation as a high-cost location for a holiday.On the flip side of the coin, the Government has decided to scrap the passenger cap at Dublin Airport and has eased rules that would have banned short term holiday lets in rural locations.Eoghan O’Mara Walsh is chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation and joined Ciarán on the line to discuss the issues facing the tourism industry this year and its likely asks of Government in the next budget.And with St Patrick’s Day on the horizon and it being the typical starting point of the Irish tourism season, how is the year ahead shaping up for the industry?Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David McWilliams on how social media giants are making billions from fake ads 11.02.2026 32m

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 Irish Times reporter Hugh Dooley to takes us through the headline findings from the Revolut research, while Irish Times columnist and economist David McWilliams discusses how his image was used by scammers last year to con people out of money.Also, research this week from the ESRI suggests the property industry is using ghost bids and other tactics to create a frenzy and nudge buyers into increasing their bids for properties here.It found participants’ bids were pushed higher in open auctions managed by estate agents or online platforms than in sealed bid auctions.Owen Reilly is a leading estate agent in Dublin, and he discusses how the research chimed with his own experience in the industry.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it time Ireland abolished mandatory retirement? 04.02.2026 31m

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 three-quarters of the population aged 60-64 are in the labour force. He makes the case that such a move could not only reduce the numbers on the State pension, ease the cost of ageing to the exchequer, but also help alleviate the housing crisis.Also on this episode, we look at the German economy, which is frequently referred to as the Engine of Europe, but has begun to sputter quite a bit in recent times.A lack of much-needed reform, low levels of foreign investment and ineffective fiscal stimulus measures are just some of the reasons the German Chancellor Freidrich Merz is under increasing pressure to revive the economy, and quickly.But what needs to be done before that revival can start? And is there any cause for positivity in the economic outlook for Germany this year? Irish Times Berlin correspondent Derek Scally offers some insights.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the price of an ounce now more than $5,000, why is everyone going for gold? 28.01.2026 47m

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 as a safe investment? And what role has US president Donald Trump played in this price spike?Cliff has been following the story and explains the reasons behind the price surge. The EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme has been running since 1998, with Denis O’Brien chosen as the first winner. Each year 24 finalists are chosen for a months-long programme of events, culminating in awards night and the announcement of the category and overall winners. Last year, Edward McCloskey of WaterWipes fame took home the overall prize. Roger Wallace is the EY partner in charge of the programme while 2025 finalist James Kelly is a managing director with LMH Engineering in Arklow, Co Wicklow. They joined Ciarán in studio for a chat on the benefits of the awards programme, what it takes to be an entrepreneur and the current state of Irish entrepreneurship.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Old order ‘not coming back’ as Trump overshadows World Economic Forum 21.01.2026 12m

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 this year’s event so far. Trump is due to arrive in Davos on Wednesday afternoon.On Tuesday, French president Emmanuel Macron openly accused the US of trying to “subordinate” Europe and referred to the consequences that could arise from this “new colonial approach”.Also on Tuesday, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney was damning in his assessment of Donald Trump’s impact on global politics and a “fading” rules-based order. He also warned countries against a policy of appeasement when it comes to major powers like the US.Speaking in Davos, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke echoed the concerns of many there, he told those in attendance that US strategy on Greenland, and the threat of tariffs to countries opposing the move, was effectively “tearing apart” the EU-US trade deal.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.