Ireland’s independent music labels and managers want the Government to introduce a content levy on streaming services like Spotify to raise funds to seed the next generation of artists like CMAT, Hozier and Fontaines DC.
The maker of Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder Gin increased its revenues and profits this year in spite of having to absorb the impact of tariffs imposed on its imports to the US and the effect of a weak dollar on its business. Ciarán Hancock spoke to co-founder Pat Rigney.
Coming back to Ireland from London, Eamon FitzGerald had a dream to create something new, a business which would deliver for customers and winemakers alike. That dream, he told Hugh Dooley, turned into Winespark, a company that was recently valued at €8 million.
US Transportation Secretary and former reality TV star Sean Duffy is not normally someone Pilita Clark would dwell upon for long. But in her latest column for the FT, she admits the Trump administration official’s campaign to “restore courtesy and class to air travel” by, among other things, “dressing with respect” has caught her eye.
Economist John FitzGerald writes that Ireland, which has the second-highest emissions per head in the European Union, has made good progress in some areas of the climate transition, like decarbonising electricity and retrofitting buildings. Yet, we are moving to slowly in key areas like transport.
Finally, in Monday’s opinion column, Elkstone founder Ciaran McIntyre argues that a small policy adjustment - allowing student landlords to reset rents at the start of each academic year - would spur the development of much-needed student accommodation.
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