Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
Episodes
How the conflict in the Middle East is already affecting Irish consumers
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Could Trump’s new global tariff scupper the US-EU trade deal?
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Could Simon Harris’s savings scheme for the ‘middle classes’ prove to be a sound investment?
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
David McWilliams on how social media giants are making billions from fake ads
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 m...
Is it time Ireland abolished mandatory retirement?
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 I...
With the price of an ounce now more than $5,000, why is everyone going for gold?
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Old order ‘not coming back’ as Trump overshadows World Economic Forum
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 Correspo...
Trump vs the Fed: What does it mean for global trade and Ireland?
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by the Irish Times economics experts Cliff Taylor and Eoin Burke-Kennedy.Tensions a...
Ireland’s record tax take makes light of Trump tariffs fear
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
2025 proved to be a record year for tax receipt figures, with the total hitting €106bn.This was despite extensive warnings about the State’s ...
Another huge corporate tax take to AI’s next phase: What’s in store for 2026?
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For this week’s episode, host Ciarán Hancock Is joined by an expert panel to look forward to 2026. After another record-breaking year for corporate...
Trump’s tariffs, a deepening housing crisis, and more corporate tax bonanza: The big stories of 2025
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For this episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the major stories of 2025.A busy year in markets ...
Could the decision to spend most of next year’s corporation tax come back to bite the Government?
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Chairman of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) Seamus Coffey to d...
Why are apartments in Ireland so much more expensive to build than houses?
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The latest report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland shows that only the top 20 per cent of earners can afford to rent an avera...
Will the Government’s new plan speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure projects?
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at the sluggish delivery of large and necessary infrastructure projects that has been a feature o...
If Irish households are so rich, why does it feel like an illusion?
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by senior lecturer in housing at TUD Dublin, Lorcan Sirr.The episode starts...
How AI is beginning to wreak havoc in the jobs market
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at the role of AI in the hiring and firing of workers.Host Ciarán Hancock is joined on the podca...
Irish business grandee Gary McGann on working with Michael Smurfit, the fall of Anglo Irish and the current state of the Irish economy
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Gary McGann, a grandee of Irish business whose many roles included being chie...
Will Imagine’s big gamble double its customer base?
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode of Inside Business sees host Ciarán Hancock joined in studio by Niall Tallon, chief executive of Irish telecoms group Imagine. ...
Tom O’Brien of Nephin Energy on the importance of gas, the potential of biomethane, and whether our energy bills will come down
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s guest on Inside Business is Tom O’Brien, group chief executive of Nephin Energy. Nephin owns 43 per cent of the Corrib gas field off t...
Are plug-in hybrids just as polluting as petrol cars?
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is research from Brussels think tank Transport & Environment suggesting that plug-in hybrids are just as polluting as petrol cars. Neil Bris...
Dublin Bus CEO on recruitment challenges, going electric, and stamping out anti-social behaviour
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Billy Hann, chief executive of Dublin Bus, the biggest public transport...
Budget 2026: What it means for Irish households and businesses
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ciarán Hancock is joined by guests to pore over the main elements of Budget 2026. The €9.4 billion package includes a minimum wage increase of 65c ...
Should we put more money into Irish soccer?
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland’s national soccer team will slide down the international rankings unless significant investment is made in the League of Ireland’s academy...
The NFL comes to Dublin: How it became the richest sports league in the world
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park this weekend in the first regular-season NFL game to take place on Irish shores....
Why has the DAA board fallen out with chief executive Kenny Jacobs?
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
First up on the Inside Business podcast this week, the rift between the board of the DAA, the State-owned operator of Dublin and Cork airports, and it...
What can we potentially look forward to in Budget 2026?
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the budget just under a month away, what will ministers Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers deliver on October 7th?The one-off cost-of-living measu...
Why are some independent Irish breweries turning off their taps and closing?
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
First up on Inside Business this week is the plight of independent Irish breweries, who, like so many now, are finding the cost of doing business to b...
Why is the delivery of vital infrastructure so slow in Ireland?
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The predictably slow delivery of infrastructure here has a raft of negative consequences, not least how it undermines our competitiveness in a very ch...
Why is Ireland not considered a truly rich country?
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Economist magazine recently published its annual country rich list. Ireland was nowhere to be found on the list in spite of the fact that we are c...
‘I don’t think the Department of Finance have any respect for the tourism industry’
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Inside Business is looking at tourism. Data from the Central Statistics Office earlier this year suggested that the number of visitors to th...
Influencers beware, Revenue is on the prowl
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We start this week’s episode of Inside Business with a look at how influencers have been reminded recently by Revenue of their obligations to pay ta...
Did the EU have its hands tied before striking a trade deal with the US?
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by economist and Irish Times contributor John FitzGerald. He gives his reaction to the EU-US trade ...
How will the updated National Development Plan shape Ireland in years to come?
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week the Government outlined spending of €200 billion on a National Development Plan stretching over the next decade. In parallel it also set o...
David McWilliams on how ‘big incentives’ to build could save Dublin city
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Economist and writer David McWilliams was scathing about the level of dereliction in Dublin city in a recent article in the Irish Times. He suggested ...
The Juggle: the issues facing women with young children when balancing childcare and their careers
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re looking at the Juggle that women with young children have to make in Ireland to find a work-life balance.It’s an age-old pro...
How the wealthy are buying up land to avoid inheritance tax
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are looking at the phenomenon of the D4 farmer. Not some wealthy entrepreneur herding cattle in Ballsbridge but wealthy individuals buyin...
IATA Director General Willie Walsh on airline profits, air fares and why the Dublin Airport passenger cap makes Ireland a laughing stock
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Willie Walsh, the director general of IATA, the Geneva-based representative group for the airline industry...
Bobby Healy on why Manna drone delivery could be the ‘biggest technology company in the world for its space’
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re flying high with the Irish drone delivery company Manna.Its founder and chief executive is Bobby Healy, who joined host Ciarán Hanc...
Will rent reform make building apartments viable?
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conall Mac Coille, chief economist at Bank of Ireland, joins Cliff Taylor and Ciaran Hancock to talk about Irish economic and business news:RPZ reform...
How to manage your pension in these volatile times
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump’s second term in the White House has seen markets go through a period of extreme volatility, something that has worried many Irish pens...
Ford Chief Lisa Brankin on accelerating the switch to EVs
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New electric vehicle sales here dipped last year by 24% when compared to 2023, further making a mockery of the government’s target of 1 million EVs ...
‘We’re at a critically low level of housing stock’ for buyers and renters
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week brought more bad news for first time buyers and those renting.Figures from both the CSO and property website Daft.ie suggest that house pric...
‘I’ve entrepreneurial spirit in my veins’ – Apprentice star Jordan Dargan
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode of Inside Business starts with an interview with Irish entrepreneur Jordan Dargan.Fans of the popular BBC show The Apprenti...
Will DoorDash takeover of Deliveroo mean better pay and conditions for gig economy workers?
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this week, US meal delivery group DoorDash agreed a deal to take over its British rival Deliveroo, which has a big presence in Ireland.The dea...
100 days of Trump: “It’s like The Karate Kid, tax on, tax off, tariffs on, tariffs off”
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Inside Business looks at the impact of Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office on markets. The sweeping US tariffs announced on April 2nd&...
Patrick Guilbaud on bringing fine dining to Ireland, retirement plans, and not getting that third Michelin star
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode features Patrick Guilbaud, the French chef who brought fine dining to Ireland 44 years ago. Situated beside the Merrion Hotel in...
“1 in 5 US households consume Kerrygold” – Ornua CEO Conor Galvin
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kerrygold is one of the biggest food brands in Ireland and one of our largest exports.Earlier today, its parent company Ornua announced that revenues ...
Trump’s tariffs: “The rest of the world is now going to de-risk from the United States”
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A full-blown global tariff war in underway.Donald’s Trump’s tariffs took effect last night with the EU due to vote today on a retaliatory list dra...
What is behind Ireland’s tourism slowdown?
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last week data from the CSO showed a decline of 30 per cent in the number of visitors to the country in February, with revenue taking a hit of €88 m...
What damage is Elon Musk doing to Tesla’s shares and sales?
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first part of this week’s episode of Inside Business, we look at Tesla and the backlash against the vehicle car maker this year because ...
What do Donald Trump’s April tariffs mean for Ireland?
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we discuss US President Donald Trump’s intention to impose new reciprocal tariff rates on EU count...
‘My plan is to make sure Smurfit Westrock is one of the great companies of the world’: Tony Smurfit on taking the family business global
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Tony Smurfit, president and CEO of Smurfit WestRock, the biggest paper and packaging grou...
“The retailer is now facing dramatically increased costs”: Leo Crawford, former CEO of BWG Group
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s guest on Inside Business is Leo Crawford, who recently stepped down as the head of BWG Group after nearly 40 years with the business.BWG...
Publican Noel Anderson on Grand Slam Bars, taking on Guinness and the rising price of a pint
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by Dublin publican and Managing Director of Grand Slam Bars, Noel Anderson.The pub group is jo...
“Landing Google really put us on the map”: Karl Brophy on the success and sale of Red Flag
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this month, Red Flag Global, an Irish-based strategic communications firm was acquired by New York-based Ankura Consulting Group, a global man...
How does Ireland fix its dysfunctional rental sector?
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the past week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has suggested that the Rent Pressure Zone system could be scrapped and that tax breaks could be introduced ...
Are we at the beginning of Donald Trump’s global trade war?
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the start of this week US President Donald Trump took the global economy into uncharted territory by threatening a multi-front trade war.After last...
What is DeepSeek and why did it send global markets into meltdown?
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Monday, markets were in meltdown when it emerged that a Chinese app called DeepSeek had developed a low-cost AI technology that can compete with th...
Ireland’s childcare sector is struggling, but is a State-led model the answer?
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Karen Clince is CEO of Tigers Childcare, one of the biggest providers in the Irish market with 22 centres in Dublin, Cork, Kildare and Meath. She join...
Is Ireland’s planning system broken?
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last week a high-profile residential property scheme for Dundrum village in Dublin, that would have delivered 881 apartments and a mix of commercial u...
Could a glut of affordable EVs tempt Irish motorists to make the switch?
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Figures for 2024 showed a 1 per cent decline in total car sales across the Irish market versus 2023. But the number of electric vehicles sold reduced ...
What’s in store for 2025?
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For this week’s episode, host Ciarán Hancock was joined by a stellar panel to look forward to 2025. They tried to predict what would happen with fo...
A year of thoughts on Ireland’s housing crisis
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland’s ongoing housing crisis was the number one concern for voters as they went to the polls in November with scarce supply and price inflation ...
Hospitality in Dublin: ‘stress and burnout are getting worse in the industry’
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It has been another tough year for restaurant and café owners – according to the Restaurant Association of Ireland, two venues a day are closing as...
From Apple Tax to Swiftonomics: 2024 in review
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As 2024 nears its end, Inside Business looks back at some of the big stories of the year. Everything from rising house prices to soaring corporation t...
Retailers in Dublin: “shoplifting is a huge concern”
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Cliff Taylor is joined in studio by Louisa Earls, manager of Books Upstairs, along with Laura Caffre...
‘Ireland is on a winning streak’: The outsider’s view of our economy
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the Irish government rolling in clover like never before, what is the outsider’s view of our economy? Max Colchester, Britain Correspondent for...
Irish companies are already preparing for impact of Trump’s tariffs
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Trump’s stance on imports coming into the US could have very real implications for Irish transatlantic trade.September proved to be a record ...
Why switching your mortgage rate can save you a lot of money (especially if you are green)
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Research from online broker Doddl.ie has estimated that savings of about €7,400 a year could be achieved by switching your mortgage rate. Martina He...
What Trump’s presidency could mean for Ireland’s economy
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a remarkable political comeback, Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States. So, what will that mean for the Irish economy, gi...
Is a Ryanair-style model the answer to Ireland’s housing crisis?
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode looks at the housing crisis from a slightly quirky angle.Imagine if Michael O’Leary decided to set up a development company to...
Data centres are energy-hungry and employ few people, so why does Ireland need more of them?
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In his recent piece for the Irish Times, Harry Goddard, CEO of Big Four firm Deloitte, argues that Ireland needs to build more data centres. He say...
‘Hospitality demand is there, but there is no margin anymore’
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
These are some very challenging times for retail and hospitality here, with news this week that men’s fashion retailer Alias Tom was placed into liq...
Retail and hospitality in the firing line as Irish insolvencies ramp up
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to PwC’s quarterly insolvency barometer, the retail sector now accounts for one in four of all insolvencies so far this year. Hospitality ...
Budget 2025: What it means for Irish households and businesses
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Host Ciarán Hancock is joined by guests to pore over the main points of Budget 2025. The €10.5 billion package has a range of measures, including t...
Has Irish house price inflation finally peaked?
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock speaks with Bank of Ireland chief economist Conall MacCoille about their latest econ...
Should Ireland give the Apple tax billions to poorer countries?
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In his piece for the Irish Times earlier this week, CEO of Ibec Danny McCoy wrote about the ‘generational opportunity’ the next government will ha...
How will the Apple tax ruling affect Ireland’s relationship with other multinationals?
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business we’re looking at the Apple tax judgement from the European Court of Justice with Joe Brennan. It was dec...
Could office construction in Dublin soon come to a full stop?
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Reports last week highlighted the challenges in the commercial property market, particularly in the offices sector, with some prized assets receiving ...
Inheritance tax in Ireland: What are the rules, and could they be changed in the budget?
28 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Inheritance tax has become something of a hot political issue, with hints of change coming in the budget supported by senior Fine Gael members who wan...
What’s happening with Ireland’s housing crisis and where do we go next?
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re trying to buy a home, a report this week from estate agent Sherry FitzGerald on house prices and available stock won’t have lifted your ...
What to consider when switching to an EV
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The high price of electric cars has long been seen as a barrier for those looking to switch from the traditional combustion-engine car to an EV, but t...
‘A matter of days’ from insolvency: How an Irish company came back from the brink
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Covid-19 pandemic that hit in March 2020 hammered the Irish hospitality and retail sectors.One company that was directly in the firing line was Mo...
Despite its €725m funding plan, are there still storm clouds on the horizon for RTÉ?
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Inside Business we look at the €725 million funding plan the Government has agreed to provide to RTÉ over the next three years. ...
‘With airlines there’s always some volatility'
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week industrial peace broke out at Aer Lingus when pilots at the airline voted in favour of a pay proposal brokered by the Labour Court, ending w...
Ireland’s hospitality sector: ‘The customer feels they are not getting value for money’
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, which represents the broad hospitality sector, made its pre-budget submission to Government. Among...
Summer Economic Statement: Are the days of prudence well over?
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday, the Government published its Summer Economic Statement, which provides a framework for tax and spending in October’s budget. We dis...
Irish housing crisis: increased supply will not help affordability
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are focusing on mortgages and housing supply. Host Ciarán Hancock is joined by an expert panel comprising Irish Times finance correspond...
Jack Chambers: what to expect from the youngest Minister for Finance since Michael Collins
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business we start with Jack Chambers’ appointment as the new Minister for Finance following Michael McGrath’s n...
Industrial action at Aer Lingus: How will it impact passengers?
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, we begin with Aer Lingus, after pilots at the airline voted again on Monday to pursue industrial action o...
‘Ireland is a microcosm of a global housing problem’
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Irish Times economics correspondent Eoin Burke-Kennedy to discuss the t...
Ifac’s new report: more ‘fiscal gimmickry’ from the government
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council’s latest report has reiterated their stance that government spending plans risk overheating an economy already at ...
Conor Pope’s guide to getting the most bang for your summer holiday buck
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to Conor Pope, Irish holidaymakers have been playing a game of chicken with airlines in recent weeks and – for once – it seems that...
Rugby star. Businessman. Philanthropist: What is the legacy of the late Tony O’Reilly?
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last weekend, Tony O’Reilly, one of Ireland’s leading businessmen, died at the age of 88 after a short illness. He had a hugely successful career ...
What's behind the recent surge in housing construction here?
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some 18,000 housing commencements were recorded in April. It’s a huge number and well up on the normal run rate. What was behind that spike? An...
Does Dublin have a problem with vacant offices?
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of the Inside Business podcast looks at Ireland's commercial and residential property markets. In part one John McCartney, Director of Re...
Has Apple Inc run out of ideas?
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we take a deep dive into the issues impacting tech giant Apple. In the year to date, the iPhone maker's share price has fallen by more than ...
Aviva re-entering the Irish health insurance market: ‘this can only be good news for all consumers’
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s Inside Business with Ciarán Hancock we look at Aviva’s plan to re-enter the Irish health insurance market and what that might mean...
A third terminal at Dublin Airport - urgent necessity or pie in the sky?
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock is joined in studio by aviation entrepreneur Ulick McEvaddy. With his brother Des, U...
The auto-enrolment pension scheme seems good on paper, but how will it actually work?
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode of the Inside Business podcast, we look at the pension pots that auto enrolment could deliver for workers on an average wage....