Will the State’s plan for the Carlton Cinema site revitalise O’Connell Street?

Will the State’s plan for the Carlton Cinema site revitalise O’Connell Street?

First up on this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock speaks to Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times about the State’s purchase of the a 5-acre site on O’Connell Street in Dublin that used to house the Carlton cinema. Officially, it has been purchased for the Metrolink underground rail link to Dublin airport. But is this part of a wider plan by the Government to take charge of regeneration in this key urban quarter of the capital? Why did Transport Infrastructure Ireland pay €80 million to purchase the site from UK developer Hammerson? And did it really need to buy the site to deliver a Metrolink stop on O’Connell Street? Plus, fighting has once again broken out in the Middle East as the fragile ceasefire between the US an Iran has impacted on shipping going through the Strait of Hormuz. Denis Staunton has covered the story for The Irish Times, and he sums up the events of this week and where peace talks might go from here. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How can tech offer solutions for obesity and weight management?

On this special episode of Inside Business recorded at EY’s head office, host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Dr Harriet Treacy, founder and CEO of BeyondBMI, Ireland’s first online medically led weight management and obesity clinic. She explains how frustration at the inefficiencies of healthcare systems was the catalyst in her decision to pivot from a medical doctor to an entrepreneur. Harriet is a finalist in the Emerging category for the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Also on this episode, is Tommy Kearns, CEO and co-founder of customer engagement platform Xtremepush. The company helps legacy media transition to digital, and new companies that have emerged over the last decade or so. Tommy also outlines the pivotal role AI is playing in the company’s present and future. Tommy is a finalist in the Established category for the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Plus, we also hear from Roger Wallace, Head of Assurance & EY Entrepreneur of the Year Partner Lead at EY Ireland, on how AI is being implemented in the company’s business – the level of investment needed and the impact on employee roles. Roger also highlights the value of our indigenous entrepreneurs against the backdrop of our economy being driven by overseas investment. Produced by John Casey. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The 9 per cent VAT rate has been welcomed by restaurants but does the hospitality sector actually need it?

In the first half of this week’s Inside Business, we debate the merits or otherwise of the now permanent 9 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality sector which kicked in on Wednesday. This followed a pledge in last year’s budget to cut the rate, and a long lobbying campaign by many in the industry.  But at a cost of €681 million in a full year, is it a good way to spend taxpayer’s money? And should the Government have looked at other ways to support the sector rather than this tax break? Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurant Association of Ireland will argue the case for, while Barra Roantree, assistant professor of economics at Trinity College, will explain why he believes this is a bad policy by Government. In the second half of this episode, John McCartney, a lecturer in property economics at TU Dublin, will explain why he thinks the downturn in the Dublin office market is a permanent one, and not just cyclical as some in the industry would argue. Has the market peaked? And will vacancy rates continually increase? Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Has the Irish building sector got themselves hooked on Government subsidies?

On this week’s episode of Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock has Irish Times new recruit Killian Woods in studio to discuss a Government scheme to support the building of apartments in our cities, which looks set to miss a key target. Croi Conaithe cities is a Government support scheme to help plug the affordability gap to support apartment building, which is a key plank in the State’s plan to solve the housing crisis. Earlier this week, Killian wrote a story in The Irish Times stating that the scheme was in danger of missing its key target of building 5,000 new apartments over the lifetime of the scheme. What will happen when the scheme’s €450 million budget is spent? And has the building sector here come to rely too much on State subsidies? In the second half of the programme, Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, the CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation explains why the country is in danger of not having enough bedrooms to accommodate tourists.  This is despite the Government’s aim to increase Ireland’s tourism revenue by 50% by 2031. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.   ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Will a Middle East peace deal make any difference to inflation?

The announcement of a 60 day ceasefire in the Middle East to allow detailed negotiations on what we understand could be a deal to end the conflict, has given the financial markets breathing space. First up on this week’s podcast is the potential impact on energy prices through the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil, liquified natural gas and fertiliser. The Irish Times’s Cliff Taylor assesses what we can expect from energy prices and how it could impact interest rates, a review of which is due from the European Central Bank in July. Ciaran also speaks to the manager of Toners Pub in Dublin, Luke Stedmon, about the boost in trade he’s seen as a result of the FIFA World Cup. And while he’s in the studio, how much is he charging for a pint, and how much has it climbed in his eight years working in the pub trade. Presented by Ciaran Hancock. Produced by JJ Vernon, John Casey and Andrew McNair.    ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.