Political will and leadership needed to tackle infrastructure deficit
The State has the resources to address its serious infrastructure shortcomings but there is not enough emphasis on delivery
Business Leaders Special Report
Irish unicorns: State has scope to better support growth of indigenous enterprise
Budget steps and party policies are welcome but Ireland’s start-ups and SMEs need iniatives to help them upscale and compete worldwide
Irish economy ‘motoring on’ despite geopolitical turbulence
No matter what metric you use to measure Ireland’s economic performance, consumers are spending, businesses are hiring and exports are rising
Benefits over buzzwords – just where are we on the AI hype cycle?
Experts believe the hype around AI is finally shifting to finding meaningful uses for the technology
Unblocking the talent pipeline a key challenge for Irish businesses
Investment in training and skills development will be needed to maximise competitiveness in areas such as renewable energy and AI
Despite progress, State is ‘massively falling short’ of its carbon reduction targets
‘It’s amazing to me that they don’t see the ramifications, like parts of Dublin being under water in 20 years’
Ireland is perfectly positioned to tap into the cleantech revolution
Particularly in the field of green power, Ireland has potential as ‘an ideal living lab for testing and piloting new solutions, which can then be scaled across mainland Europe’
Corporation tax remains central amid uncertainty about US transition
EU policies should refocus on fostering innovation and enterprise, not add more complexity to the business taxation framework
Competing in a changed FDI landscape means strengthening and expanding on existing model
Ireland needs to continue to improve its value proposition for companies headquartered abroad and make inroads in other markets
Overseas success drives growth here at home
With a talented workforce and a stable pro-business economy, Irish companies have a natural advantage
Is the only way up for Ireland’s office property market in 2025?
A new normal in the office sector is beginning to emerge as valuations have come down and interest rates have reduced
Supporting innovation in a competitive environment
The State has a strong, collaborative and supportive innovation system but to be an RDI leader, investment on a par with similar-sized economies such as Denmark will be needed
Higher labour market expenses add up to ‘a perfect storm’ for cost of doing business
Individual iniatives on pensions, PRSI and more have merit but their cumulative impact has challenged margins across a range of sectors
Mergers and acquisitions trajectory looks set to continue upwards in 2025
Pro-business policies are expected to drive a further uptick in M&A activity after 2024 elections ‘remove a significant element of uncertainty’
Regaining ground on sustainability targets requires joined-up thinking
Collaboration across the public and private sectors can deliver the innovation required to hit 51% by 2030
Export growth expected to hold up but challenges not in short supply
International headwinds and sustainability regulations among the concerns of Ireland’s agile export sector
A supportive business landscape helps create economic opportunity
Enterprises in Ireland can avail of assistance via State support structures and within private enterprise
Rightsizing in tech: A pandemic anomaly or longer-term correction?
Tech layoffs can result from various factors and it’s not always easy to attribute them to a single cause, says industry
Tech is thriving and demand for talent persists in other sectors too
A changing work landscape means new skills requirements but Ireland is well placed to weather global storms
Irish M&A market stays resilient against backdrop of global downturn
Interest rate volatility dampened 2023 merger and acquisition activity but mid-market deals stayed steady
Sustained investment shows Ireland remains attractive as FDI location
Ireland continued to attract foreign direct investment in 2023 with growth in R&D centres, food and drink, and engineering
After global turbulence rocked markets, cautious optimism for 2024
There are opportunities in solar energy, tourism and – despite a slowdown – pharmaceuticals too
Investment in innovation lays the foundations of a better future
The benefits of Government, industry and academia collaborating are clear but more is needed for Ireland to be an innovation leader
AI jobs fears may prove ill-founded if Irish approach is strategic
Artificial intelligence is no longer expected to replace workers – the key for Ireland is to invest in innovation
Hospitality having to rise to recruitment and retention challenges
Training, career advancement and life-friendly hours are among the options a sector bruised by the pandemic is looking at
Life sciences continues to shine
Ireland remains an attractive destination for pharmaceutical and medtech companies wishing to establish a base or expand
‘We continue to see international interest in investment into Irish businesses’
Edel Corrigan looks at how Irish business performed in 2022, and what to expect in 2023
Meeting the inflation challenge
Consumers are being hit hard by the rising cost of living, but businesses are also trying to cope with the impact of increased costs along with reduced consumer spending power.
Despite the challenges 2022 was a good year for Irish M&As
Rising funding costs, a slowing domestic economy and the prospect of a global recession had an impact on mergers and acquisitions in 2022 - but not as much as you might expect
FDI sector looking ahead with measured optimism
This year has turned out to be a stellar one for inward investment despite headwinds, with IDA Ireland investment approvals hitting new records
Funding growth in a difficult environment
Access to funding is essential for businesses to grow but in the current economic environment it is also essential to survive
Ireland doubles down on supports for innovation and entrepreneurship
European Innovation Scoreboard ranks Ireland as a ‘strong innovator’ with performance above the EU average
Commercial property holds its own despite challenges
Investor hesitancy is predicted for the first half of 2023 due to the rise in negative sentiment, inflationary pressures and monetary tightening
Adjusting to the new workplace normal
In-person attendance at work provides important social outlets for sharing interests and ideas
How Covid accelerated digitalisation
Conversion to digital will not add any competitive advantage if implemented without strategic alignment
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