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16
Managing Partner at RBK Joe Cleary talks about expanding services and building relationships with clients
After leaving banking, Simon Forsyth is fully focused on LirOptic, a NovaUCD lens technology spinout
INNOVATION & TECH
Deanna O’Connor chats with Tom Marren about how Astatine is helping industrial and manufacturing firms achieve carbon neutrality
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“I’ve been in this business for many years and my experience is that our clients are resilient and agile, demonstrating an ability to overcome adversity and to adapt to change.”
Joe Cleary Managing Partner, RBK
A new survey of over 100 organisations, conducted by Legal Island, has found that just 4% of users know how to disable ChatGPT’s training function, the simple privacy toggle that prevents OpenAI from reusing sensitive data. Sta could, says the compliance specialist, be feeding confidential business data straight into the public domain without being aware of it. “When the training feature is left switched on, OpenAI can capture the information entered into ChatGPT and recycle it to improve future outputs. If your sta are using ChatGPT with the training function left on, you’re potentially leaking commercially sensitive data into a giant AI engine. That data could pop up in someone else’s prompt next week. It’s a legal, reputational and regulatory mess waiting to happen,” said Barry Phillips, Chairman of Legal Island. He added: “While it’s encouraging that employees are embracing ChatGPT, the lack of formal training is alarming. Our research shows a worrying knowledge gap as most employees in Ireland don’t even know the tool has a training function, let alone how to disable it.”
BREXIT FIVE YEARS ON
More than 95% of US multinationals have a positive view of Ireland as an investment location, according to a survey of American Chamber of Commerce Ireland members.
On the fifth anniversary of Brexit, research from Expleo found that 53% of decisionmakers say it has enhanced their organisation’s export business, versus 30% who say it has had a harmful e ect.
For the fourth year in a row, An Post has become the first major employer in Ireland to report a Zero Gender Pay Gap. An Post’s Gender Pay Gap Report 2024 details steady progress in female representation at all levels in the organisation. The senior management group increased female representation by over one third (38%) from 34% to 47% since 2021. Similarly, female representation within its general management group grew from 36% in 2021 to 40% in 2024. Amongst postal operatives (delivery and sorting sta ), a traditionally heavily male-dominated role, female representation has risen incrementally from 13% in 2021 to 15% in 2024. Commitments for 2025 include encouraging more postal operative colleagues to enrol on the Aspire Female Talent Acceleration Programme and providing Gender Equality and Inclusive Leadership training for line managers.
New data published by LinkedIn has revealed that three quarters (75%) of Irish recruiters faced challenges finding qualified talent in the past year. The primary barrier identified by the research was finding candidates with the right technical skills, flagged by over half (52%) of HR professionals. Despite ongoing challenges, optimism in the job market remains, with two thirds (66%) of recruiters planning to hire more in 2025 compared to last year. However, the vast majority (70%) of HR professionals report spending more time proactively sourcing candidates due to a lack of qualified applicants, with only 40% of applications on average meeting all preferred qualifications. In addition to the challenge, just under three quarters (73%) of recruiters believe that many Irish professionals are leaving full-time education without the essential soft skills they need in the modern workplace. In response to these challenges, almost four in five (76%) of Irish HR professionals stated that helping employees to upskill would be a top priority for their organisation in 2025. The majority (71%) of talent acquisition teams also believe that their role has evolved, having taken on a broader range of strategic responsibilities like internal mobility and learning and development.
A DataSolutions survey reveals that while 78% of tech companies have plans to achieve carbon neutrality, 65% have not yet measured their carbon footprint.
While cash remains the most frequently used payment method, a new BearingPoint study shows that 24% of Irish consumers are ready to embrace the digital euro initiative, with multiple transactions expected per week when introduced.
Last year funding into female-founded start-ups surged 120% to reach a record €230m, according to a TechIreland report published to coincide with International Women’s Day.
Research from Datapac has shown that 76% of IT decision-makers believe that organisations will struggle to meet all NIS2 requirements. A majority (99%) are calling for more financial support from Government to achieve compliance.
New data published by Comreg has revealed that fibre-to-the-premises technology in the Irish market is now on a par with cable broadband subscribers for the first time.
A new report by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council estimates the State will incur financial penalties of up to €26b by 2030 if it continues on its climate trajectory.
Suretank, a provider of modular and tank solutions for global infrastructure, pharma, marine and energy companies, is creating 80 new jobs in Louth by yearend 2025. The roles will be based in the company’s Dunleer headquarters and manufacturing facilities, all in Co Louth. The new jobs come on the back of an ambitious diversification strategy and will help the company reach revenues of €75 million by year-end 2025, up from €50 million in 2024. In 2016, 90% of Suretank’s customers operated in the o shore oil and gas industry. Since then, spurred by a global crash in oil and gas prices, Suretank has diversified and now services a wider pool of industries.
Akela Ground Engineering, part of the Akela Group, has announced its expansion into Ireland with a new base in Co Armagh, as it continues to expand its piling and beam operations beyond Scotland. The expansion comes at a time of growth for the company, following its further expansion into the UK over the last 12 months. Akela Ground Engineering Ireland will support the roll out of Akela Group’s precast beam system, ABeam, which was launched to market last year. ABeam is a precast concrete beam system that uses a specially designed mechanical joint, allowing foundation ground beams to be installed in just a few hours. With Ireland facing a significant housing shortage, the system offers a solution to accelerate the delivery of new homes.
(l to r): Kevin Kelly, Head of the AI and Automation Centre of Excellence, HSE; Emma Hinch, Solutions Manager at AI and Automation Centre of Excellence, HSE; Ronan Muldoon, HSE Account Director, Version 1; Geraldine O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Public Sector and Utilities Ireland, Version 1
Digital transformation company Version 1 and the HSE have announced a partnership that will support the HSE on its digital transformation journey. Under the contract, Version 1 will work with HSE Technology and Transformation to deliver modern technology solutions that facilitate collaboration, communication and data sharing among healthcare professionals. This will lead to improved coordination of care and better decision-making which optimises efficiency, collaboration and productivity. “We were hugely inspired by HSE’s ambition and vision to push the boundaries and harness technology in a way that so clearly brings considerable ease of access and improvements to its users,” said Ger O’Sullivan, Head of Public Sector, Ireland at Version 1. “We are very excited to partner with them on this transformative journey and watch the impact not just to all service users, but also to the organisation itself as it will undoubtedly reap the benefits of enhanced operational efficiency.”
Ohk Energy (formerly NRG Panel) has acquired Crest Pro Power and Pro-Ex Engineering (CPP), providers of renewable technology solutions to commercial and industrial customers. Ohk Energy, which is backed by Irish private equity firm Melior Equity Partners and employs in excess of 225 people across Ireland, says the acquisition will expand its existing capabilities in the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors, servicing SME to grid-scale solar PV systems and providing biofuel generation, energy monitoring and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to its customers. Ohk Energy CEO, Conor Foley said: “Crest Pro Power has provided worldclass renewable energy solutions to some of Ireland’s most sophisticated FDI and indigenous businesses. Their design capabilities, engineering-led approach and track record in providing fully financed solutions complements Ohk’s existing experience in the commercial and industrial market. We are very excited about what our combined business can deliver for our customers.”
With a new study showing Ireland is Europe’s third most expensive country to raise a child, Nick Charalambous, Financial Advisor and Managing Director at Alpha Wealth, shares four practical ways parents can save on childcare costs
National Business Machines Group (NBM Group) has announced that Michael Galvin is stepping down as Managing Director after 40 years at the helm. He will be succeeded by Mark McPhillips while Niamh Galvin, Michael’s daughter, will take on the role of Commercial Director. Michael Galvin founded NBM in 1985, growing it from a small enterprise into the largest Xerox Premier Partner in Ireland. Under his leadership, NBM expanded its national footprint, acquiring Total Office Solutions, North East Ltd (TOS NE Ltd) and establishing Innovative Workplace Solutions Ltd (IWS) in Northern Ireland.
“Now is the right time to step back and entrust the future of the company to Mark McPhillips who will continue our tradition of excellence, innovation and customer-first service. I am also delighted that my daughter Niamh will be playing a pivotal role in shaping NBM’s commercial strategy for the years to come,” he said.
Many parents are unaware of the full range of Government subsidies and support programs available to help with childcare costs. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) offers income-based subsidies and parents should ensure they are making full use of these benefits.
Group childcare arrangements, such as nanny-sharing or shared childminding, can significantly reduce costs. Splitting the expense of a childminder between multiple families allows parents to access quality childcare at a fraction of the price.
With full-time daycare costs soaring, many families are turning to alternative childcare solutions like sharing childcare duties with extended family, hiring childminders for reduced hours or seeking flexible work arrangements. While remote and hybrid work made balancing childcare easier for some, companies are increasingly mandating office attendance, making flexibility less viable for many parents.
Setting aside funds for future expenses and researching affordable options in advance can help avoid financial strain. Investing child benefit allowances wisely, outside of traditional banks and credit unions, allows families to benefit from compounding growth. While many parents prioritise saving for third-level education, allocating savings toward early childhood expenses is becoming just as crucial as children remain financially dependent on their families for longer.
A member survey carried out by the Irish Home Builders Association, a constituent member body of the Construction Industry Federation, has found that a significant number of housebuilders don’t expect to increase output this year. This is due to a reduction in the number of viable planning permissions, serviced land, infrastructure, funding for apartments or delays in technical or regulatory issues at local authority level. We are, says the organisation, now at a crossroads and to scale up delivery, we need more zoned serviced and serviceable lands along with a more e ective planning delivery system, in addition to funding mechanisms. Just over 30,000 homes were built in 2024, a decrease of 6.7% compared to 2023.
THE HOT TOPIC
Commentary and news on Ireland’s ongoing housing shortage
“About 50% of housing permissions are delivered via fast-track schemes, so they clearly have a central role to play in meeting our housing needs. Our analysis shows that between 2018 and 2024, planning was submitted for just under 200,000 units in Strategic Housing Developments (SHDs) and Large-scale Residential Developments (LRDs). Our gures show schemes accounting for almost 42,000 units were refused, a further 27,000 were subjected to judicial reviews and 11,000 are awaiting decision. In the end, schemes with just over 112,000 units or 56% of total applications received usable permissions. Another 29% of these units have not been constructed or commenced construction. is means that only 40% of the original number of planning applications – 80,000 have been developed or are in the process of being developed.”
Paul Mitchell, Director, Mitchell McDermott on the “high mortality rate” of applications for housing schemes in Ireland’s fast-track planning system
The Department of Housing is considering changes to exempt free-standing modular or cabin-style homes from planning permission. Rather than providing a short-term solution to the housing crisis, housing experts have warned the move could see a rise in house prices. Others have stated that such exemptions could lead to a repeat of the “Beds in Sheds” phenomenon seen in the UK, where low quality accommodation was rented out in landlords’ back gardens, often to low-paid, vulnerable workers.
2024 was a heck of a year for business owners. Some of the biggest reforms in decades, including complex updates to employment permits, and new pension rules on the horizon are just the things you know about.
You see, HR software is playing a leading role in giving savvy business owners across Ireland a much better overview of critical processes, statistics, and trends in their business. And they’re using it to improve strategic decision-making like never before.
Running your business without these tools in 2025 is like playing chess without being able to see more than one space in front of your pieces. And you don’t have to be a chess grandmaster to know you can’t win like this. Let us show you what we mean.
If 2024 was the year of preparation, 2025 is the year of action. Irish employers are facing one of the busiest years for workplace change in decades. From pension auto-enrolment to gender pay gap reporting, there’s a lot to stay on top of. And it’s not optional—failure to comply can lead to penalties, claims and reputational damage.
But businesses using BrightHR are ahead of the curve. Our innovative software helps them prepare for the new pension auto-enrolment changes, stay compliant with new restrictions on NDAs, manage employment status decisions, and even get ready for expanded gender pay gap reporting. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
With so much information at your fingertips, businesses are finding ways to thrive:
• Spotting trends before they become problems: Absence spikes or staff shortages no longer catch you off guard, making it easier to prepare and minimise disruption.
• Make data-backed decisions: Gut feelings only go so far. Key reports on lateness, sickness, and turnover provide real insights for informed action.
• Reduce costly disruption: Unexpected absences or trends cause disruption, but smart businesses with HR software avoid being understaffed when they need all hands on deck.
• Understand your workforce: From hiring trends to employee engagement stats, the right data helps you build a stronger, more productive team.
• Stay compliant with ease: Business owners stay on top of changing employment law, using a built-in document library and 24/7 advice line.
2025 is the year of being proactive, not reactive. Take control of your business’s future with BrightHR. Why leave it to chance?
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879
The number of firms set up in Northern Ireland in January 2025, compared to January 2024’s figure of 2,077. The reduced figure has been attributed to a fall in consumer confidence and wider economic uncertainty.
Location: Dublin
Speaking at InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said that supporting Ireland’s entrepreneurs and start-ups is a key priority of the Government and his department. He added that collaboration is key, as is making connections with high-growth potential firms and investors. In 2024, InterTradeIreland supported over 1,000 entrepreneurs and companies across the island of Ireland. “We give SMEs the knowledge, skills and connections they need to secure funding whether that’s through seed capital, angel investment or venture capital. Our Seedcorn competition helps small businesses get investor-ready and for 2025 we have introduced three new categories – Business to Business, Business to Consumer and Deeptech – to attract and support even more entrepreneurs,” said InterTradeIreland’s Chief Executive Margaret Hearty.
Product or Service: Manufacture of handheld haptic devices that enable visually impaired sports fans to independently experience live sports in real time.
Number of Sta : 3
How have you funded the business to date?
Through grants, accelerators and support from Enterprise Ireland. We also generated over €260,000 in revenue to date through partnerships and pilot projects.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
“Do things that don’t scale.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned starting out?
In business, nobody will rescue you the way a professor might in college. If you’re stuck, it’s up to you to set your own deadlines, impose structure and take decisive action to move forward.
Your biggest make-or-break moment?
It was during our initial collaboration with Telstra in Australia. They wanted to feature our prototype device in an ad, but approval came only a week beforehand. We found ourselves assembling devices at the airport in Delhi during a layover and spent the entire night before the shoot running final firmware tests. We had no certainty that the devices would work. Against all odds, the devices performed well enough to film the ad, leading to a full rollout of 40 devices in Marvel Stadium and numerous further opportunities.
Is there anything you would change in hindsight?
There are countless mistakes I’ve made, but I wouldn’t change my journey for the world. The path hasn’t been the easiest, but the experiences along the way have been invaluable.
Funded by the European Union, the Rocket Up programme supports women-led technological ventures to achieve successful international expansion in Europe. The programme is now open to women-led startups located outside – as well as inside the EU – with sights on impacting European markets. “By opening the Rocket Up programme to startups from outside Europe, we aim to reach more entrepreneurs globally, bringing their talent and innovations into the region,” said Celeste Reglá, Manager of the Rocket Up programme. “This expansion aligns with our commitment to addressing the gender gap in the tech startup ecosystem, where only 15% of companies are led by women, while driving collaboration across borders.”
Galway MedTech SymPhysis Medical is launching its devices into the US within the next 18 months, with the aim of reaching €40 million in revenue by 2030. Founded by CEO Tim Jones and Chief Scientific O icer, Dr Michelle Tierney, SymPhysis Medical has developed a device, “releaze”, which can be used by cancer patients who are receiving palliative care to relieve the symptoms of fluid in the chest. In the most recent funding round, SymPhysis Medical raised €2.8 million and expects to close a further €3.7 million from a combination of current and new investors mid 2025.
Tim Jones, CEO, SymPhysis Medical, said: “Our ultimate goal of reaching patients with our device is now in sight. Helping us to achieve that is the backing from renowned industry investors, who have enabled us to get to this point and expand our footprint to the US in preparation of launching releaze there.
Gerard
Supporting the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS) has been an important di erentiator for us and we look forward to taking on further investment as we enter this new chapter for our business – and the patients we will reach.”
NovaUCD, a hub supporting start-ups at UCD, has been named one of Europe’s leading start-up hubs by the Financial Times and Statista for the second year in a row. Out of 150 start-up hubs, NovaUCD was ranked 117 and is one of five start-up hubs in Ireland to be included on the list. Commenting on the news, Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said: “UCD is at the heart of Ireland’s vibrant economy and as such is committed to its key role in Ireland’s innovation and knowledge exchange ecosystem. One way we demonstrate this commitment is through NovaUCD’s activities and its strategic focus on establishing new ventures, supporting and scaling jobs to create high-tech start-ups and more established companies, with international potential and reach,” she said.
After identifying a gap in the market for luxury changeable door and candle wreaths, teenage twins Aimée and Conor Farrell set up Phenology Décor from their home in Bunclody, Co Wexford. The twins developed the concept of interchangeable home decorations during their transition year, while coming up with ideas for a mini-company project. Aimée and Conor are currently developing a collection of limited-edition accessories, o ering more ways to personalise your wreath and elevate your home décor throughout the year.
“Growing up in the Blackstairs Mountains has given me a strong connection with nature and I’m mindful of how being in nature positively impacts me.
As we developed the business idea, I really loved the concept of bringing touches of nature into our home, starting at the hall door with our door wreath and then bringing that theme inside into other home décor items like candle wreaths,” said Aimée. The twins are currently preparing for the Leaving Cert while developing the business.
PATRICK JORDAN
NEW TITLE: Chief Executive O icer
EMPLOYER: Auxilion
PREVIOUS ROLE: Chief Operations O icer
NEW TITLE: MD, Commercial Lines in Ireland
EMPLOYER: Gallagher
PREVIOUS ROLE: Director, Commercial Lines in Ireland
Auxilion has announced that Patrick Jordan has stepped into the CEO role for the company. Patrick will be responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the business and driving the next stage of Auxilion’s business strategy. He will also oversee the expansion of the company as it strengthens its o ering in the areas of modern workplace, process modernisation, AI, data management and automation.
Global insurance broker
Gallagher has announced the appointment of Laura Vickers as Managing Director of Commercial Lines in Ireland.
Laura’s role includes building Gallagher’s strategic vision and direction for Commercial Lines, aligning with current market trends and future opportunities to drive the company forward. The appointment comes as Gallagher continues to position itself as a market leader by responding to industry changes with agility and foresight.
NEW TITLE: Chief Strategy O icer
EMPLOYER: Bank of Ireland
PREVIOUS ROLE: Head of Financial Services in Ireland, Accenture
Bank of Ireland has appointed Billy O’Connell as Chief Strategy O icer, joining the Group Executive Committee. Billy has 30 years’ experience with Accenture and has served in a range of senior leadership roles. Throughout his career, Billy has worked in all areas of banking and brings to this role a depth of experience in strategy development and delivery, technology, transformation and change management.
NEW TITLE: Executive Dean of College of Business, Public Policy and Law
EMPLOYER: University of Galway
PREVIOUS ROLE: Dean, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway
Professor Alma McCarthy has been appointed Executive Dean at the College of Business, Public Policy and Law at University of Galway. The first female academic to hold the role, Professor McCarthy took up the post in March for a four-year term. The College comprises the School of Law, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics and Shannon College of Hotel Management.
Research from jobs.ie shows the top in-demand roles of 2024 included jobs in customer-facing industries such as customer assistants and field sales agents. The prominence of roles like chef de partie, receptionists and food & beverage assistants underscores the hospitality sector’s need for skilled, adaptable talent. Similarly, positions such as supervisors and assistant store managers reflect a focus on leadership and operational e iciency to navigate competitive markets. Emerging trends show an increasing demand for specialised and leadership roles, with hub leaders topping the list as logistics and supply chain optimisation take centre stage.
Suppo r t loc a l to l i ft us a l l
All Ri s e All Ri s e
Ch am p i o n G r ee n . i e
and MD
HOW’S BUSINESS AT THE MOMENT?
Business is good. We provide a number of services including web design, digital marketing, e-commerce and content creation. In the past three years, our agency has quadrupled in size. We’re now dealing with higher A-type clients and while we may have less clients than we had previously, we’re generating higher revenue. A large number of companies are outsourcing their marketing to us; employing a whole marketing team can be quite expensive, so outsourcing those services makes sense. We also have our regular business, where companies are looking for a new website or marketing strategy. is year, we’re also focused on AI digitalisation. People aren’t really aware of the potential of AI, so it’s more of an educational piece to show clients what they can do and how it can automate and digitise their business across di erent areas.
ARE SOME CLIENTS HESITANT TO EMBRACE AI?
De nitely. ere are concerns around security and some clients would be more reluctant to embrace change, but when they see the e ciencies it brings, it really opens their eyes. e amount of hours they’re spending every day on tasks that can be handled quickly and e ciently by AI –they very quickly realise the potential once that message gets across. However, it’s important to implement technology that works for your business. Here at Zoma, we employed AI to automate emails but found we were actually losing business. We had lost that personal touch so we went back to doing it ourselves and while that means more man hours on emails, that’s what gets us the business.
WHAT MAKES ZOMA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DIGITAL MARKETING FIRMS?
Our unique culture certainly marks us out. We set up in 2016 but back in 2021, we rebranded the company and created the ‘Zoma’ brand. A large part of that is the importance of work-life balance and having a hybrid working model. at was something we implemented before Covid so once the pandemic hit, we were already prepared to work from home. We believe that by being both mentally and physically active, we’re more creative. e whole team comes together on a Wednesday a ernoon for a gym class followed by lunch and it’s those days when we generate our best ideas for campaigns. We’ve won multiple ‘best place to work’ awards and although we have a hybrid working policy in place, all our sta come into the o ce. I think there’s a feeling that you’re missing out otherwise. ere’s very much a creative mindset in here, I’m lucky that my team is such a skilled, talented bunch.
DO YOU EXPECT STAFF NUMBERS TO GROW THIS YEAR?
We’re currently at 12 and I expect that to grow to about 18 in the next few months. Separate to Zoma, we have developed an online food ordering platform called Munchd. at launched in February and it provides the same service as the likes of Just Eat and Deliveroo, but with a much smaller commission, only 1%. e larger competitors usually charge 10-30% commission. We’ve been trialling the platform in Dundalk where we’re based and it’s performing really well. e takeaway next door to us saved €100,000 in fees in just one year by using it. It’s going to take time to build up, but we expect Munchd to be a huge area of growth for us in terms of employment and revenue. We also believe it will help level the playing eld a bit by helping the hospitality sector and giving consumers more choice and better value.
I completed a degree in business and marketing at DCU and le college not really knowing what I wanted to do. Myself and my wife went travelling and moved to Vancouver where I worked with a marketing agency. at’s when I saw how far ahead other regions were in terms of technology and so ware systems. It was completely di erent than anything in Ireland and that got me thinking. When I came back in 2016,
I set up a marketing company developing websites. Word of mouth helped the business build up over time. People always ask me where the name ‘Zoma’ came from but the truth is, it’s just made-up! We needed something catchy so we settled on Zoma along with extravagant pink branding to make us stand out.
DO YOU HAVE AMBITIONS TO OPEN A SECOND OFFICE?
Yes. We may look at an acquisition or we might roll out from scratch in Cork or Galway. We’re also investigating the potential of a franchise – that’s something we’re aiming for in 2026. is year is all about growth and also about being lean. As our numbers increase, there’s a he y wage bill every month. We’re a company that had huge growth over a relatively short period, so ensuring the business model is sustainable is key.
HAVE CLIENT EXPECTATIONS CHANGED?
e cost of advertising has increased hugely. When a client rst approaches us with want they want to achieve, we’re very honest with them. If their expectations aren’t realistic, we’ll tell them there’s no point in working with us because we’re not going to achieve what they’re a er. Some clients have quite unrealistic expectations of what they can get out of digital marketing. e reality is, if their content isn’t engaging, then it’s a pointless endeavour. Too many agencies take on business without being transparent and open about the average return on ad spend.
IF YOU WERE TO GIVE ADVICE TO A SMALL OR MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
If you’re looking to scale and create a brand that people will engage with, you need to spend time thinking about what your brand actually is, what your identity and company values are and why someone would want to buy from you. Showing the people behind the business is so important; that’s what will bring people back to your brand. Record yourself packing boxes for delivery to show you’re at the forefront of your business. ose small, personal touches make all the di erence.
“Showing the people behind the business is so important; that’s what will bring people back to your brand.”
FORSYTH left the security of banking for the excitement of the start-up world; now he’s fully focused on LirOptic, a NovaUCD lens technology spinout
Aer the crash in 2009 Simon Forsyth took voluntary severance from a job in banking, where he had been lending money to small businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Since then, he’s switched sides, rst trying to start his own business in the sustainability space – a car-sharing concept –then lending his expertise to start-ups in solar PV, medical devices and lately, LirOptic, an innovative new optical lens technology spinout from NovaUCD. Here, he shares his journey, strategic insights and advice for entrepreneurs.
A er setting himself up with an o ce and getting to work on his rst start-up idea, Forsyth found the entrepreneurial hustle hard and lonely. “I realised I’d never done this before and it’s very di cult – very di erent to working in banking.” He got onto a course in the Synergy Centre – the business and bio-incubation facility based on campus at TU Dublin Tallaght – and there he found his tribe. “I met a guy who had a high-tech engineering company involved in solar cells and he asked me to help him with nancing.”
He drew himself a line in the sand and decided if the car-sharing business hadn’t taken o by a certain date, he would park the idea and go all in on solar PV. Ironically, just a er making the decision to wind up the car sharing idea, one of the major bottlenecks – insurance – resolved, but by the time he got the call from the insurance company it was too late; he wasn’t about to backtrack. And so he joined Nines PV and stayed with them until 2014, when the business came under immense pressure from the Chinese market.
“The technology used nanorods sandwiched between two glass panes, which could be manipulated to block heat and light from the sun without a ecting the view from the room inside.”
“In 2011, the Chinese entered the solar market in a big way. ey set up enormous gigawatt factories, which were previously unheard of, and a lot of the Europeans and Americans went bust or stopped doing any R&D.” Seeing the writing on the wall, he realised it was time to look for new opportunities. A chance meeting over co ee at the Synergy Centre with another entrepreneur changed his path once again. is time he went to medical device start-up Incereb, until it was sold in 2018. He remains a director there.
Looking for new opportunities, he went to UCD to avail of what is essentially a matchmaking service, pairing researchers with people who have the business experience to help commercialise their products. “ ey hook you up with an academic and they pair you based on what you’ve done before. So given that I’d worked in solar and engineering, they thought that maybe it would be worthwhile talking to Professor Zerulla.”
At the time, Zerulla was working on smart glazing technology and they originally began to look at commercialising that, starting out in business together as PicoGlaze. e technology used nanorods sandwiched between two glass panes, which could be manipulated to block heat and light from the sun without a ecting the view from the room inside.
While the potential of this is hugely interesting from an architecture and interior design perspective, Zerulla and his team in the lab were more interested in what they discovered next. “When you apply a voltage to a coated substrate glass, it was making this weird deformity in the glass,” Forsyth explains. At rst, this seemed like an irritating mistake, but the researchers gured out that if they made the glass into a lens, they could e ectively control that lens.
is breakthrough led them to shi focus. While PicoGlaze still had potential, they knew they had to pull on this thread and so LirOptic was formed.
“Trying to establish what the market needs is important. Don’t rely on one or two people. Get as much market feedback as you can: Is it really of interest? We’ve done a lot of that this time.”
One thing Forsyth has learned, since his first efforts trying to create a car share service, is to focus your energy on the product that caters to the market. “Trying to establish what the market needs is important,” he says. “Don’t rely on one or two people. Get as much market feedback as you possibly can: Is it really of interest? Why is it of interest? We’ve done a lot of that this time. Is there a customer and are they prepared to pay for it if we can deliver it? That’s a big one.”
Unlike PicoGlaze’s smart glass for windows, which will be expensive and a lengthy process to commercialise to the point where it can be sold to consumers, the LirOptic lens technology “works straight out of the box” according to Forsyth.
“Lenses are everywhere,” he says. “The ones we’re focusing on at the moment, forgive the pun, are consumer electronics for mobile phones,” he says. “Your phone camera has six or seven lenses in it, all stacked on top of each other,” he explains, controlled by mechanically moving parts. The pioneering LirOptic technology not only allows for higher-quality imaging, better zoom capabilities and enhanced low-light performance, but also frees up valuable space within smartphones by reducing the size of Compact Camera Modules (CCMs).
The applications go much further than this: “There’s cameras in everything: AR/VR, machine learning, machine vision, cars, satellites – they’re everywhere.” With a contract in place with a tier one player, they’re working on developing a CCM technology they can integrate into their mobile applications. They’re also working with an AR/VR company in the US to develop a lighter, more compact camera for them.
5GET THE RIGHT TEAM IN PLACE
They’ve been joined in the senior leadership team by Joe O’Keeffe, an experienced entrepreneur and former VP of Display Research at Meta. O’Keeffe is also the former Founder/ CEO of three Tyndall spinouts including InfiniLED, which was acquired by Facebook (Meta) in 2016.
“He not only knows this space but also knows all the people involved, having worked with them before. When we went to California to attend the Photonics West Conference, he was able to introduce us to the right people,” Forsyth says. “To have that insight and to get to the right people was fantastic. We’ve now got connections to potential end manufacturers of the device.”
Next on the to-do list is a high-level CTO hire, then renting their own lab space and building out a team. “We’re relying heavily at the moment on UCD and the team there in terms of their abilities and their time,” he says, hoping that once PhDs and postdocs have been completed, some of them will come on board.
With funding from Enterprise Ireland and the European Space Agency in place, they are currently in the process of trying to raise €3 million to get the team and lab up and running.
6
At Photonics West, they also met a lot of people with some strange and some interesting ideas about what their technology could be used for – right now they’re “sifting through that, trying to work out what we should and could do.”
The technology also works for infrared camera imaging. “Depending on what substrate is used, it could be used for thermal imaging, which then opens up a whole other world of different applications in terms of surveillance, defence, whatever it might be… space observation, surveillance, drones.”
“The problem is there are millions of applications, so we’ve got to focus on one or two. And in time, as we grow, the idea would be to have specific teams, one looking at space when we’re looking at satellites, one looking at consumer electronics,” he reveals.
As an entrepreneur, this is why he’s in it: “Every day and every week is different. It’s exciting, it’s terrifying, it’s heartbreaking, it’s super fun.”
Enterprises are increasingly turning to micro-credentials to upskill employees.
Deanna O’Connor talks to DAVID CORSACADDEN to find out why companies engaging with MicroCreds are seeing a direct return on investment of humanitarian negotiation. Bite-sized formats make use of flexible hybrid learning and typically can be completed within six to eight weeks, making it convenient and accessible to all.
MicroCreds are short, flexible, accredited courses, offered by seven partner universities aimed at opening up continuing education to learners who can’t take time out of work and filling skills gaps for business and enterprise.
They cover everything from trending topics such as AI and sustainability; transversal skills such as communications and finance for non-finance managers; to hyper specific modules like tracheostomy care, data analytics for tax and the ethics
Ireland is a leader in the micro-credentials space – the first European country to establish a coherent National Framework for quality assured and accredited micro-credentials, awarding between 1 and 30 ECTS and providing awards at Levels 6-9 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
“Ireland has very ambitious targets for the level of adults who will be engaging with lifelong learning. Concepts like MicroCreds are really helping us to move into the forefront of lifelong learning at a European stage,” says David Corsacadden, Communications Manager for the Irish Universities Association.
A five-year €12.3 million project, running from 2020-2025, has been led by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) in partnership with University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin City University, University of Galway and Maynooth University. The Creative Futures Academy, which UCD is a partner in, was also awarded funding from the Human Capital Initiative HCI Pillar 3 Micro-Credentials Subsidy, allocated across various courses at the National College of Art & Design and the Institute of Art Design + Technology, Dun Laoghaire. Since launching, uptake has been steadily increasing, from both individual learners and from enterprise engaging with MicroCreds.
“We’re seeing increases in uptake, both from individual learners who are looking for professional and personal development, along with increased engagement with enterprise and businesses who are looking at microcredentials as a tool to fill in skills gaps in their organisation.” The introduction of a learner fee subsidy has made microcredentials more accessible for enterprises to upskill employees. “It really opened up micro-credentials as an accessible way for enterprise to upskill employees. The most common feedback we get from individual learners is that they’re established in their career, but they’re looking to enhance their productivity in their current role or they’re looking for promotion or a lateral move, but there’s a fear around engaging in a full-time two-year master’s programme.”
With work and family commitments, many people who would like to continue learning and development didn’t have options before, but can fit the bite-sized micro-credentials into their busy lives, or make it work for a short time span. “They range from four to 12 weeks – it’s a couple of hours of work each week, so it’s very manageable to fit it in with all of your commitments.”
Corsacadden has himself undertaken two MicroCreds courses already, in digital marketing for enterprise and the psychology of consumer behaviour, gaining new skills and knowledge directly applicable to his role and also an insight into how the system works from the learner’s side.
“It’s a great way of dipping your toe into formal, accredited education. It has opened the door for people to either do other short form courses or go on to do master’s programmes as well. Particularly for people who are looking to change industries, micro-credentials are a great way to test the waters before making that bigger commitment.”
Enterprises find micro-credentials beneficial as they allow employees to engage in lifelong learning without significant disruption or taking time out from their job. The direct application of learned skills to the employee’s role results in an immediate return on investment for enterprises. “Very few organisations can let an employee go for two years, even part-time on a master’s programme. Whereas a microcredential, they can fit it around their work commitments, their personal life commitments and it’s not taking away from the organisation.”
He adds: “The way micro-credentials are set up is that the learning is directly related back to the role you’re doing. As you’re learning skills, you’re able to immediately implement them into the organisation. So the companies that engage with MicroCreds are seeing that direct return on investment.”
Smart businesses know that showing employees a path for development within their role is a great tool for strengthening retention. “Employees who see an organisation investing in their betterment, investing in new skills, they’re more likely to stay within the organisation.”
“The way microcredentials are set up is that the learning is directly related back to the role you’re doing. As you’re learning skills, you’re able to immediately implement them into the organisation. So the companies that engage with MicroCreds are seeing that direct return on investment.”
Collaboration between universities and enterprises has been crucial in identifying specific industry needs and creating relevant micro-credentials. “It’s looking at what higher education is doing in terms of skills development and aligning that with exactly what enterprise needs. The MicroCreds project has really created a great ecosystem for that kind of university-enterprise collaboration.”
“In academia, we can speak in what can be a foreign language to enterprise. So it was really about breaking down those barriers and making sure that how we’re presenting the courses focuses in on the skills and the return on investment for enterprise, so that they know exactly the tangible skills that the employee is going to gain from the micro-credential.”
The variety of perspectives of students from different industries enriches both the learning experience and professional networks. “One of the most beneficial aspects is that you’re joining a classroom with a really diverse pool of students from different industries and sectors,” he says. “For example, if it’s looking at AI, you’re getting the perspective from healthcare, from food science, from the agri-food sector. You’re all in one class so everyone has the opportunity to get different perspectives and see how it’s working across different industries.”
The sense of community and networking opportunities within online cohorts are highly valued by learners, says Corsacadden, even when participating online. Dialogue between learners is encouraged, with project work forming bonds between participants.
For those thinking about taking up a course, Corsacadden advises critically assessing their own CV and skillset first to see where the gaps are and then thinking about what time they can comfortably set aside each week to commit to learning. The learner fee subsidy means that those wishing to take up courses can in some instances avail of discounts of up to 80% on course fees, making them even more accessible. “Microcreds.ie makes it very easy for people to explore the different options available across our seven partner universities so they can figure out what the best fit is for them.”
www.microcreds.ie
Astatine is helping industrial and manufacturing firms achieve carbon neutrality. Deanna O’Connor chats with founder TOM MARREN about how it all works
Serial entrepreneurs just can’t hold back when they see a business opportunity.
For Tom Marren, CEO of Astatine, it’s his eighth start-up. And even with over €86 million in orders on the books last year, he’s still selling the spare eggs from the chickens at his holiday home. e hustle never stops…
When he’s not keeping his neighbours in low-food miles organic produce, he’s concentrating on endeavours with even bigger green credentials. Astatine focuses on industrial decarbonisation. ink about the solar panels and heat pumps gaining popularity in homes across the country and then extrapolate that out to power-hungry factories. Business is booming and the company is fast outgrowing its Guinness Enterprise Centre (GEC) o ces, with numbers climbing north of 70-80 sta at the moment.
“We’re in the decarbonisation and cost reduction business,” he says, with a strong emphasis on the cost reduction element of that statement: “Cost reduction for power, heat and transport.”
e rm has completed projects for major clients like Irish Distillers, reducing energy costs by 30-40% for its clients and helping them on their journey to achieve carbon neutrality. ey recently installed the largest heat pump system in the country for Irish Distillers. e unique selling point of what the renewable energy experts have to o er is that they can look a er the capital expenditure, as well as engineering, procurement and construction, and then charge a fee for the power generated until the initial investment is paid o .
“We have a debt facility with the European Investment Bank and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) of €77 million. We also have a debt facility with a pension platform of €350 million. So we have a lot of cash to spend,” Marren explains. “We manage the funds for the European Investment Bank – we’re the asset manager and we design and build the plants. So, it is very e ective for clients who have cash constraints or may want to spend cash on something else.”
ey also have in-depth knowledge of available grants and EU funding focused on assisting companies to decarbonise. “We’ve delivered about €20 million in grants for our customers over the past 12 months,” he says. Recently they have been working with Arrabawn, a dairy producer in the Midlands. “We're currently doing a large solar farm for them and we're funding that over a period of time. It probably gives them about 30-40% cost reduction on their energy. It's fully green and they've no capex,” Marren explains. “And then a er the term, we pass it back to them and that continues to work for the next 35 years.” is project is funded under the EU LIFE programme, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action.
Marren has deep experience in the energy sector. “I've had companies in Australia, the Middle East and UK and I've been in the energy sector for 25 years. I'm taking that level of experience and being very focused in areas to understand what the market needs.” Over that time he has seen the increasing urgency with which energy transition
"I've had companies in Australia, the Middle East and UK and I've been in the energy sector for 25 years. I'm taking that level of experience to understand what the market needs."
is treated: “ ere is genuinely a lot more focus on clients having to decarbonise and the closer they are to the customer, they more focused they tend to be.”
Not only have legally binding energy targets focused the minds of companies on decarbonisation, but also the impetus on smaller companies, who may be down the supply chain, getting things in order regarding Scope 3 emissions. However, Marren is adamant that more and more companies are getting on board because they see real cost bene ts, rather than just ticking reporting boxes.
“We're seeing paybacks for heat projects of probably two-and-a-half to four years. So that's a good investment opportunity. Not only are these good business decisions but it also gives a level of assurance around security of supply.” With power prices only heading upwards, he says, “ e uctuation of power is something that clients need to be aware of and how to monetise that.”
He’s put a team together with people he has worked with over the last two decades and while business is booming now, the success story was not without some bumps in the road, particularly a er setting up just prior to the pandemic. Not being able to visit clients during lockdown stalled everything, but between the experience of the team and energy transition being such a highgrowth sector, they’ve turned it around.
“ e rst year, we did the grand sum of €250,000 and we lost a million. Last year we signed orders for €86 million and this year, we signed orders for probably about €160 million and half that will be in the overseas market.”
While the outage of electricity during the recent Storm Éowyn may have given some pause for thought about over-reliance on electricity, Marren is pragmatic about how energy needs will be catered to over the coming years, with backup generators frequently part of the package they install. And realistically, he points out, we are still likely to be using oil and gas, one way or another, for the next 50 years. However, while Trump may be exhorting the industry to “Drill, baby drill!” over Stateside, here in Europe we don’t have oil reserves. is, he points out, is why it is so important for us to be leaders in accelerating renewable energy technology to secure our supply. China has already forged ahead to dominate in the renewable energy space. Power is powerful.
With almost seven decades of accounting expertise under its belt, RBK is gearing up for further growth. Managing Partner JOE CLEARY talks to InBUSINESS about expanding services and building relationships with clients
Late last year, RBK appointed five Directors and three Associate Partners across its tax, audit and business advisory services. The promotions signalled the accountancy firm’s ambition to broaden its client base, both at home and abroad, and grow specific segments of the business while branching out into new ones. Operating over 67 years, services from RBK have evolved as client’s requirements have changed; in 2025, that ability to embrace change is showing no signs of slowing down.
RBK is the largest independent accounting firm in Ireland. Today, it boasts over 250 financial advisory practitioners. In 2024, the company took on 64 new employees including 34 graduates. “We would expect to take on similar numbers this year, maybe even higher. We’re very much a training firm and that’s
“Along with the income tax and corporate tax compliance services, we have dedicated teams specialising in some of the more sophisticated tax matters and we’re also looking at introducing transfer pricing as an offering.”
“We’re very much a training firm and that’s something we take great pride in. Grad Ireland listed us as one of the top 10 employers in accountancy/professional services in the country. The numbers of graduates that want to join our team each year bears that out.”
something we take great pride in. Grad Ireland listed us as one of the top 10 employers in accountancy/professional services in the country. The number of graduates that want to join our team each year bears that out. Of course, not all our graduates stay with us. Some will seek to expand their experience outside RBK, but we work hard to retain some of our intake because we’re expanding our core teams and looking to increase our numbers,” said Managing Partner, Joe Cleary.
In 2024, that core team expansion was accelerated with the appointment of five new Directors. Claire Fitzgerald and Mike Scanlan were appointed Tax Directors; Johannes Rice and Evelyn Smyth were made Audit & Assurance Directors; and Mary Langan was appointed Client Services Director. Three new Associate Partners – Michael Moriarty, Business Advisory Associate Partner;
Charlene McCrossan, Audit & Business Advisory Associate Partner; and Sinéad McMahon, Associate Tax Partner –were also appointed. Recruitment builds into retention, says Joe. “Recruitment adds to the overall knowledge pool and that bank of knowledge attracts talent. A clear pathway for career progression is another draw; many of our Partners have progressed through the firm. It’s clear to staff that career progression is something that’s available and actively encouraged at RBK.”
Management development programmes, a hybrid work policy, reward and remuneration structures and internal mobility opportunities also facilitate career progression. “Employee wellbeing is something we actively pursue too. I’m not saying we’ve cracked it entirely, but work-life balance is more of an issue nowadays for the profession generally and for ourselves specifically. I believe we have excellent working environments and that’s another draw for potential new hires.”
Tax is, says Joe, a growth segment at RBK. “Tax in general has gotten more complex over the years and indeed, it’s much more specialised than it ever was. Along with income tax and corporate tax compliance services, we have dedicated teams specialising in some of the more sophisticated tax matters and we’re also looking at introducing transfer pricing as an offering.”
RBK’s client base is diverse, ranging from SME’s, owner managed rms and family businesses to privately owned mid-corporates and international blue chip companies. “A signi cant portion of our clients are family-owned businesses. Understanding and appreciating the family dynamic is so important, as is working with them through life challenges as well as business challenges.”
With o ces in Dublin, Athlone and Roscommon, the rm also provides outsourced services to clients in the areas of payroll, accounting, HR and compliance. Alongside tax, internal audit is an area of growth and one that RBK hopes to build on in 2025. “We also specialise in the not-for-pro t and the credit union sectors. As an independent rm with a wide o ering, we see ourselves positioned to serve both the international market and the domestic market. With a number of international accounting network a liations and alliances, we can also access professionals abroad if we have service requirements outside Ireland.”
While the importance of audit and tax requirements generally stay the same, client concerns o en mirror global issues. “Our clients have expressed concern about tari s and trades and what that will mean for Ireland Inc, and then for their individual businesses. I’ve been in this business for many years and my experience is that our clients are resilient and agile, demonstrating an ability to overcome adversity and to adapt to change. Proof of that was seen during Covid and the myriad of challenges business have faced since.”
Cost in ation is also a challenge for businesses, as is wage in ation, sta shortages and additional costs from Government. “Sick pay and minimum wage increases are impacting our clients. Changes to minimum wage have had a knock-on e ect; once that goes up, wage expectations also go up. Not every business can a ord to meet those expectations. It has become increasingly di cult for many rms to operate in the business environment.”
With clients continuing to invest in sustainability and ESG, RBK is in the process of expanding its services to cater to this growing category. “We’re active in this area but we intend to
expand signi cantly over the coming years. It will take time for companies to fully embed reporting requirements into their business and in the same way, it will take us time to build up a trajectory in this area. It’s certainly our focus over the next few years.”
ESG is also a core focus internally, says Joe. “I think we’re far more conscious of our environment than we have ever been. As a people-based rm, we encourage our team members to be engaged in outside activities, in sporting organisations or volunteering. We don’t force anyone, but we encourage it as it helps in the greater work-life balance. It’s also a draw for potential employees; the current generation of graduates are far more socially responsible and they want to be part of an organisation that shares those values.” RBK’s values extend to putting people rst, making a positive di erence and being in it together.
Joe and the team at RBK are optimistic, both for the future of Irish business and for the future of the rm. “Firstly, our growth and success has to be attributed to the excellent team we have at RBK. It wouldn’t be possible without them. We want to continue that growth, expand in the coming years and meet a growing demand for our services. ere has been much consolidation in the sector and that’s something we are exploring. If opportunities arise, we will consider them. Accountants might be cautious by nature, but when it comes to the future of RBK, we’re strongly optimistic.”
RBK aspires to high levels of professionalism, integrity and knowledge. Over its 67 years, it has adapted to an everevolving business landscape by adopting new technologies and embracing a culture of curiosity. “ at ability to be reactive whilst maintaining quality is the key to our longevity, as is our personalised services. We’re a people-driven rm, both internally and externally. We like to build relationships with our clients, we like to engage with them and above all else, we listen to them. at’s a trait we’ll never lose.”
“We’re a people-driven firm, both internally and externally. We like to build relationships with our clients, we like to engage with them and above all else, we listen to them.”
Continual uncertainty has defined the business landscape for several years. If Joe were to give a business a piece of advice, what would it be?
what they can control, rather
“Uncertainty is a greater challenge than ever so my advice would be to focus on what they’re best at and what they can control, rather than obsessing on external uncertainties that they don’t have a direct influence on. I don’t mean ignore the challenges but Irish businesses have proven to be resilient and adaptive – that gives great hope for the future. Also, reach out for expert advice if you need it, wherever you might need it, preferably at an early stage.”
InBUSINESS meets DERVILLA O’FLYNN, Head Chef at Ballymaloe House, to explore her career path to culinary greatness and uncover the secrets of her success in cooking, leadership and staying true to her roots
Dervilla O’Flynn first arrived at Ballymaloe House to start a summer job at its farm shop back in the ‘80s, she knew she had discovered something special. “I arrived into this free-range world with free-range people, free-range food, a free-range lifestyle,” she says. “The owners are Quakers, so there was a wonderful feeling of their ethos all around. I loved it.”
Having left a deep impression on her, O’Flynn returned the following year to complete a course at Ballymaloe Cookery School. There, an opportunity arose to work as a junior chef under the guidance of founder and Irish food pioneer Myrtle Allen – something O’Flynn describes as a formative experience.
O’Flynn would go on to teach at the school with Myrtle’s daughterin-law Darina Allen for several years before gaining culinary, chef and business experience at top restaurants in Oxford, her hometown of Dublin, and Cork, where she also opened and ran her own cafe. In 2017, after taking time out to rear her three children, O’Flynn returned to Ballymaloe to become head chef. It was the same year that Myrtle Allen passed away. Today, along with other members of the Allen family, O’Flynn continues Myrtle’s legacy by placing a strong emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients and designing a menu that reflects a respect for the land and community that supplies Ballymaloe’s kitchen.
One of the most important lessons O’Flynn has learned in her career is to never forget why you’re cooking. “There’s no point in just following fashion in this industry,” she says. “You should be in it to cook the best food you can and to encourage others to use good ingredients. For me, that’s really important, because we’re not going to encourage farmers, fishermen or local producers of all our indigenous ingredients to do what they do best unless we call for it all the time.”
O’Flynn believes anyone working in food should be in tune with what we can grow in Ireland and open to being inspired from afar. “We should adapt ideas from abroad to our ingredients, keeping in mind our seasonality and local produce,” she says. “This is what Mrs Allen did and taught us. She’d travel to places like India and America to see what they were doing and then come back and adapt it with what we had.”
Indeed, an Indian curry introduced to Ballymaloe by Myrtle remains one of its key signature dishes. “She had eaten it when she was away,” says O’Flynn. “It was made of coconut milk and when she returned, she used it with our cream, our lamb and
what we could get locally. These are the kind of ideas I believe we need to think about.”
O’Flynn has learned from some of the best in the business and counts Myrtle, Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell (the founders of the Ballymaloe Cookery School) among her mentors, along with chef Johnnie Cooke and some of the international figures who have visited Ballymaloe for pop-up events, such as Max Rocha.
O’Flynn has also been inspired by her sisters who are in business and her mother-in-law, Wendy, who in her 80s, still runs the Ballymaloe Craft & Kitchenware Shop.
Recent TV drama series like The Bear and Boiling Point have offered us fascinating insights into how chaotic kitchen life can be for chefs and their teams, but are they an accurate portrayal of real-life restaurants?
O’Flynn admits that things can get intense, but she likes to run a much less frenetic kitchen and describes her management style as focused on getting the best out of everyone on her team.
“I think you have to be firm but kind,” she says. “I’m not firm enough half the time, but it is really important if you can be.” O’Flynn says most head chefs have never been trained to manage people, so they’re mostly figuring it out as they go.
“We all worked up within the industry, so sometimes you just get to your position and try to do the best you can. We’re all still learning along the way”.
“I wasn’t trained to be a manager,” she says. “We all worked up within the industry, so sometimes you just get to your position and try to do the best you can. We’re all still learning along the way. But I think it’s really important to be fair, to learn from each other, to allow people who come into us to teach us and show us if there’s a better way.”
O’Flynn says, like in any industry, communication is key and it has become more common for her and her team to meet before service to check in on each other, something that would never have happened a few years ago. “It’s especially important for members of your team who might be shy but who constantly tell you they’re fine, but they might not want to put you out or be afraid to appear to step out of line,” she says. “So I think it really works, just keeping in touch that way.”
O’Flynn is conscious of grouping people who work well as a team. “You might have one who’s a great thinker,
“My head chef will taste something I’ve made and I’ll taste something of his and that way, we encourage each other. At the end of the day, it’s all about the taste and the ingredients you’re cooking with.”
one who’s artistic, one who’s a creator,” she says. “Obviously, we’ll give them the recipes and the ideas, but it often takes time to build a team that is happy to work together and work well off each other. To be ready to follow through, to all work with each other, to taste everyone’s work.”
That counts for O’Flynn, too, as she leads by example.
”Everyone tastes each other’s food to make sure we’re happy with it,” she says. “My head chef will taste something I’ve made and I’ll taste something of his and that way, we encourage each other. At the end of the day, it’s all about the taste and the ingredients you’re cooking with.”
With O’Flynn’s strong emphasis on the people behind the work in how she leads, it’s no surprise to hear that if she hadn’t pursued a career in food, she might have ended up as a counsellor. So, as someone comfortable sharing advice, what are the key lessons O’Flynn wants the next generation of chefs to learn?
“I would generally teach them to serve and cook the best food they can and to always stand behind their own philosophies,” she says. “Also, they should set their own goals and stick with them. Learn to work with other people as a team. That can be really hard for many people actually, working with different personalities in the kitchen.”
When we speak, Ballymaloe is closed for renovations, so O’Flynn is busy preparing for its reopening on Valentine’s Day and looking ahead to some of the estate’s major events, like
the Ballymaloe Festival of Food in May, a three-day event for food and sustainability lovers.
As O’Flynn continues to lead Ballymaloe House’s kitchen into its next chapter, she remains dedicated to preserving its legacy while also pushing boundaries. Her vision includes expanding the restaurant’s focus on sustainability by growing more of their own produce, reducing what they buy and finetuning more of her recipes.
“Obviously, we need to buy in food like lemons, oranges and lots of greens,” she says. “But we can always improve and that’s what we plan to keep doing.”
1. WORKING IN COOKE’S RESTAURANT IN DUBLIN
“Johnnie Cooke was one of the first to open a CalifornianMediterranean style restaurant in Dublin. We were cooking for all the stars – it was a hot place. I was the second chef there and it was great fun.”
2. SETTING UP A RESTAURANT IN CORK
“It was brilliant and challenging, but doing it from scratch meant I learned so much.”
3. ASSISTING GUEST CHEFS AT BALLYMALOE COOKERY SCHOOL
“We’ve been very lucky to have a lot of pop-up chefs come and cook with us. Unfortunately, Covid put a stop to that, but we’ve started again, which is great. This year we’ll have Anna Haugh, who runs Myrtle Restaurant in London.”
SEAMUS KENNY has invented a system that’s set to make life much easier for farmers, writes Deanna O’Connor
utocoupler founder Seamus Kenny is a farmer by day – sharing the work of milking about 300 cows with his father, brother and a few employees. By night, he moonlights as a design engineer and inventor, tinkering away a er the rest of the family have gone to bed. He created the Autocoupler prototype to address a common frustration in his work and it was recently voted the winner of the One to Watch awards, out of seven start-ups selected to take part in Nova UCD’s fourth accelerator programme dedicated to early-stage start-ups in the AgTech and agrifood sectors.
e patented Autocoupler system enables a loader to seamlessly attach to any agricultural implement by automatically coupling the hydraulic circuit and securely locking the implement in place.
Designed with safety and e ciency in mind, Autocoupler eliminates the need for manual hydraulic connections, keeping the operator safely in the cab. It also manages back pressure and residual pressure, preventing oil loss and ensuring a clean, reliable connection. Built-in safety features prevent implements from detaching unexpectedly, ensuring a secure lock every time.
With its user-friendly design, Autocoupler can be retro tted onto existing machines without requiring signi cant modi cations. By streamlining implement changes, it eliminates delays associated with conventional manual systems, improving e ciency and most importantly, safety –all at the push of a button.
“Our next step is to target the agricultural and construction implement manufacture markets with our novel system,” says Kenny. His hope is that it will become as ubiquitous on farm machinery as Bluetooth is on phones. “It’s an add-on to a machine, like Bluetooth on your phone, or air conditioning in your car. You don’t go and buy air conditioning for the car; you buy it with it already attached.” Likewise, he sees this nding its place in the market in the same way, as a component to a system.
“A retrofit system will be direct to customer,” he says, adding that it wouldn’t be reasonable to change an expensive piece of machinery just for the convenience of the Autocoupler system. “But the ideal is that it will be OEM-fitted – that the likes of JCB, Volvo or Caterpillar would fit this as standard out of the factory.”
Feedback from potential customers viewing his exhibition stands at the National Ploughing Championship and the National Dairy Show in Cork was extremely positive. The three most popular questions he was asked were: Why hasn’t this been done before? When will you have it on the market? And how much will it cost?
The levels of interest confirmed his market research. His engineering expertise is self-taught, the product of having to fix bits of machinery as he works and a hobbyist interest in design and engineering inspired by trying to streamline jobs he hates doing. “When everyone is gone to bed, I sit down and start designing up stuff. I’m constantly making new ideas, but certain ones rise up that really have merit.” However, he admits, “There’s a big gap between developing an idea and making it a feasible idea.” Plenty of non-runners have ended up on the scrap heap too.
Autocoupler was one of those answers to a job he seemed to be constantly doing – hopping in and out of the cab of a tractor to couple and decouple different tools. Big industrial solutions were available but nothing affordable or suitable for a smaller farmer.
“I developed up a prototype of it and I was tinkering with it continuously. We got it working really well and tested it over a period of years,” he says. Over this time people who had seen it in action were impressed and encouraged him to take the idea further. His family also gave him a nudge, he jokes, not wanting to hear him complaining if someone else came up with a similar idea and got it to market.
The entrepreneurial spirit is clearly genetic, as his younger brother Tom has also developed a sideline farmrelated business with an invention – calf barrows. They are exactly what the name suggests; special wheelbarrows, designed to move calves up to three
Pictured (l-r) at the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre at UCD Lyons Farm are David Bowles, The Yield Lab; Faye Walsh Drouillard, WakeUp Capital; Seamus Kenny, Founder, Autocoupler, winner of the 2025 AgTechUCD One to Watch Award; James Maloney, Enterprise Ireland; and Gary Ryan, Director, AgTechUCD. Photos: Gareth Chaney, Photocall Ireland
weeks old (45kg), helping to avoid back injury and ease the process of transferring the animals.
Kenny had patents in place before publicly disclosing the idea at the National Ploughing Championships. Once provisional patents were in place, Kenny says he felt “on the clock” in terms of advancing the project, given about 18 months of protection with those. “After 18 months, you have to have decided, is this something you take out and you fire it up on top of the pile of scrap at the back of the workshop or is it something that you go and spend more money on to finalise the patent and push it forward,” he says. “Because patents are expensive.”
While patents are pricey, he knows that the product will have to be competitively priced to appeal to his peers. “I understand farmers; they’re very price conscious.” Not only is the system convenient but it’s cleaner and greener too, with no oil loss during the coupling and decoupling of tools. With price, convenience, safety and environmental concerns all catered to, it ticks a lot of boxes.
Winning an award at the Dairy Show in Millstreet and recognition on the UCD Accelerator were important to him, “because you’re working on your own, developing it, and there’s no one seeing the progress, you’re not seeing sales – it’s all in a vacuum.”
“At the moment, I’m trying to develop it by speaking to manufacturers. Once I get enough interest from manufacturers, I’ll be going back to Enterprise Ireland to see what the best options are. I’ve been working with the Enterprise Board in Kilkenny. They’ve part-funded some of the development of it, which is a great help. And a company in Kilkenny called Northside Engineering were a great help to refine the prototype.”
After working on Irish and European patents, the longer-term view would be to American and Canadian markets as the next step and all going well, finally Australia and New Zealand. “It’s a massive learning experience… it’s not for the faint-hearted,” he says. “It can be thankless some days, but this kind of recognition proves that it was worthwhile.”
“In 2025, we are encouraging all Tipperary organisations to consider how the Love Tipperary Gift Card can be used to reward their people, support their service users or incentivise their customers.”
As Ireland works towards achieving its ambitious climate goals, the South East is emerging as a key player in the country’s offshore wind energy sector. This was clearly evident at the Strategic Off-Shore wind meeting held in the Port of Waterford and organised by Waterford Chamber, with the support of Energia and Vårgrønn. According to Kevin Doolin, President of Waterford Chamber: “2025 has the potential to be a pivotal year for offshore wind in Ireland, particularly for the South East. We stand at the brink of a transformative era, but as highlighted by today’s contributors, realising this potential requires urgent Government action. Investment in port infrastructure, expansion of grid capacity, streamlined planning and the development of a skilled workforce are critical to unlocking Ireland’s offshore wind opportunities. A clear roadmap for future auctions and a well-structured pipeline of plan-led projects – aligned with transmission grid capacity and East Coast DMAPs – are essential to attracting investment, bolstering developer confidence and driving economic growth in the region. This is our moment to move from the periphery to the forefront of Ireland’s renewable energy future. Waterford Chamber has done extensive work in terms of lobbying for offshore wind, we understand the opportunities and the farreaching benefits it will have for our region.”
With over €150,000 sales in December 2024, the new Kilkenny Gift Card – introduced by Kilkenny Chamber – is proving a success in the city and county. To date, €42,000 has been reinvested back into the community with purchases made on Kilkenny Gift Cards in over 120 outlets in Kilkenny including cafés, restaurants, retail shops, hotels, pubs and more across the county. The Kilkenny Gift Card was brought to the city and county with support from Kilkenny County Council and the Local Enterprise Office, along with fintech Miconex as partner. Anne Barber, Kilkenny Chamber President, said: “We are delighted with the success of the Kilkenny Gift Card and the real positive impact it is having on the local economy. We will continue to expand the scheme and encourage everyone to consider supporting the Kilkenny Gift Card.”
A full house heard the region’s political leaders share their ideas on how best to shape the future of Wexford at the County Wexford Chamber Political Leaders Summit in February. Brian Brennan TD, Malcolm Byrne TD, George Lawlor TD, Johnny Mythen TD, Fionntán O Suilleabháin TD, Senator Cathal Byrne and MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú addressed a range of topics, facilitated by MC Ivan Yates.
Infrastructure and FDI investment were key concerns, particularly the need to complete the M11, establish a timeline for Trinity Wharf and maximise Rosslare Europort and road and rail links to Dublin. In addition, geopolitical issues, environmental concerns and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) were raised by panellists and attendees alike, with a desire for Wexford to be at the forefront of the sustainable agenda.
The highly anticipated ‘ESG & Sustainability in Business’ event, hosted by Dundalk Chamber of Commerce at The Fairways Hotel in February, proved a resounding success. Sponsored by UHY FDW and AIB, the event featured a dynamic panel of discussions and thought-provoking keynote addresses focused on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and their critical role in shaping a sustainable future. Keynote presentations were delivered by experts in the field including representatives from AIB, UHY FDW, NSAI, ENSO and Pulse Market. “With 100 attendees from a wide range of industries, the event underscored the growing importance of ESG practices and how we can collectively work toward a more sustainable future,” said Martina Gribben, Audit Director and Head of ESG and Sustainability at UHY FDW. For more information on ESG value chain reporting, contact Martina Gribben at martinagribben@uhyfdw.ie
Drogheda and District Chamber and Hampshire Chamber of Commerce have signed a ‘Friendship and Solidarity’ agreement, creating a formal link between both business communities. At the launch event, Drogheda and District Chamber CEO Hubert Murphy, said: “We want to put Drogheda and its incredible potential on the big stage and this was truly one of those moments. The links are significant already as both places have the Star and Crescent as their emblems. The opportunities around offshore wind are huge and I believe we can engage people to be part of that journey for this region.”
Showgrounds Shopping Centre is one of the Tipperary organisations using the Love Tipperary Gift Card to reward their team, while also boosting the local economy. The card is part of the awardwinning Town & City Gift Card initiative active across Ireland. Organisations across Tipperary are switching to a local gift card for the towns of Carrick-On-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Cashel, Tipperary town, Thurles, Templemore, Nenagh and Roscrea. The Love Tipperary Gift Card launched in November 2024 and can be spent with over 270 local businesses including shops, restaurants, hotels, salons and services, including national brands and independent businesses. It’s designed to take ‘shop local’ to the next level and provide organisations with an easy way to reward staff. Michelle Aylward, CEO, County Tipperary Chamber, said: “In 2025, we are encouraging all Tipperary organisations to consider how the Love Tipperary Gift Card can be used to reward their people, support their service users or incentivise their customers.”
The Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber (D&WW Chamber) was honoured to welcome Chambers Ireland President Margaret Considine for a special visit, recognising the Chamber’s outstanding impact on local business. Margaret praised D&WW Chamber as a leading example of excellence in business engagement and advocacy, commending its dedication to fostering a thriving economic environment. Chamber President Oren Byrne expressed gratitude for Margaret’s visit, highlighting the value of collaboration within Chambers Ireland’s national network. The visit also had a personal touch, as Margaret fondly recalled her family ties to Dungarvan, making the occasion even more special. This visit reinforced D&WW Chamber’s vital role in driving business success and innovation in the region.
Kilkenny Chamber President Anne Barber graciously received the original Presidential Chain of Office from Kevin O’Donovan, son of the late Comdt. Kevin O’Donovan, Kilkenny Chamber President from 1972 to 1977. In a handover ceremony at the Pembroke Hotel, Kevin Jnr stated “how proud the family were of their Kilkenny roots and in particular of the role their Dad played in the commercial life of Kilkenny city and county as President of the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and Industry.”
President Anne Barber thanked Kevin and his family for minding the historic heirloom of the Chamber and their most generous gift back to the Chamber after almost 50 years. The original had been replaced in 1973. Bobby Kerr, the famous Kilkenny hotelier of the day, made a gift of a new Presidential Chain of Office to the Chamber during the Presidency of Kevin O’Donovan.
In February, Dublin Chamber hosted a remarkable evening at the AGM Dinner at the InterContinental Hotel. The event featured insightful discussions on AI, innovation and economic growth, emphasising the need to keep Dublin dynamic, secure and globally competitive while maintaining its reputation for world-class hospitality. Guests heard from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Dublin Chamber President Eoghan Quigley, Noel Anderson (Managing Director, Grand Slam Bars), Carol Murphy (Head of Markets, EY Ireland) and Dublin Chamber CEO, Mary Rose Burke. A special thank you to all speakers for their valuable contributions and to EY for sponsoring.
As an SDG Champion, Cork Chamber is committed to driving sustainable business solutions and the recently launched REEValue platform is a prime example of how to help businesses transition to low-cost, low-carbon operations. Cork Chamber led the development of https://www.reevalue.eu/ platform as part of its EU co-funded LIFE REEValue project in collaboration with experts across Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta and Portugal. The free online platform has been designed to help European businesses, particularly SMEs in food & beverage manufacturing, transport and logistics to cut costs and carbon emissions.
» A one-stop shop for your business
» Quick self-assessment tool
» Carbon footprint estimations
» Tailored energy-saving recommendations
» Green grants to save you money
» A hub for value chain collaborations
» Available in English, Greek, Italian and Portuguese
At the prestigious Annual Dinner held at Cork City Hall in February, Cork Chamber announced the winners of the Cork Company of the Year Awards 2025. The overall and international category winner was Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Individual awardees were Ground Wellbeing for Emerging, National Beauty Distribution for SME, Keohane Seafoods for Large and Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine for International.
After some years of under performance, the Brazilian economy is taking off into a new and consistent growth cycle, and a range of factors can explain this performance. The first key factor to mention is the efficient macromanagement of the national economic system, which simultaneously aims to achieve two goals: control inflation and consolidate a business environment that attracts investors.
Inflation is being kept under control through a combination of strategies employed by the Ministry of Economy and the independent Central Bank of Brazil. These include traditional tools such as adjusting interest rates, controlling public debt, monitoring exchange rates, building and preserving international reserves and maintaining fiscal discipline. Stability and equilibrium enable growth, and Brazil needs sustainable growth to secure its status as a fully developed country.
In its pursuit of growth, Brazil has adopted a recreated industrial policy, introducing a framework called “New Industry Brazil” (NIB). It aims at reactivating or boosting strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, the oil industry, machinery production, electro-electronics, fertilisers, high-tech hardware and software, among others. Results are already emerging in these sectors, thus contributing to GDP growth, job creation, and improved income distribution. Meanwhile, the vehicle assembly sector, which has played a vital role in Brazil’s economy since the post-WWII period, is regaining momentum and improving its output.
The financial framework supporting this industrial restructuring is led by BNDES (Brazilian Bank for Economic and Social Development), along with traditional credit institutions as “Caixa Econômica” and “Banco do Brasil”.
To ensure that growth shall not be hampered by structural or logistical bottlenecks, Brazil is executing an updated portfolio of investment in infrastructure through the new Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). That comprehensive initiative covers a vast range of sectors, with a particular focus on energy generation and distribution as well as on transportation systems and facilities (mainly roads,
"Brazil has adopted a re-created industrial policy, introducing a framework called “New Industry Brazil” (NIB). It aims at reactivating or boosting strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, the oil industry, machinery production, electro-electronics, fertilizers, hightech hardware and software, among others."
ports and railway networks).
Simultaneously, the Government acts on simplifying the Brazilian fiscal system, with the aim of eliminating red tape and ease corporate management in the Brazilian market. New specific legislation is gradually being implemented, ushering in a new era for Brazilian fiscal procedures. In the technological field, the Government is stimulating the development of applied research and innovation within the traditional education system, thus generating inputs for improved industrial performance and for fostering the creation of innovative start-ups.
While reigniting industrial activity, Brazilian planners also act to ensure fair operational conditions to the agricultural sector (particularly through the “Safra” and “Renovagro” sectorial plans). The Government remains fully aware of the ever-growing importance of the primary sector to the Brazilian economic scenario. Not only does it ensure food security through a stable supply, but it also plays a critical role in exports, generating financial surplus and reserves.
In brief, that is the current state of Brazil’s economic renewal, which has led to GDP growth rates that exceeded expectations over the past two years. According to IBGE (Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics), the Brazilian economy grew 3.2% in 2023 and 3.4% in 2024. As a result, unemployment in Brazil hit a historic low in 2024, with just 6.6% of the work force unemployed. These figures virtually indicate full-employment, which, in turn, has sparked a consumption boom in the country. The new wave of consumption generates a need for fresh investment to ensure that production can match the ever-growing demand for consumer goods. The ultimate result is the activation of a virtuous cycle of growth across the economy, though caution is still needed to cope with inflationary risks.
Maintaining fiscal balance, achieving growth and creating jobs… is this enough to measure government success in Brazil? Certainly not. Brazil still faces a crucial challenge in eradicating poverty and improving social welfare. This is a task that will require more than one generation to be completed and cannot be postponed. Accordingly, complex and determined actions are being undertaken to reform society from within – mostly through improved versions of social programs that have been implemented in the two first decades of this century.
The “Bolsa-família”, Brazil’s flagship income transfer program, is internationally recognised as an effective mechanism for boosting consumption while fostering social inclusion. It is complemented by a range of other public policies aimed at reducing poverty and malnutrition, as well as tackling deficits in housing, education, and public health.
Given that the continuation of these efforts depends on sustained economic growth, a critical question arises: how long can this new growth cycle last for? Or, in other words: considering that the growth achieved in the early part of the century was followed by a subsequent recession when external challenges hit Brazil’s economy, could a similar scenario unfold in the near future? The answer is a cautious “no”. Current trends suggest that the gains in productivity, output and consumption will persist in the long term, thus breaking the boom-and-bust cycle that has historically characterised the country's economy.
A key reason for that optimism is the reinforcement of the Brazilian sector of energy production. Brazil has stabilised its oil production through investments in the seashore exploiting fields, and especially in the so-called “pre-salt” drills. Moreover, in the second decade of this century, Brazil added three new hydroelectric plants to its power generation capacity, one of which, “Belo Monte”, is the third-largest in the world. In addition, Brazil is emerging as a major player in green energy, with significant investments in wind and solar power. With such a powerful and diversified energy structure, the Brazilian economy became better prepared to sustain successive waves of consumption growth. This silent “energy revolution” has positioned Brazil for long-term steady growth. At the same time, the country can proceed with its social improvement programs without facing balance of payments pressures as had been the case in the past.
In short, Brazil is in the midst of an economic and social transformation. It is no coincidence that its economy has once again joined the ranks of the 10 largest economies in the world. This growth cycle, that is undertaken under robust sustainability and ecological respect patterns, is underpinned not only by an expanding energy supply but also by a surge in technological innovation and managerial improvements, driven by decades of investment in education and research.
That sustained economic performance works as a magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI).
According to OECD data for the first half of 2024, Brazil ranks as the second-largest recipient of FDI globally, behind the USA. It is unnecessary to stress the importance of this moment for any Irish company
or investor already operating in Brazil or planning to do so.
"Brazil’s vibrant and well-integrated community of professionals living in Ireland offers valuable insights and connections to the Brazilian market."
Irish investors already have substantial experience operating in the 220-million-consumers Brazilian market. They are present across multiple sectors such as: logistics, biotechnology, dairy products, food processing inputs, packing materials, pharmaceutics, health equipment, and industrial implements. That steady and persistent presence of Irish companies in Brazil places them in a privileged position to locally identify new business opportunities.
Furthermore, Brazil’s vibrant and well-integrated community of professionals living in Ireland offers valuable insights and connections to the Brazilian market. These professionals have discovered Ireland as a land that stimulates economic creativity and professional skill. May their success in Ireland inspire more Irish companies to view Brazil as a country engaged to long-term development and as an everpromising field for sustained and profitable business relations.
Ireland is already a trusted and prosperous business partner for Brazil. Time has come to upgrade that partnership to a new bright profile of intensity and diversity.
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In 2025, Brazil ill ha e the honour of hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), hich ill take place in Belém, capital of the State of Pará he chosen cit ill pro orld ith a unique platform to discuss climate solutions, fi ml rooted in the heart mazon.
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Michelle Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer at Limerick Chamber, on why now’s the time to foster positive change across the Mid-West
How long have you held the CEO role?
I’m a relative newbie, having joined Limerick Chamber late September 2024. But I feel like it’s been longer than six months, such is the nature of this role. It’s all encompassing.
What’s the business sentiment in Limerick?
Limerick and the Mid-West remain well-positioned in terms of employment levels and have experienced significant post-Covid growth. Shannon Airport continues to demonstrate growth and Shannon Foynes Port remains a key asset for the region. Concerns around housing remain, despite increased numbers in 2024. As Limerick continues to grow and be an attractive proposition to workers, we need to ensure that adequate transport infrastructure is put in place. Costs are still a concern for many businesses, particularly those in hospitality, as well as SMEs and the global economic environment is also feeding into greater uncertainty. However, there is some optimism regarding future operations and increased investment opportunities.
How is the ‘Shop Local’ gift card performing?
The Limerick Gift Card has been a fantastic initiative for the local economy and a great example of how multiple stakeholders can come together to support local business. Limerick Chamber, in partnership with Limerick City & County Council, have joined forces to roll out and implement this program backed by MiCONEX. The beauty of the Limerick Gift card is that it includes the night-time economy, with hotels, restaurants and bars included so it’s also revitalising our night-time economy. A great example of how it has worked well is the ‘All We Have are Days’ Music and Cultural Festival, held over St Brigid’s weekend. The team backing the event purchased over €2,500 worth of Gift Cards for the artists and volunteer teams. It meant they could choose to spend the card locally and I believe one international artist picked up a pair of sports shoes for their son!
How does Limerick Chamber respond to the needs of its members?
Established in 1805, Limerick Chamber is the fifth oldest chamber of commerce in Ireland and the UK. We have diversified our value proposition over the years to remain relevant. I’m fortunate to have an excellent team and a vibrant board who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Limerick Chamber is the leading voice and advocate for business in the region, with over 400 members across a spectrum of sectors and size. This is achieved through three key pillars – Influence, Train and Connect.
"For me, Limerick is and always will be where I call home."
What are the main challenges facing businesses in Limerick?
A key challenge for employers in the region is the lack of housing. We will only remain attractive as long as workers have a place to live. Our policy team, led by Sean Golden, has been doing an excellent job at highlighting these issues. The rising cost of business is a challenge for retail and hospitality sectors in particular, especially those operating in Limerick city centre as they compete with urban shopping centres.
As Chief Executive, what are your ambitions?
Impact, if I could sum up in one word why I chose this role – the potential to make a significant impact in the region. I am naturally good at building relationships and connecting people. For me, Limerick is and always will be where I call home. This region punches well above its weight in terms of ambition and more importantly, attitude. You will see co-opetition in Limerick, where key players in the same market will down their tools to ensure we pull together and do what’s right for the region. An excellent example is the Limerick IT summit at which I delivered a keynote address. Many of the SMEs in attendance would be seen as key competitors, but there’s enough room at the table for all the quality outfits operating in this space. We want to shine a light on the positive impact each of these businesses can have on your bottom line. Having worked in change management initiatives, I know how challenging it is to be a positive change agent. I figured it’s time to be part of the positive change needed for Limerick so if I’m going to make an impact, now’s the time to do so.
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Justice David Barniville appointed to prestigious ICC Committee
Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court of Ireland, has recently been appointed to the Governing Body for Dispute Resolution Services at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). is prestigious appointment is a testament to Justice Barniville's distinguished career and the signi cant contributions he has made to the eld of arbitration and dispute resolution in Ireland and beyond.
Justice Barniville's legal career spans over three decades, marked by numerous notable achievements and positions of in uence. Born in Dublin, he pursued his legal studies at University College Dublin and the King's Inns, graduating with a BCL degree in 1988. He was called to the Bar in July 1990 and became a Senior Counsel in October 2006. His practice as a barrister encompassed commercial law, constitutional and administrative law and he was also an Accredited Mediator with a special interest in arbitration.
In December 2017, Justice Barniville was appointed as a Judge of the High Court, where he served until August 2021. During this period, he was the judge in charge of the Commercial Division of Ireland’s High Court and was designated as the Arbitration Judge, as provided in the Arbitration Act 2010, to hear all arbitration-related matters. He also served as the judge in charge of the Strategic Infrastructure List in the High Court. In August 2021, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal and in July 2022, he assumed the role of President of the High Court.
e Governing Body for Dispute Resolution Services at the ICC plays a crucial role in ensuring the e ectiveness and quality of ICC’s dispute resolution services. It is responsible for proposing measures to maintain highquality services, preparing business plans and policy proposals and overseeing the implementation of strategic proposals approved by the ICC Executive Board and the World Council. e Governing Body is composed of 16 members, including ex o cio members such as the President and Secretary General of the International Court of Arbitration and 10 individuals recognised internationally as leaders in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
Justice Barniville's appointment to this body is a signi cant re ection of the high regard in which he is held within the international arbitration community. It also underscores the important role that Ireland plays in the eld of arbitration. e ICC is the world’s leading arbitral
"Justice Barniville's legal career spans over three decades, marked by numerous notable achievements and positions of influence."
institution and its work in promoting and facilitating international arbitration is crucial for the resolution of commercial disputes. Ireland, with its robust legal framework and experienced practitioners, has been a key player in this domain.
Justice Barniville's involvement with the ICC will undoubtedly enhance the visibility and in uence of Irish arbitration on the global stage. His expertise and leadership will contribute to the continued success and development of ICC’s dispute resolution services, further cementing Ireland's reputation as a hub for international arbitration.
In conclusion, Justice David Barniville's appointment to the ICC Governing Body for Dispute Resolution Services is a proud moment for Ireland and a testament to his exceptional career and contributions to the eld of arbitration. It highlights the signi cant role that the ICC plays in promoting e ective dispute resolution and the importance of Ireland's participation in this global e ort.
Niall Fitzgerald at Zurich looks at the most common queries that employers have in relation to the forthcoming introduction of auto-enrolment (AE)
"Any employee earning over €20,000 per annum (from all employments), aged over 23 and under 60, and currently does not have a pension contribution (either from themselves or their employer) paid via payroll, will fall into the bracket for auto-enrolment."
Will my employees be eligible for autoenrolment?
First, let’s look at the eligibility criteria for employees to be included in auto-enrolment (also called ‘My Future Fund’). Any employee earning over €20,000 per annum (from all employments), aged over 23 and under 60, and currently does not have a pension contribution (either from themselves or their employer) paid via payroll, will fall into the bracket for auto-enrolment.
What happens if my pension scheme is voluntary?
If your pension scheme is voluntary (employment contract states the employee has the option to join), then those employees that have not opted to join the pension scheme and meet the above criteria will be automatically enrolled when My Future Fund is introduced. If employers would rather their employees join their existing scheme, then they should consult with their scheme adviser or provider to provide education to those nonmembers to encourage them to join, if it is in their best interests to do so.
What about probationary periods –will employees be auto-enrolled during this time?
Yes, is the short answer. So, if any existing pension schemes have an eligibility period that matches the probationary period (i.e. an employee can only join the pension scheme a er they satisfy their probationary period – normally six months), they will be automatically enrolled during that probationary period. For a voluntary scheme and following the probationary period, the employee must then decide to commence membership of their employer’s pension scheme or stay in the auto-enrolment system. For a compulsory scheme, they will automatically become a member of the employer’s pension scheme and therefore will no longer be eligible for auto-enrolment.
What is the minimum an employer needs to contribute into their own scheme when auto-enrolment is introduced?
Initially, there are no minimum contribution levels required for existing schemes at the time auto-enrolment is introduced. It is however anticipated that by year 7, minimum standards will be established to determine which option is more bene cial for employees – auto-enrolment or the employer’s existing pension scheme. At that point, contributions will need to be the same if not better than AE.
about my employees –what is best for them?
e consensus is that any higher rate taxpayer will be better o in a scheme provided by their employer due to the ability to avail of higher rate tax relief on their own contributions. Also, employers o ering signi cantly higher levels of contributions into their scheme compared to auto-enrolment would likely make that option more attractive. However, it should be noted that AE contributions will be based on overall earnings (most pension scheme contributions are calculated on basic salary). For standard rate taxpayers, the State top-up of €1 for every €3 contributed by the employee could prove more attractive (equating to 25% tax relief), depending on the level of employer contribution. Drawdown of bene ts from the autoenrolment system is only available at state pension age (currently 66), with no facility for early retirement unless due to ill health. In addition, an employee cannot make Additional Voluntary Contributions to the auto-enrolment system beyond the prescribed contribution levels. is would suggest that the auto-enrolment system is less exible for those employees who are serious about trying to achieve pensions adequacy when they retire.
Employers should seek guidance to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each option, considering their unique circumstances and the demographics of their employees. Certainly, those employers looking to remain competitive for sta recruitment and retention purposes would want a scheme that o ers enhanced contributions and more exible options than those available under auto-enrolment. In that instance, existing scheme rules and employment contracts may need to be updated for new joiners to provide for compulsory and immediate membership of the pension scheme as part of the terms and condition of employment. Undoubtedly, AE is a positive change for future Irish generations as it will help more people save for their retirement. As an employer though, you will need to prepare for its introduction. is may seem like an additional stress on your business but with our help and support, you don’t have to do it alone. Companies o ering a company pension
"Companies o ering a company pension scheme with competitive contribution levels will enjoy a distinct advantage in the talent market, while also enjoying an enhanced employer brand."
scheme with competitive contribution levels will enjoy a distinct advantage in the talent market, while also enjoying an enhanced employer brand. ey can achieve that with the Zurich Master Trust which o ers market leading active investment performance*, governance expertise and streamlined administration, all in a cost-e ective package.
To nd out more about the Zurich Master Trust, visit zurichcorporate.ie You can nd some helpful information on Auto Enrolment on www.gov.ie
Niall Fitzgerald is Head of Retirement Solutions at Zurich
*Source: Zurich and MoneyMate, February 2025
Warning: If you invest in this product you may lose some or all of the money you invest
Warning: Past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance
Warning: This product may be a ected by changes in currency exchange rates
Warning: The value of your investment may go down as well as up
The information contained herein is based on Zurich Life’s understanding of current Revenue practice as at March 2025 and may change in the future. Zurich Life Assurance plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
Waterford is at the heart of special moments enjoyed around the world, elevating celebratory stories of all kinds, held by all kinds of people. Synonymous with luxury, unity and joy, Waterford is evolving its proud past to power an exciting future.
Waterford was established in 1783 on land adjacent to Merchants Quay in the heart of Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city. This location is just minutes from the present-day House of Waterford. Its’ founders, George and William Penrose, were important developers and principal exporters in the city; their vision was to "create the finest quality crystal for drinking vessels and objects of beauty for the home". More than 200 years later, the reputation they forged for creating luxury crystal of unsurpassed beauty and quality has echoed down the ages.
Today, Waterford maintains very strong links with its renowned predecessors, striving for the same purity of colour, design inspiration and highest quality levels.
House of Waterford stands proudly as Waterford’s flagship store and showcases Waterford’s key value of craftsmanship, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of Waterford from initial concept to final product.
The factory is the beating heart of Waterford’s crystal manufacture and where the most intricate,
Showcasing Waterford’s key value of craftsmanship, House of Waterford stands proudly as the city's flagship store
"The factory is the beating heart of Waterford's crystal manufacture and where the most intricate, authentic and masterful crystal pieces come to life."
authentic and masterful crystal pieces come to life.
The factory is located in the heart of Waterford city in Ireland, a Viking city built in 914 AD, and is surrounded by a cluster of museums which detail the proud history of this great city.
Discover more about House of Waterford’s history at www.houseofwaterford.com
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Siofra McGuinness McGuinness Trucking
Despite the oncoming headwinds in 2025 and beyond, the domestic economy is set to continue to expand at a solid pace, writes John
Fahey, Senior Economist at AIB
The global economy continued to expand at a moderate pace in 2024. While some of the main central banks started to cut interest rates in the second half of the year, monetary policy remained in restrictive territory and therefore acted as a headwind to growth. Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimate that the world economy grew by 3.2% in 2024, which was similar to its performance in 2023 and remains modest in historic terms. In the main advanced economies, robust US growth of 2.8% offset subdued growth in the Eurozone and UK, of 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively.
Price pressures dissipated more slowly last year, but headline inflation is now approaching 2% in many advanced economies. Core inflationary pressures are proving to be somewhat sticky, but they too have been on a downward trajectory, paving the way for central banks to cut interest rates. Encouragingly, the decline in inflation has been achieved without causing major harm to labour markets. The unemployment rate remains low and relatively steady in many advanced economies, despite the still restrictive stance of monetary policy. However, tight conditions in the labour market are feeding into elevated levels of services inflation, which in turn, is contributing to the stickiness in core inflation.
In terms of the Irish economy, following a sharp fall in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 due to a downturn in the pharma sector, GDP returned to growth in 2024. The Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) estimate of GDP for 2024 shows that the economy expanded by 1.2%, having declined by 5.5% in 2023.
Meanwhile, the domestic economy has continued to grow at a solid pace. Modified domestic demand, which is regarded as a better measure of underlying growth (as it
"The unemployment rate remains low and relatively steady in many advanced economies, despite the still restrictive stance of monetary policy."
excludes the distortions caused by multinational corporations and aircraft leasing activity to GDP calculations), rose by 2.7% in 2024, compared to 2.6% in 2023. In terms of the key drivers of domestic activity, consumer spending rose by 2.3% last year (versus 4.8% in 2023), while core business investment picked up to register a 2.2% average annual growth rate (following a 4.4% contraction in 2023).
Growth in the domestic economy was against the backdrop of a strong Irish labour market. Ongoing strong net inward migration helped sustain robust growth in the workforce. Employment growth was solid, rising by 2.7% in 2024. The number of people in employment by
the end of 2024 totalled 2.78 million, up around 17% over the past five years. In the meantime, recent data shows that the unemployment rate had fallen to 3.9% in February of this year. Encouragingly, inflation fell substantially over the course of 2024, with the annual Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP) rate averaging just 1.3% last year.
In the year ahead, we will continue to see a number of headwinds facing the Irish economy. The ‘openness’ of the economy makes it sensitive to developments globally. The consensus among main international forecasters is for another period of subdued growth for the world economy. Elevated levels of uncertainty, most notably owing to current geopolitical tensions and conflict around the globe and the potential ratcheting up of protectionist trade policies, all pose significant downside risks to the outlook. At the same time, interest rates could remain in restrictive territory. The consensus is for global growth of around 3% once again this year. In the US, growth is projected to moderate as the labour market cools and consumption slows. Growth in Europe is expected to accelerate but remain below that of the US, as falling inflation and interest rates stimulate activity.
IDA Ireland is indicating that there is a more challenging backdrop for global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). At the same time, capacity
"The domestic economy is set to continue to expand at a solid pace, supported by ongoing employment growth and a renewed rise in real wages."
constraints including in relation to housing, labour and general infrastructure, will act as impediments to growth. However, Ireland’s GDP is forecast to register improved growth in 2025, underpinned by the rebound in exports seen in 2024. Furthermore, the domestic economy is set to continue to expand at a solid pace, supported by ongoing employment growth and a renewed rise in real wages. Fiscal policy will also remain supportive of activity. Meanwhile, private sector balance sheets are characterised by low debt and high savings. Thus, most forecasts are for Irish modified domestic demand and GDP to grow by between 3-4.5% in 2025.
Data in the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) policy brief – Trade, Jobs and Technological Change: What to Expect in the Next Five Years?1 – is eye-opening. It shows that Ireland tops the global table, having the greatest share of domestic employment in the business sector sustained by foreign trade at 82%2. This shows a remarkable transformation in our economy in the last 50 years. It reflects well on many aspects of Irish policy, not least our education standards and our success in profiling Ireland on the world stage, but also highlights the risks that being such an open economy carries. So why does it frequently feel that international trade is somehow an inconvenience to many of our politicians when our legislators need to intervene to take advantage of opportunities to improve our attractiveness and competitiveness?
Current context
It is difficult not to become consumed with the immediate drama surrounding President Trump's executive orders and threats of tariffs and so try to identify strategies to anticipate, address and counter them. Undoubtedly the pace will slow over the next few weeks, but we can fully expect unpredictability and uncertainty to remain for the duration of this US Presidency. Now is the time to really grasp and embrace opportunities to develop other markets, which face similar uncertainties themselves and are looking to work with stable markets such as Ireland and the EU. Government needs to act to facilitate those opportunities.
Ireland stands at a pivotal juncture in its economic and political landscape. As a nation known for its open economy and its significant reliance on international trade, it is imperative that Ireland embraces and supports key international trade agreements such as Mercosur, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC). These agreements are not mere formalities, but crucial mechanisms that will drive economic growth, innovation and jobs in the coming years.
"Ireland stands at a pivotal juncture in its economic and political landscape."
Ireland's economy has thrived on the back of its openness to global markets. The adoption of Mercosur, CETA and the UPC promises to further enhance this openness by providing new opportunities for businesses, creating jobs and fostering innovation. The ECIPE paper illustrates the profound impact that international trade can have on job creation and technological advancements. It shows a projected increase in job opportunities in sectors directly tied to international trade and technological exchange.
The Mercosur3 agreement, which links the EU with South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina, is expected to open up new markets for Irish businesses. This will not only enhance export opportunities but also stimulate domestic production. Similarly, CETA, which facilitates trade between the EU and Canada, has already shown potential benefits through the reduction of tariffs and the opening up of new markets. The Unified Patent Court, on the other hand, will streamline patent litigation processes within the EU, making it easier and less costly for Irish companies to protect their intellectual property.
By passing these agreements, Ireland can position itself as a hub for technological innovation, attracting both investment and talent from around the world.
One of the most compelling arguments for supporting new trade agreements is their potential to drive technological change. The global exchange of goods, services and ideas accelerates innovation and technological development. By aligning with international trade agreements, Ireland can ensure that it remains at the forefront of technological advancements.
The Mercosur agreement is not just about agricultural and industrial products; it also encompasses the exchange of technology and services. This can be particularly beneficial for Ireland's burgeoning tech sector, providing access to new technological resources and expertise from new markets in South America.
1. Published January 2025
2. https://ecipe.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ECI_25_PolicyBrief_01-2025_LY02.pdf - Figure 3
3. Mercosur was established in 1991 and includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay
"These agreements promise to bolster Ireland's economy by creating jobs, fostering innovation and enhancing its competitive edge in the global market."
CETA's provisions on intellectual property rights and technology collaboration can signi cantly enhance Ireland's ability to innovate. e agreement facilitates easier access to Canadian technological innovations and research, fostering a collaborative environment for technological advancement.
e Uni ed Patent Court represents a signi cant step towards the harmonisation of patent laws within the EU. For Ireland, this means a more straightforward and e cient process for patent registration and litigation. Such alignment not only reduces legal uncertainties, but also encourages business investments and innovation.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Irish economy. By supporting the UPC, Ireland can make it easier for these businesses to protect their innovations and compete on a global stage. is is crucial for fostering a vibrant and competitive business environment in Ireland. Access to the UPC would substantially reduce costs and red tape for innovating Irish entrepreneurs wishing to protect their intellectual property in signatory countries.
Every year, we celebrate the stories of inspiration and innovation from entrants to the Young Scientist Awards. ey deserve the opportunity to patent their ideas on a pan-EU basis. Our competitiveness will su er another blow if we don't enable our innovators to take advantage of the same opportunities now available in most other EU countries. Government should be targeting to hold the necessary referendum with the Presidential election later this year.
e UPC is designed to reduce the costs associated with patent litigation by providing a uni ed and streamlined process. is is particularly bene cial for Irish companies, who o en face high costs and complex procedures when dealing with patent issues across multiple jurisdictions. By supporting the UPC, Ireland can ensure a more e cient and cost-e ective patent system for its businesses.
In conclusion, the adoption of Mercosur, CETA and the Uni ed Patent Court is not just a strategic move for Ireland; it is a necessity. ese agreements promise to bolster Ireland's economy by creating jobs, fostering innovation and enhancing its competitive edge in the global market. e bene ts of embracing international trade are clear and profound. Ireland must seize this opportunity to support international trade agreements and secure its place as a leader in the global economy. By championing these agreements, Ireland can unlock new possibilities for its businesses, drive technological advancement and ensure sustained economic growth for years to come. It is time for Ireland to take a bold step towards a future of prosperity and innovation by fully backing Mercosur, CETA and the Uni ed Patent Court. Politicians across the political spectrum must get behind trade and promote it to the electorate.
DHL is on hand to help Irish SMEs unlock their global e-commerce potential
Expanding your business globally may seem intimidating, but it’s easier than you think. With global e-commerce sales projected to reach around $8 trillion by 2026, the world is more connected than ever and there’s never been a better time for Irish SMEs to tap into this booming market.
In today’s digital age, every business –whether big or small – has the opportunity to reach customers around the world. The key is having the right strategy, logistics and tools in place. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur eyeing international expansion or just starting out with a new online venture, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make your mark on the global stage.
START WITH THE RIGHT MARKET
Before diving in, it’s essential to identify the markets that are most likely to demand your products. Researching local regulations, tariffs and customs requirements is a must, as each country has its own rules and policies. Don’t worry – tools like DHL’s My Global Trade Services (MyGTS) can help you navigate all the details, from pre-shipment planning to comparing trade lanes and understanding tariffs.
SECURE
Your logistics partner plays a major role in your global success. According to research, 70% of shoppers prefer well-known logistics providers and that trust factor is vital when selling internationally. DHL Express offers Irish SMEs a streamlined process with customised rates and flexible shipping options, making it easier to get your products into customers’ hands – on time, every time.
Once you’ve nailed your target market and logistics partner, it’s time to think about your e-commerce platform. Integrating your logistics with platforms like Shopify ensures efficient order processing and smooth shipping so your business can run like clockwork. DHL Express also has DHL Express Commerce (DEC), a service that streamlines your international shipping, offering transparent pricing and customised options based on market-specific taxes.
Today’s consumers expect more control over how and when they receive their orders. With DHL’s On Demand Delivery (ODD) service, you can give your customers the flexibility to choose delivery times, locations or even opt for contactless delivery. Whether it’s collecting parcels from a DHL Service Point or opting for a parcel locker, these delivery options will enhance the customer experience and help you stand out in a competitive market.
Returns are inevitable in e-commerce, and offering a smooth returns process is crucial to maintaining customer satisfaction. DHL’s label-free shipping makes it easier for both you and your customers to handle returns quickly and efficiently. No need for physical labels – just streamlined processing that leads to faster, hassle-free returns. When it comes to global expansion, customer satisfaction should be at the heart of your strategy. Offering fast, reliable delivery, easy returns and flexible shipping options will help you build a loyal customer
base – both at home and abroad. Remember, happy customers are repeat customers and the more seamless you make their shopping experience, the more likely they are to return.
Expanding into global e-commerce opens up incredible opportunities for Irish SMEs, but it requires a solid plan and a strategic approach. By focusing on logistics, offering flexible delivery and return options and making customer satisfaction a priority, you can simplify international shipping and operations. With the right tools and partners, Irish businesses can successfully navigate the world of global e-commerce and thrive in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Ready to take your business global?
Scan the QR code below to learn more about how you can start your international journey today with DHL Express Ireland
SOLAS can help companies fast-track their way to leadership excellence with targeted, comprehensive upskilling
Irish companies are facing a constantly changing business environment. With global and national economic shifts, climate change and advances in technology, local enterprises need to remain agile and adaptable. Companies looking to drive growth and competitiveness in national and global markets require strong leadership and direction to help them overcome potential future challenges, as well as seize new business opportunities.
SOLAS, the Further Education and Training (FET) authority, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, are delivering a leadership and management development programme, under the Skills to Advance initiative.
This upskilling programme is aimed at business owners, middle managers and supervisors, from businesses of all sizes, looking to develop their leadership and management skills. Launching in March 2025, the programme is delivered locally by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around Ireland. The course blends in-person and online learning and is scheduled to fit the operating needs of participating businesses.
To lay a strong foundation for leaders to futureproof their companies, the programme is designed to boost leadership skills in five key areas:
» Financial planning
» Strategic business planning
» Change management
» Team management
» Resilience and leadership style.
Learners will receive in-depth training in cash flow, costing, budgeting and funding. Participants will also learn how to build a robust business strategy and how to lead teams to achieve organisational goals while navigating hybrid working, employee turnover, and changing demands. The change management module delivers the skills needed to navigate organisational change and adapt to transforming business landscapes.
The upskilling programme is fully accredited and upon completion, participants will receive an internationally recognised certificate in Leadership and Management from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). Learners can choose to
complete a single module or a combination of modules for an ILM Level 3 certificate or Level 4 diploma (equivalent to a Level 5 or Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications).
Delivered under SOLAS’ Skills to Advance upskilling initiative, the programme is highly subsidised. Participating businesses can get a subsidy for up to 70% of the course fee. The local ETB delivering the training will calculate the subsidies and advise companies on cost.
Skills to Advance is a national upskilling and reskilling initiative that assists employers to develop new skills in their teams, improve processes and cost savings, and increase their competitiveness through highly subsidised training. Since 2019, over 90,000 training opportunities have been availed of under the initiative.
Companies can express interest in the Leadership and Management Development Programme by emailing skillstoadvance@solas.ie or contacting their local ETB offices today
Irish economic outlook remains strong for 2025 and companies continue to invest for growth. However, there is no doubt that the world economy is in uncharted territory. In times like this, having a good banking relationship becomes even more critical for accessing credit to weather any commercial storms. Economic instability can make banks more cautious about lending, but a strong relationship and a good track record in managing your company’s finances can help mitigate these concerns. When banks trust their customers, they are more likely to extend credit, even during challenging times.
Regular communication and timely repayments build trust. Borrowers should be aware that when assessing a credit or loan application, banks and credit providers will look at your recent credit history (covering repayments on all loans over €500 in the last five years), as well as their own internal records of how you operate your bank accounts and loan facilities.
Having a good banking relationship can ease access to credit in times of uncertainty
A solid banking relationship can also lead to a quicker approval process when you are applying for credit, particularly with banks using automated approvals to speed things up. Furthermore, in times of uncertainty, a positive banking relationship may translate into flexibility, such as deferred payments or adjusted loan terms, which can be crucial for maintaining financial stability in your business. What if I am having difficulty securing credit from my bank?
Credit Review is here to help. We provide an independent appeal service
Having difficulty getting a new business loan or restructuring your existing debt with your bank?
Established by the Minister for Finance, Credit Review is here to help.
Talk to the credit experts today on 0818 211 789 or visit creditreview.ie
for businesses who have had credit facilities refused, reduced, restructured/ refinanced or withdrawn by AIB, BOI and PTSB for amounts up to €3 million. We also operate a helpline that provides useful information and assistance over the phone to SME’s – sometimes credit issues can be resolved without a formal appeal; something that is appreciated by both banks and borrowers!
Our appeals process is flexible and responsive. Our credit experts will engage directly with you and provide comprehensive insights into the credit application/decline process.
For more information on our independent appeals process and information services, visit creditreview.ie to request a call back or call the helpline directly on 0818 211789
€10m East Meath Civic Centre o icially opens in Bettystown; Louth County Council delivers Ireland’s first 3D-printed houses; and Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service leads Ireland in road safety innovation with digital alerting technology
Cork County Council announces €1.8m fund to support communities; Co Limerick walking and cycling infrastructure gets €1.15m investment; and Limerick City and County Council’s tree planting initiative takes root
National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann enhance Sligo Town Bus Services; Sligo County Council partners with MyWaste.ie to roll out Green Business Hub initiative; and construction commences for the Crossmolina Flood Relief Scheme in Mayo
€6m boost for cross-border tourism welcomed; new collaborative event connects Donegal tourism businesses; and plans approved to transform Cathedral Gardens in Belfast and enhance visitor facilities at Divis and Black Mountain
Louth County Council welcomes the government’s announcement of over €50m in Shared Island funding, including significant investment in the sustainable tourism development of Carlingford Lough. Up to €23m has been allocated to the Shared Destinations Project, which will see Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland, and Tourism Ireland collaborate with local authorities to develop sustainable tourism amenities across the border region. Carlingford Lough (pictured) is a key focus of this initiative, with plans to develop trailheads, trails and water access points to enhance connectivity and promote cross-border tourism. This investment will capitalise on the benefits of the Narrow Water Bridge, which is currently under construction, as a central driver for increased tourism and recreation in the region.
David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council, hailed the announcement as a transformative step for the region: “This investment represents a major opportunity to elevate Carlingford Lough as a premier sustainable tourism destination. As we progress towards the completion of the Narrow Water Bridge, this funding will ensure we fully realise its potential. The increased connectivity between north and south will not only attract visitors but also create long-term economic and social benefits for local communities.”
The Shared Island initiative also includes significant funding for arts and cultural heritage programmes, civic society cooperation, and island-wide nature restoration projects. These investments will strengthen cross-border collaboration and enhance the quality of life for communities on both sides of the border.
In Association with
Meath County Council has launched Local Lens, a podcast series of six 30-minute episodes that will serve as an additional channel to communicate and increase awareness around the services provided by the local authority. The series includes interviews with senior staff responsible for delivering some of the most strategic services in the county, including economic development, housing, road maintenance and climate change. Episodes will be available on all major platforms, Meath.ie, and Meath County Council social media channels. Pictured from left: Meath County Council Director of Services for Economic Development, Rural Regeneration and EU affairs (and deputy Chief Executive Officer) Dara McGowan; Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe; and Communications Manager Ailish Shaw.
Meath County Council officially opened the East Meath Civic Centre (EMCC) in Bettystown in February. This state-of-the-art facility will offer a vast array of public library, beach management and community services to people in East Meath. The new 950-square-metre, four-storey landmark building situated on the beachfront was solely funded by Meath County Council at a cost of €10.1m.
The EMCC will offer a suite of public library services, including separate adult and children’s libraries, a sensory room, and a study hub/exhibition area. There will also be a lifeguard station, beach management area and beach wheelchair service in addition to a changing room for people with a disability, all easily accessible on the ground floor. It will also offer a large meeting room on the ground floor and three meeting rooms on the third floor. In addition to enabling Meath Libraries to deliver a wide variety of events for people of all ages, these multi-functional meeting rooms can be booked for free by the local community, providing a new resource for civic and community events in East Meath.
“I would like to express my immense pride in the benefits that this beautiful facility will provide to the people of East Meath,” says An Cathaoirleach Cllr Sharon Tolan. “I am most proud of the inclusive design of this exceptional building.”
“This new facility will be a vital resource for the local community,” adds Chief Executive of Meath County Council Kieran Kehoe. “I have no doubt the over 20,000 local residents here in East Meath will quickly make this space a vital hub of educational, recreational and civic activities.”
Fingal County Council’s Events Unit announced the allocation of €525,000 in funding to 101 groups and organisations across the county as part of its Festival and Events Funding Programme for 2025. The funding will support a wide range of musical, sporting and cultural events, driving community engagement, tourism and regional vibrancy over the coming months.
Meath County Council has commenced planting on a new Woodland Creation on Public Lands project in Liscartan, Co Meath, with Greenbelt appointed as the foresters. Oak, beech, hazel and alder trees are set to be planted in the area, which will recreate lost native woodland habitats, rich in biodiversity and cultural significance. Pictured from left: Kitty Foyle, Senior Executive Officer for Environment in Meath County Council (MCC); Peter Olwell, Climate Action Officer, MCC; Barry Lynch, Director of Services – Climate Action, Culture, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs, MCC; Mayor of Navan Cllr Edward Fennessy; Arthur Finlay, Greenbelt; Gerard Dunne, Greenbelt; and Ben Malone, Biodiversity Officer, MCC.
[ COUNTY CARLOW ] [ COUNTY LOUTH ]
The first residential housing development constructed using 3D construction technology has been completed by Louth County Council. The infill housing development at Grange Close, Dundalk, Co Louth consists of three A2-rated, two-storey, three-bedroom terraced houses, each with a gross internal area of 110m². This innovative pilot project is the result of a collaboration between Louth County Council, Irish construction technology company HTL.tech, the Louth & Meath Education and Training Board, Roadstone Ltd and Harcourt Architects.
Three families will move into these homes, becoming the first residents of 3D-printed homes in Ireland or the UK. The houses were built using market-leading COBOD 3D construction printing technology, which automates the concrete laying process. This method offers significant advantages, including reduced construction time and costs, enhanced structural integrity, and more efficient resource use.
The project comes at a crucial time when demand for quality, affordable housing far exceeds supply, highlighting the need for alternative modern methods of construction and cutting-edge technology to address the housing crisis.
“Our local authority continues to lead the way in housing development, surpassing targets and delivering homes through innovation,” says Cllr Kevin Callan, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council. “I have no doubt this project will serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country.”
Construction of the three houses at Grange Close began in May 2024 and was completed in November of the same year. The printed superstructures were completed in just 12 print days, with a total on-site machine time of 18 working days. This demonstrates the effectiveness of additive construction technology, which reduced overall construction timelines by more than 35%.
Carlow has become the first county in Ireland to implement a new technology to protect motorists during emergency incidents. The county’s Fire and Rescue Service is paving the way for road safety by installing digital alerting in eight of its emergency service vehicles.
Safety Cloud digital alerting warns other road users of the presence of a fire appliance responding to an emergency or when road users are approaching an accident scene. This provides emergency vehicles with safer and quicker passage to emergencies and gives other road users time to slow down, move over or avoid the scene completely by taking an alternative route.
The alert system is compatible with the Apple Maps and Waze apps and in-built software across a number of vehicle brands and appears in the form of a text and symbol notification.
“Drivers can be easily distracted, and this new software will give them advance notice of their proximity to an emergency vehicle or scene,” says Ben Woodhouse, Acting Chief Fire Officer of Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service. “Our emergency drivers are highly trained in line with the RSA’s Emergency Service Driving Standard and use traditional alerting methods – such as blue lights and sirens – alongside this new technology. This means drivers will have a longer response time to react and adjust to any changes to their commute or new road hazards.”
HAAS Alert, the technology developers, expanded Safety Cloud’s coverage to Europe in November 2023, and this marks the first time the service has been implemented in Ireland.
Cork County Council has appointed McGinty & O’Shea for the construction of the R595 Oldcourt Road Realignment project in Skibbereen, which aims to improve safety and connectivity for road users, residents and businesses along the 700-metre coastal route linking Skibbereen to Baltimore. The €2m scheme is funded by the Department of Transport’s Specific Improvement Grants. Construction is set to begin in May with the project expected to be completed in October. Pictured front row, from left: Jamie Twomey, O’Connor Sutton Cronin; Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll; Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell; and Dan Murphy, McGinty & O’Shea Ltd. Back row, from left: Liam Ahearn, Senior Engineer; Divisional Manager, Niall Healy; and Padraig Barrett, Director of Services, Cork County Council. Photo: Brian Lougheed.
Cork County Council has announced support of over €1.8m to enhance community engagement and facilities in 2025. The Community Fund Scheme supports a range of projects and initiatives by local voluntary groups and organisations each year. Last year, 398 groups including Tidy Towns, community associations and sports clubs benefitted from the fund, using it to create gardens, deliver infrastructure projects, buy sports equipment, and improve their facilities.
The Community Fund Scheme is administered locally by the eight Municipal Districts across the county under three distinct fund types: The Capital Fund, Community Contract and The Amenity Fund.
“This year marks the 11th year of the council’s commitment to support communities and organisations across the county,” says Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell. “Sustainability, growth, and engagement within communities is vital to the local economy. Cork County Council is delighted to continue to provide this significant funding for 2025.”
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll has welcomed Heritage Council grants totalling €450,000 for conservation works on two historic buildings – St Peter’s Church, Castletownbere (€250,000 to refurbish and preserve the building, transforming it into a dedicated community centre) and Macroom Castle Gate Lodge (€200,000 towards sensitive restoration and conservation works to weatherproof the structure) through the Historic Towns Initiative 2025.
Limerick City and County Council has announced ambitious plans to plant 2,000 trees this year with the help of Limerick communities, as part of its overall planting programme. The council is inviting communities to contact their local elected representative to suggest
suitable greens for tree planting.
“Trees are vital to our environment and community. By investing in this initiative, we are not only enhancing the beauty of our environs but also contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future,” says Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, who planted a
Limerick City and County Council welcomes the investment of funding for Greenways and National Roads Active Travel infrastructure through Transport Infrastructure Ireland in 2025. The total investment in Limerick projects will amount to €1,150,000, as part of a broader national effort with a total of €67m allocated for Greenways across Ireland in 2025.
This investment will be spearheaded by the Roads Department at Limerick City and County Council, building on the successful work of the Tourism Development team, who previously developed the 40km Limerick Greenway.
“This funding is a crucial step towards enhancing our infrastructure and promoting sustainable travel options. It aligns perfectly with our vision for a greener, more active, more connected Limerick,” says Mayor of Limerick, John Moran.
This initiative will further position Limerick as a premier destination for both business and tourism, while contributing to the national goal of promoting sustainable travel, reducing carbon emissions, and boosting local economies.
bee tree (an exotic pollinator species that is rare to Ireland) in Limerick’s People’s Park to mark National Tree Week and replace a mature tree felled during Storm Darwin in 2014. In addition to the tree planting programme, the council is distributing 4,000 free tree saplings.
Limerick City and County Council welcomes the allocation of over €83m in funding for roads projects across the county. This includes almost €70m for the Adare bypass, which will feature 7km of new motorway from Croagh to Adare and two new railway bridges. The funding allocation is part of €633m funding for national roads announced by Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien.
The National Transport Authority (NTA), in partnership with Bus Éireann, has launched the new S3 route as part of the Sligo Town Bus Service expansion. Passengers will benefit from the new S3 route, which will run hourly between Markievicz Road and Finisklin, seven days a week. The S3 aims to enhance connectivity for commuters travelling for work, education, leisure, and onward connections via bus and rail.
In addition to the new S3 route, passengers on existing routes S1 and S2 will see significant improvements. The NTA and Bus Éireann are committed to ensuring Sligo’s Town Bus Service is fully accessible, providing a convenient and reliable transport option for all members of the community. This enhanced public transport o ering underscores the NTA and Bus Éireann’s commitment to supporting regional growth, sustainability, and community connectivity.
“Bus Éireann is delighted to introduce these improved services in Sligo, significantly increasing transport options for passengers in the region,” says Allen Parker, Chief Customer O icer, Bus Éireann. “These updates are the result of a strong collaboration between the NTA and Bus Éireann to enhance connectivity across the country and deliver an a ordable, reliable and sustainable bus service for communities throughout Ireland, helping to make life better.”
“We are proud to support the expansion of Sligo’s Town Bus Service with these new and improved routes,” adds Jeremy Ryan, Director of Public Transport Services. “Enhancing public transport options is central to our mission of delivering sustainable mobility solutions for all. These updates will make it easier for people in Sligo to access education, work, leisure, and onward connections while reducing the region’s carbon footprint.”
secured for Leitrim under Community Recognition Fund Phase 2
Five projects in Leitrim received funding of €496,000 as part of a wider national funding announcement of €14m to deliver 163 community projects across the country under Phase 2 of the Community Recognition Fund. The Leitrim projects are located in Dromahair, Mohill, Carrigallen and Carrick on Shannon and include a Community Bus which will deliver county-wide benefits.
Sligo County Council Environment Section is delighted to partner with MyWaste.ie to o er the Green Business Hub initiative in Sligo Town and surrounds in 2025. This new initiative aims to help businesses manage their waste more e ectively.
As part of this initiative, MyWaste.ie is providing free signage to assist in the separation of waste into general waste, recycling, and food waste. Additionally, Sligo County Council will o er onsite advisory assistance to businesses, providing guidance and recommendations to optimise waste management practices. Participating businesses will receive information on free sustainable training available to Sligo businesses.
A report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that 70% of the materials found in a typical commercial waste bin could be redirected for recycling. This indicates a significant loss of recyclable resources and a potentially avoidable financial burden for businesses, as e ective waste segregation could reduce their disposal expenses. Sligo Green Business Hub o ers businesses the opportunity to potentially lower their waste disposal expenses by promoting waste minimisation and recycling, while also acknowledging their e orts.
Kevin Moran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) announced the commencement of construction for the River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme by OPW’s own direct labour force. The scheme includes a diversion channel upstream of Crossmolina town, which will redirect flood waters away from the town, directly to the flood plains of Lough Conn. The scheme’s design was completed by Ryan Hanley Engineering and Environmental Consultants who were appointed by the OPW, with project oversight
provided by a steering group comprising representatives from the OPW and Mayo County Council.
“The flood relief scheme is being built directly by the OPW and will take some four years to construct,” says the Minister.
“When built, the scheme will afford protection to some 73 residential and 43 business properties in Crossmolina from significant flood events.”
Crossmolina Flood Relief Scheme is part of the government’s strategy under Project Ireland 2040.
The scheme, which has an approved project budget of €34m which includes a construction cost of €19.8m,
Mayo County Council award contract for N59 Newport to Derradda Road Project
Mayo County Council has awarded a contract to Fox Building & Engineering Ltd for the construction of the N59 Derradda to Newport Road Project to the north of Newport town. The €31.5m scheme is funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Enhancements to sections of the existing Great Western Greenway have been incorporated in this scheme with the construction of approx. 1km of off-road cycleway/walkway as well as a signature Greenway bridge structure over the N59 carriageway realignment (Kiltarnaght Greenway Overbridge).
“The N59 is a vital artery for Mayo and this upgrade will deliver safer and more efficient journeys for all road users,” says Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly.
has been funded through the government’s 2030 National Development Plan with €1.3bn allocated for flood relief measures, including from the impacts of climate change through future-proofed, adaptable flood relief schemes.
“This investment in Crossmolina is part of the Government’s €93m investment and commitment to the delivery of flood relief measures across Co Mayo,” the Minister explains. “As part of this overall investment, I want to reaffirm the funding commitment of €55m for
the Ballina Flood Relief Scheme, which has recently been approved by OPW to proceed to the planning stage. This overall investment also includes €2m for a scheme completed in 2024 at Westport. The government has also invested approximately €2.3m across 37 schemes throughout Mayo through the OPW’s Minor Works and Coastal Protection Scheme and funding under this scheme remains available to Mayo County Council and all local authorities to address localised flood mitigation measures.”
Mayo County Council with the support of Westport Chamber of Commerce, Westport Tidy Towns, and the One Westport group have announced the launch of the Westport Green Business Hub by the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr John O’Hara at a business breakfast event in March in the Leeson Enterprise Centre Westport. The Westport Green Business Hub programme aims to foster local action on the circular economy and help businesses manage their waste correctly and run their businesses more sustainably.
Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council Cllr TP O’Reilly has hailed the announcement by Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a €6m investment in developing the trail network in the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, linking trails north and south of the border between Cavan and Fermanagh. The funding, being delivered through the Shared Destinations theme of the Shared Island Fund, will enhance and further connect the regional tourism o ering across the crossborder UNESCO Global Geopark.
The plans will see the trail network enhanced to provide connectively between key tourism attractions in the Geopark. Trail development will include interpretation, wayfinding and infrastructure. A new community-based interpretative centre will also be developed in Glangevlin.
“This is excellent news for Cavan and the border region,” says Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr TP O’Reilly.
“The Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark was the world’s first cross-border Geopark and Cavan County Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council have established an excellent working relationship since they began jointly managing the Geopark in 2008. This welcome investment in the region will further enhance its reputation as one of the island’s most scenic and enchanting landscapes.”
“This funding comes at a tremendously exciting time for the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark, with work advancing on two major capital projects in the Shannon Pot Discovery Centre and the Cavan Burren Park enhancement project,” adds Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle. “These are two flagship tourism developments, which will be enhanced and complemented by this significant investment through the Shared Island Fund.”
The project will be overseen, developed and delivered by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland, Cavan County Council, and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.
[ NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN ]
PEACEPLUS funding of €8.6m has been awarded to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for its PEACEPLUS co-designed Local Authority Action Plan.
Over the next three years, the Action Plan, delivered in partnership with South Eastern Regional College, will focus on three pivotal themes: Local Regeneration and Transformation, Thriving and Peaceful Communities, and Celebrating Cultures and Diversity.
Over 100 Donegal tourism businesses attended the inaugural Tourism Connect event at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny in March, in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Donegal County Council and Donegal Tourism, with special host, broadcaster and journalist Richard Curran. The event was held as part of Donegal Local Enterprise Week 2025.
The Donegal Connect event aims to foster meaningful connections among Donegal tourism providers within the county. By encouraging referrals, collaborative partnerships, and the sharing of innovative practices, the event seeks to maximise the visitor experience, promote year-round tourism, and achieve a balanced geographical distribution of visitors across Donegal. This initiative aspires to empower local businesses to work collectively in showcasing Donegal as a premier, inclusive, and sustainable destination for all seasons.
Recent Fáilte Ireland research conducted to mark the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way shows that the Wild Atlantic Way drives €3bn in revenue per year and a key focus for the future will be growing the year-round appeal of the northern half of the tourism route, such as Donegal.
[ COUNTY ANTRIM ]
The Elected Members of the Li ord-Stranorlar Municipal District had the opportunity to visit the new Social Housing Estate at Corran an Lín, Convoy in March. The council signed the contract with Meadowfield Development Limited last year for the acquisition of 24 social houses to be delivered in two phases, with 11 properties forming Phase 1 and the remaining 13 forming Phase 2. Construction on Phase 1 of these highly energy e icient homes is now complete, while Phase 2 works are continuing on site and will be completed by the end of 2025. Pictured from left: Cllr Patrick McGowan, Cllr Dakota Nic Mheanman and Cllr Martin Scanlon.
Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee has given the green light to plans to transform Cathedral Gardens in the city centre into a unique civic space with a public plaza to hold small events, an urban forest/woodland garden area and a play zone for children with digital art displays. With new lighting, planting and seating and public realm enhancements, the plans will also include a new memorial installed to remember the WWII Belfast Blitz – developed with the Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum. This memorial will encompass a bronze frieze facing out towards York Street with a mirrored wall facing into Cathedral Gardens to provide a contemplative, reflective space. A memorial to champion boxer Rinty Monaghan, currently on the site, will be retained and relocated to a spot facing onto York Street. This planning application was submitted by Belfast City Council as part of its physical investment programme. The Planning Committee also approved a planning application by the National Trust at its Divis and Black Mountain site – to refurbish and repurpose three buildings to provide visitor facilities such as a kiosk area, exhibition space, an accessible toilet and relocation of the existing café on site. The proposal included enhancements to the existing pond network located at the visitor hub and improvements to the site such as paths, new routes, signage and furniture.
Celebrating 30 years of excellence in world literature, The Dublin Literary Award is the world’s most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English, worth €100,000 to the winner. This year, seven Irish books made the longlist
A show of strength from Ireland with 7 of the 71 books longlisted by Irish authors
WILD HOUSES
By John Connell
WATER
By John Boyne
A small-town feud. A madcap kidnapping. A wild weekend to change everybody’s lives… As Ballina prepares for its biggest weekend of the year, the simmering feud between small-time drug-dealer, Cillian English, and County Mayo’s enforcers, Gabe and Sketch Ferdia, spills over into violence and an ugly ultimatum.
The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. But scandals follow like hunting dogs. Escaping her old life might seem like a good idea but the choices she has made throughout her marriage have consequences. Vanessa must reflect on her past and question whether she is worthy of finding peace.
THIS YEAR’S LONGLIST OF 71 BOOKS IS NOMINATED BY LIBRARIES IN 34 COUNTRIES. IT FEATURES THE BEST IN FICTION CHOICES FROM AFRICA, EUROPE, ASIA, THE US, CANADA, SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, REFLECTING DIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND FORM AND CONTAINS 16 DEBUT NOVELS 26 BOOKS ARE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AND INCLUDE TRANSLATIONS FROM KOREAN, FARSI, ICELANDIC AND SLOVENIAN IF THE WINNING BOOK HAS BEEN TRANSLATED, THE AUTHOR RECEIVES €75,000 AND THE TRANSLATOR RECEIVES €25,000
HAGSTONE
By Sinéad Gleeson
On a wild and rugged island, artist Nell credits it as the source of inspiration for her art, rooted in landscape, folklore and the feminine. Commissioned to produce a magnificent art piece celebrating the history of a reclusive island community, the Inions, Nell will discover things about about herself that will challenge everything she thought she knew.
PROPHET SONG
By Paul Lynch
SEABORNE
By Nuala O’Connor
One evening in Dublin, scientist and mother Eilish Stack answers her front door to find that two officers from Ireland’s newly formed secret police, the GNSB, have come to interrogate her husband, Larry, a trade unionist. Caught in the grip of a government turning towards tyranny, Eilish must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her family safe.
Anne Bonny is a young woman of privilege who is anything but comfortable, hell-bent on a voyage of self-realisation with or without the consent of those around her. Seaborne is the thrilling and sensuous imagining of the loss, frustration and desires that steer this lonely daughter of a plantation owner towards elopement, two marriages, two pregnancies, violence, trial for piracy and legendary status.
TAILLIGHTS DISAPPEARING by Steve Denehan Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote that hell is other people, but Steve Denehan really knows (perhaps even better than said Frenchman) the extent of that truism. And he details precisely why in a robust array of poems sprawled out across this searing, seething and always smile-inducing collection. Of course, it's not all misanthropy and eye-rolling in Taillights Disappearing, for, like most cynics, Denehan is, somewhere deep down, a sentimentalist at heart.
CHRIST ON A BIKE
By Orla Owen
LONG ISLAND
By Colm Tóbín
Cerys receives an unexpected inheritance but there are rules attached, twisted rules that have to be followed if she is to receive it in full. Soon, she begins to feel trapped and senses that the villagers, her sister and a man she keeps seeing on a bicycle are constantly watching her. Cerys decides to try break free but the past is ever present and dictates her fate.
Long Island is a continuation of the story of Eilis Lacey, the complex and enigmatic heroine of Brooklyn, Tóibín’s most popular work, 20 years later. Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello (Italian). One day, an Irishman comes to the door asking for her by name. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony’s child and that when the baby is born, he will not raise it but instead deposit it on Eilis’s doorstep.
In her foreword, Genna Rivieccio, editor of The Opiate Books and The Opiate magazine, who has published many of Steve’s poems since 2018 and who edits this collection, makes the point that Steve “has a bone to pick with humanity” and that “he picks it so comically well.”
According to James Hartley of The Madrid Review: “As someone who has published Steve’s poems, I can also concur with her drawing a connection between this poetry and the writing of Charles Bukowski. There’s something spare, spartan and wounded in these wordfalls, disarmingly simple but spring-loaded with imagery that leaves you wide-eyed.”
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