Apple data centre saga, Microsoft email case and the pilots who want to work at Aer Lingus

Business Today: The best news, analysis and comment from ‘The Irish Times’ business desk

The Apple logo, pictured at its Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan. The Taoiseach will discuss its proposed Athenry data centre with the company in Silicon Valley on Thursday. Photograph: Mike Segar / Reuters.
The Apple logo, pictured at its Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan. The Taoiseach will discuss its proposed Athenry data centre with the company in Silicon Valley on Thursday. Photograph: Mike Segar / Reuters.

The Taoiseach is expected to meet Apple chief executive Tim Cook in California today amid concerns about Apple's commitment to the €850 million data centre project in Athenry, Co Galway. Suzanne Lynch and Mark Paul report.

If the Athenry data centre goes ahead, it will be the latest in a long list of similar facilities that have set up here, writes Colin Gleeson.

Almost 3,000 pilots from around Europe have applied for 100 jobs at Aer Lingus, with applicants including experienced pilots from failed British airline Monarch and the troubled German carrier Air Berlin. Barry O'Halloran reports.

Irish public relations firm Hume Brophy has acquired Hong Kong and New York-based consultancy Madaket, in what it says is a "landmark deal" for the company, reports Eoin Burke-Kennedy.

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When Microsoft's email case heads to the US supreme court, Ireland will once again be at the heart of a battle to define boundaries between personal privacy, business practice and government interests, writes Karlin Lillington in our Thursday technology coverage.

Orreco, the fast-growing Irish sports tech firm, has signed multi-year contract renewals deals with Premier League team Newcastle United and an unnamed US National Basketball Assocation (NBA) side worth approximately $1 million, writes Charlie Taylor.

In her weekly Net Results column, Karlin Lillington says we need a modern-day Martin Luther to challenge the Church of Technopoly.

And Cantillon ponders the Irish economy's exposure to external shocks.

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Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery is an Irish Times journalist writing about media, advertising and other business topics