When lockdown was imposed and workers were forced to desert office buildings en masse, it was a novelty. Hundreds of thousands of employees across the State decamped from bustling city centres to clear out their spare bedroom, turning ironing boards into stand-up desks or even making their own bedroom double up as a home office. […]

There is no need to rake over old ground. We already know the tourism and hospitality sectors have been hit like no other by the pandemic and its war on fun. We could argue over whether this has been compounded by recent Government decisions, such as the petty move to force restaurants to close at […]

ONE in ten small business owners now plans to give themselves a pay raise this year, while nearly a third will cut their wages amid Covid-19 losses, according to the Irish SME Association. Isme’s survey of 237 members identifies growing confidence among a minority of small firm owners that their enterprises will survive the pandemic, […]

The coronavirus crisis has punched an €8.3 billion hole in the public finances, according to the latest exchequer returns. The figures show the Government’s budget deficit – the difference between what it spends and what it takes in in taxes – swelled to €7.4 billion in July as VAT receipts crashed and spending on income […]

Activity in the services sector grew in July for the first time since the economy entered lockdown restrictions earlier this year, according to data from AIB. The July purchasing managers index (PMI) witnessed a modest expansion but the volumes of income new sales fell further, while employment continued to decline. The business activity index rose […]

Research and innovation is the bedrock of success for the most ambitious companies that scale internationally, diversify their export base and create jobs at home. A higher education sector and research ecosystem that is outward looking and internationally engaged, and collaborating with Irish companies, is of critical importance to Ireland’s place in the world and […]

A NON-PROFIT hub for start-ups in Killorglin is reporting interest from firms seeking a ‘remote’ base for workers living in Kerry, Cork and Limerick. The RDI Hub – a joint venture of Fexco, IT Tralee, Kerry County Council and Enterprise Ireland – opened earlier this year in the Co Kerry town and already hosts operations […]

THE manufacturing sector clocked up its fastest pace of growth in almost two years in July, rebounding from the worst period of the lockdown. The pace of a recovery that was under way in June accelerated last month, according to AIB’s manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The index tracks growth and decline on index either […]