Breakfast Business

As we get older, the demand for care in the home is growing. That means the thousands of care workers calling in to check in and help our older citizens is also growing and they need to be managed and helped by care homes and provision providers. OneTouch Health provides software for those care workers to do their job more effectively and business is good. Neil McGough the Chief Executive of OneTouch Health spoke all about his business with Joe.

So we know who won the Hungarian elections at the weekend and we know that change is definitely on its way for how that central European nation is run. We also know that Peter Magyar's victory will instantly unlock billions of Euros in EU money which had been frozen due to Victor Orban's autocratic tendencies. But what of the Hungarian economy? What will change and what will remain the same? All to discuss with Anita Komuves, Reuters's Hungary correspondent.

Friday's business news review with Joe Lynam and Austin Hughes from AJ Bell.

They're big, blue and yellow, and they sell prepackaged furniture with funny Scandinavian names. They posted a 131% jump in operating profits here in Ireland They are of course IKEA and Mostafa El Garaa the acting Chief executive of IKEA UK & Ireland joined Joe on the show this morning.

There's been a small but significant change in the law when it comes to who gets paid what when a piece of music is played on the radio or TV. It's an amendment to the Copyright Act and tilts the balance back in favour of those performers who recorded the music originally either their own or someone else's. Joe gets the details with Mathew Forde is a specialist in intellectual property and a Partner at the law firm Lewis Silkin.

Thursday's business news review along with Newstalk Business Editor Joe Lynam.

Ornua or the co-operative formerly known as the Irish Dairy Board has just published its results for last year. Profits were up 3.6% to €171m but worryingly net debt was up 89%. But how will the current energy shock and a potential global recession affect Ornua? All to discuss with Conor Galvin, the Chief Executive of Ornua.

Wednesday's business news review with Joe Lynam.

After a protracted legal battle the one remaining car park in Dublin airport which wasn't controlled by DAA was sold to the German giant APCOA and opened a year ago this week under the brand Park2Travel. The room for expansion is limited by the physical footprint of the car park and the number of shuttle buses on the go. Joining Joe this morning was Neil Cunningham is the boss of APCOA which operates park2travel in Dublin airport.

They've only been around for 11 years but Monzo bank is Britain's largest digital bank with 15million customers worldwide. Now they are withdrawing from America entirely but opening up a business here in Ireland. But what does Monzo offer that Revolut, which is huge here, doesn't already? All to discuss with The CEO of Monzo Bank Michael Carney.

It's getting tougher than ever to distinguish between a real and AI created video. That also goes for fraud. AI is creating such believable emails and websites that customers have to work hard not to fall for them. So what's to be done to protect companies and consumers from fake CEO messages or urgent but fake letters from legit clients? To discuss this and more was Righard Zwienenberg is a Senior Research Fellow with ESET .

The growth for housing prices is experiencing a cool-down period. That's according to the Q1 2026 Property Report from MyHome Susan discussed the findings with Conall MacCoille, Chief Economist, Bank of Ireland.

Research suggests that people's commitment to long-term financial planning dips in middle age, just as its importance increases. That's according to the latest edition of PTSB's Reflecting Ireland research series. All to discuss with Leontia Fannin, Chief sustainability and corporate affairs Officer at PTSB.

Activity in Ireland's services sector increased again in March but at one of the weakest rates over the past five years, as new business growth moderated and price inflation accelerated sharply to a three-year high. That's according to AIB's latest purchasing managers' index report. To discuss further was John Fahey AIB Senior Economist.

The exchequer returns for the first quarter of the year show that the public finances remain broadly on the course set on budget day last October. Susan discussed the returns further with Seamus Coffey, Former Chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Lecturer in Economics at UCC.

Drone delivery firm Manna recently announced it has raised €43.1m in a new Series B funding round with plans for 400 extra jobs in Ireland and the US. All to discuss with Alan Hicks Chief Technical Officer of Manna.

As US markets become more expensive and uncertain for Irish firms, one sector struggling among many is MedTech. To discuss the pressure and the solutions is Tim Jones, CEO of Galway medtech company SymPhysis Medical.

Tuesday's business news headlines along with Susan Hayes Culleton.

PwC's latest Insolvency Barometer shows that there were 212 insolvencies recorded in the first quarter of this year. Ken Tyrell Head of Insolvency at PwC discusses the findings with Emmet.

This week, you likely heard thieves stole more than 400,000 KitKat chocolate bars weighing around 12 tonnes from a truck in Europe. While it might have gone viral, Geotab are warning that it points to a larger issue, a marked increase in cargo theft. Emmet discusses further with Phil Barnes, Business Development Manager at Geotab.

The new Banner Plaza on the M18 from the owner of Supermacs includes a supermarket, play area and a large food court a €20m investment and 120 new jobs. But it was far from smooth sailing to get it opened. In fact, it was 8 years behind schedule thanks to a number of judicial reviews and challenges from environmental groups and serial objectors. Joining Joe this morning was Pat McDonagh is the founder of Supermacs.

New figures for motor insurance by the Central Bank showed a 4% rise in premiums in the first half of last year. The National Claims Information Database shows that the cost of repairing cars went up again last year and is up 155% since covid but payouts for claims in the courts are down 24% in that time. That report comes on top of a huge surge in complaints to the Financial Ombudsman about insurers last year mostly for not paying out. All to discuss with Moyagh Murdock the Chief Executive of Insurance Ireland.

Wednesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

How often do you see some very special piece of old furniture and cover it immediately? Perhaps it's the shape, the colour but more often than not it's wood. My next guest sells special lighting, kitchen islands and tables and every piece is a story which is usually at least one hundred years old, whether taken from a convict ship or an old church or a railway sleeper. The company is called Copperfish and the founder Eoin Shanley, is our Green Businessperson of the month for March thanks to Repak.

Despite the trade barriers created by Brexit, the UK remains Ireland's second biggest trading partner. But the red tape in shipping stuff from here to there is acting as a deterrent to trade. So now An Post is launching a new streamlined service for companies to get their goods to Great Britain called ‘UK Direct'. It includes pre-clearance and payments of any duties in advance. Garret Bridgeman is MD of An Post Commerce and joined Joe Lynam on the show this morning.

Tuesday's business news headlines with Joe Lynam.

Across the island of Ireland, 3.6 million people save with a credit union. They're very local and connected to customers and have been slow to digitalise and try to compete with the traditional or neo banks when it comes to mortgage lending and account management. Now, many credit unions have signed up to a new digital platform to meet the banking needs of their customers. It's called CU-Tech and the company behind it is the Irish business Metamo. Ciara Prendeville, Deputy CEO of Metamo, joined Joe Lynam on the show to discuss.

It's not news that Ireland earns the lion's share of its Corporation Taxes from a handful of American companies and that it hasn't enough of large indigenous businesses. My next guest used to advise the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and is now a professor of economics in the University of Galway. He was commissioned by the Collison brothers to assess the long-term health of the Irish economy and has concluded that a pivot is now urgent if we are to improve the productivity of local companies. Alan Ahearne joined Joe Lynam on the show this morning.

Joe Lynam was joined by Mike O'Sullivan from Unio for Monday's business news review.

France is Ireland's biggest EU Trading partner these days, accounting for 11% of Irish imports. But a recent report from the France-Ireland Chamber of Commerce has highlighted some of the infrastructural and talent shortage failings that are holding it back. All to discuss with Chris Smyth, is the President of the France-Ireland Chamber of Commerce.

How many times have retailers had only seconds to judge whether a young adult is old enough to buy alcohol or vapes or cigarettes? Mercury Retail Services uses AI to fairly accurately estimate the age of a customer and the estimation service is already in use in the Galmont Hotel in Galway. He also uses technology to monitor and hopefully prevent shoplifting. Joining Joe was Felim Meade the Business Development Manager with Mercury Retail Services.

Kate English from Deloitte joined Joe to look through Friday's business news stories.

Ireland is fairly well represented at the top tables of the European Central Bank. The Central Bank of Ireland Governor sits on the body which decides interest rates, while Philip Lane is the ECB Chief Economist. We also have Sharon Donnery who doesn't set rates but sits on the Supervisory Board of the ECB and supervises the largest banks of the euro area. Sharon joined Joe on the show this morning.

Thursday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

Today OpenAI has also published a study suggesting that most of us are using AI in the workplace to the extent that we gain 5 hours a week by doing so. But we still lack the AI skills and confidence to leverage its usage. Joe discussed this and more with Emma Redmond is the Head of OpenAI Ireland.

Version-1 is opening up a brand-new AI facility in Ireland and creating 250 jobs and hundreds more north of the border as well as part of its digital transformation rollout. It's a vote of confidence at a time of immense geopolitical upheaval. But will it lure a proper indigenous AI sector here? All to discuss with Roop Singh the Chief Executive of Version 1 .

Wednesday's business news review with Joe Lynam.

My next guest supplies eggs to the biggest supermarkets in Ireland courtesy of 120,000 chickens supplying millions of eggs every year. Connolly eggs mostly supply organic and free-range products, and this month have signed a major deal with Marks & Spencer. But will they be impacted by rising inflation and animal feed costs caused by the war? Speaking to Joe this morning was Kevin Connolly the Quality Manager with Connolly eggs.

Just shy of half the entire population of Ireland has some form of private health insurance. It means that when insurance companies such as LAYA, Irish Life or VHI increase their premiums But are the price rises that we have seen of late justified? And why is that 82% of us don't shop around for better health cover? All to discuss with Brian Lee, CEO of the Health Insurance Authority.

Joe Lynam brings us Tuesday's business news review.

Venturewave Capital which seeks out Irish companies with decent potential and takes a stake in them. Venturewave is backed by some high profile luminaries. But how will private equity react amid an worldwide energy shock which could push us all into a nasty recession? All to discuss with Kieran McLoughlin is Managing Partner at Venturewave Capital.

A report from State Street bank says that more than 70% of retirees in Ireland rely on the State pension as their primary income source. But we're all living longer and healthier lives, so the dependency ratio is growing . So, what's to be done in order not to over-burden working taxpayers? Joining Joe to discuss further was Ann Prendergast the Executive Vice President and Head of the Europe with State Street Investment management.