Breakfast Business

Only this week it emerged that investing in startups in Ireland had dropped to a 10 year low despite surging savings rates and wealth levels. The financial services sector wants the government to do a lot more in next month's budget to prize open those wallets and invest in indigenous companies. Financial services Ireland says we need a lot more education about investing and to change to the tax system to link savings to supporting startups. All to discuss with Patricia Callan the Chief Executive of Financial Services Ireland.

The French Government debt to GDP stands at 113% in the Eurozone's second largest economy and the budget deficit is at an unsustainable 5.8%. But any efforts to cut that debt mountain or curb entitlements have been met with violent and sustained protests on French streets. So what can be done to avoid La Grande nation from going cap in hand to the IMF for a bailout? Timothy Graf, Head of Macro Strategy for EMEA at State Street Market

Wednesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

A unicorn is an unlisted start up with an actual or strong potential to be worth more than $1billion. We don't have many here in Ireland, 9 according to TracXn including Workhuman, Lets Get Checked and TransferMate. But according to my next guest Irish unicorn owners and owners of smaller start-ups are selling out 12 times faster than they are being created and with that control and IP usually leaving the country. Alan Coleman, from Wolfgang Digital joined Joe Lynam on the show.

Identity theft is a surging problem. Fraudsters only need a few bits of detail about you, much of which is available anyway on your social media feeds. Once they get it they can open up new accounts in your name to prevent this the security software company Entrust works with Mastercard and other card providers using something called its identity verification security platform. But with criminals getting very clever and AI speeding up fraud, are the good guys merely catching up with the baddies? Minh Nguyen, Vice President of Product Identity Verification at Entrust joined Joe Lynam on the show this morning.

Joe takes a look at Tuesday's business new headlines.

Revolut claims it has at least 3 million customers in Ireland. That's most adults in this country and the reason is the ease with which customers can set up an account and make payments to friends, family and even total strangers. The Irish banks have long considered creating some sort of easy-pay rival, and now they think they might have it. The new service, which will start in a few months will be called Zippay and it potentially brings in all the banks and doesn't require a new app or to upload anything. The 3 pillar banks have signed up and Revolut is free to do so too but one wonders whether it would bother.Brian Hayes, Chief Executive of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland, joined Joe Lynam on the show to discuss the new financial product and the other challenges facing the banks.

Russ Mould from AJ Bell takes a look at the main business news stories along with Joe Lynam.

Once you click the fraudsters have a toe in the door and are on the way to ripping you off. Amazingly Facebook or Instagram are not legally obliged yet to check the identity of advertisers. But legislation may be on the way in the EU to force them to do so. Joe discusses this and more with Paul O'Brien from Bank of Ireland Security.

Friday business news review along with Joe Lynam and Kate English from Deloitte.

The Small Claims court is often a consumer's best option to get redress from companies. The maximum limit for claims though was set almost 20 years ago at €2000.Taking inflation into consideration that sum is now worth only €1,200 in real terms. The Consumer and Competition Protection commission wants to raise that sum to reflect increased costs. It also wants more transparency in the Small Claims Court and a cut in fees. All to discuss with Grainne Griffin is head of Communications with the CCPC.

Fewer than 5% of homes in Ireland have solar panels on their roofs but that's up from around 1% 5 years ago. It's a reflection of the growing affordability of them, EU subsidies and the soaring cost of energy that has driven demand. Next year a new concept called ‘dynamic tariffs' will come into force which could drive even more households to create their own energy supplies. Joe was joined on the show by Darren Murray the Chief Operating Officer of Ecoplex which is one of the largest suppliers in the State.

Joe Lynam brings us Thursday's business news review this morning.

The cost of borrowing for the British government has soared over the past few days with the 30-year bond yield heading for 6% almost twice that of Ireland. The markets are worried that Britain is spending too much money, and they are demanding a higher premium to lend to it. Worryingly, inflation has also remained stubbornly high. All to discuss with Andrew Sentence who used to sit on the Bank of England's interest rate setting Monetary Policy Committee.

BT sold its wholesale and fibre infrastructure business to the Irish telecoms company Speed Fibre earlier this year. It was given the green light by the Competition watchdog this week and it means that Speed Fibre, which owns Enet and Magnet plus brands, has a decent sized presence now in the Irish business telecoms market. But how well placed is Ireland for the AI revolution which is sweeping the US? All to discuss with Peter McCarthy, Chief Executive of Speed Fibre Group.

Joe Lynam takes a look at the main business news stories this morning.

The latest data from the CSO suggests that we're jumping between jobs that little bit less than earlier this year. Mark Price used to run one of Britain's biggest supermarkets Waitrose before he became a Government Minister and a member of the House of Lords. But what does he make of the world of work surrounded by such geopolitical and economic uncertainty? All to chat with Mark Price the author of the book ‘Work Happier: How To Be Happy & Successful at Work'.

Tuesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

AI is set to create a once in a generation shift in how we work. But will it be worth it or are we looking at a repeat of the Dot Com crash from 25 years ago? ServiceNow is a giant Enterprise software company which provides all manner of consultancy and business support including AI to the largest companies in the world.All to discuss with Mark Cockerill is the country lead for ServiceNow here in Ireland.

The company Kroll is also known for its ability to get information about businesses that they don't necessarily want in the public domain. Business is growing in Ireland ,so much so that it is buying an insolvency specialist known as Kirby Healy. Joining Joe on the show this morning wasDeclan Taite is the country Lead for Kroll Ireland.

Michael O'Leary and Dermot Desmond have criticised the plans to finally build an underground metro system. Dublin Chamber said that in a poll of their members 40% wanted Metrolink to be prioritised. But at a cost of at least €12bn it will be the most expensive metro in the world. Will it be worth it? All to discuss with Mary Rose Burke from Dublin Chamber.

At any one moment there is an estimated $1.4trillion worth of cargo in transit somewhere in the world. Securing, insuring and protecting that is big business . Overhauls founded in Dundalk provides risk management solutions and they've just signed a new deals and got a major cash injection to grow the business of logistics security. Joe spoke to Barry Conlon, CEO of Overhaul

Russ Mould from AJ Bell takes a look at the main business news stories along with Joe Lynam.

Paul Murphy Chief executive of ClimeAction works with all types of companies to get their emissions down be that a dairy farm or a microchip manufacturer. ClimeAction is only 4 years old but already has offices on both sides of the Atlantic. Paul is our Green Business person of the month with Repak.

In an effort to create long term rentals and cut housing waiting lists, the government has proposed that all short term rentals acquire planning permission before letting out their homes on Airbnb or other platforms. But what impact will that have on small, usually family run guesthouses and self catering cottages? Màire Ni Mhurchu, Chief Executive of the Irish Self Catering Federation convinced it could devastate the sector and worsen the rental shortages.

Friday's business news review along with Joe Lynam and Aidan Donnelly from Davy's.

My next guest is responsible for Irish versions of hit TV shows such as Dragons Den, Popstars, the Apprentice and Dancing with the Stars. Shinawil was set up in 1999 just before reality TV took off with shows such as Big Brother. But with linear TV viewing numbers on the wane and young people watching clips rather than full length TV shows, what does the future hold for scripted TV productions? All to chat about with Larry Bass the founder and chief executive of Shinawil.

Well before the arrival of working from home Regus was the go-to place for small startup companies seeking somewhere in city centres to rent while or if they grew their business. The company that owns Regus as well as HQ, Spaces and Signature office brands posted its highest ever group revenue last week of $2.2bn. But how healthy is the long term model given the rise of working from home and AI wiping out many white collar jobs in future? Mark Dixon, is the founder and boss of International Workplace Group formerly known as Regus joined Joe this morning on the show.

Joe takes a look at Thursday business new headlines.

Once the powerhouse or engine of Europe. Now Germany is not in a good place economically. GDP shrank again in the second quarter and all the certainties which drove the German economy appear to be dissolving: China is no longer snapping up luxury German exports and the Americans are slapping tariffs on German cars and steel. So what can the newly elected Friederich Merz do as chancellor to turn things around? Joe discusses this and more with Michael Harbisch from Cantor Fitzgerald in Frankfurt.

Irish based pharma companies exported a whopping €13.7bn worth of goods in the month of May alone. . The pharma sector is not yet paying 15% tariffs on all exports to the US but that looks like it will be the max once the famous section 232 investigation is sorted. But what will these tariffs mean in the long run for those American pharma giants such as Ely Lily and Pfizer who have been here for years but are under pressure to shift production back to the States? All to discuss with Oliver O'Connor, is the chief executive of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association.

Wednesday's business news review with Joe Lynam.

Mondello Park has been around for 57 years and is the only dedicated motor racing circuit in the Republic. It's where a young Ayrton Senna learned his trade and where the late Eddie Jordan started his racing team too. It hit the financial buffers in the mid 80s but is now back in business and quite popular for corporate days out and for racing bikes as well as normal and supercars. Leo Nulty from Mondello Park chatted to Leo about the business of the circuit.

A new report from Insider AI suggests that more than half of workers in the US violate their company policies when it comes to AI usage and a third of workers say they would quit if their employer banned AI. It all comes amid soaring investment in the sector now risks turning it into a bubble which could burst. All to discuss with Donnchadh Casey Chief Executive of Calypso AI.

Tuesday's business headlines along with Joe Lynam.

The Human Capital Initiative is designed to tweak the supply of qualifications in universities to meet the actual and ever-changing needs of industry and commerce. Needless to say AI, engineering and sustainability are the in-demand courses. But what about those who don't have the time to do a degree but need recognised courses to prepare them for their new roles or new jobs? All to discuss with Dr Kieran McNally is Senior Executive Officer with the Higher Education Authority.

Lenny McLoughlin from Irish Life Investments Managers goes through Monday's business new headlines

The Irish entertainment and media sector includes internet advertising, gaming, video on demand as well as cinema attendance and going to live concerts. According to PwC's outlook for the sector, it's set to grow by 3.3% on average every year bringing the value of media and entertainment up to €7.5bn by 2029 but that lags global growth in the sector. Joining Joe was Naomi Ryan, from PwC is the author of the Irish Entertainment and Media Outlook.

Over the summer quite a few whiskey distilleries have paused or stopped entirely making whiskey. Killarney Distillery has already gone into liquidation. At the heart of this trend is the uncertainty caused by tariffs from America and the fact that younger adults are simply drinking less alcohol. So what next for the whiskey industy? Joe was joined on the show by James Doherty the Founder of The Ardara Distillery in Donegal.

The EU's AI act came partially into force a year ago and will be gradually rolled out over the next 18 months. But the Americans are moving in the opposite direction and there is a risk that European AI companies might up sticks and move there where regulation is watered down if it exists at all. All to discuss with David McMunn partner with the lawyers Beauchamp.

Kate English from Deloitte takes a run through Friday's business news headlines.

Thursday's business news review with Joe Lynam.