Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock

Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Arthur Beesley and Eoin Burke-Kennedy of the Irish Times to discuss the latest developments in housing.This week we’ve learned of concerns raised by the Department of Finance in relation to one of the country’s big approved housing bodies, a not-for-profit entity called Circle. Those concerns arise from the State’s exposure to billions of euro in debt accumulated by approved housing bodies. And new data sets point to a slowdown in residential construction, along with prices here accelerating away from income levels at twice the EU average.Plus, Apple have launched their first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. This represents Apple’s attempt to enter and potentially reshape the foldable-phone market, where competitors such as Samsung and Huawei have been active for years. Irish Times business and technology journalist Ciara O’Brien gives her initial impressions of the ‘passport-style’ smartphone.Does the iPhone Duo justify its hefty €2369 price tag? And can you see the crease when you unfold the screen?Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Inside Business host Ciarán Hancock is joined by Kara Owen, the British ambassador to Ireland.She started in the role in October 2025, having had a long career in the British diplomatic service. Kara was previously British High Commissioner to Singapore from 2019 to 2024 and, before that, was Director for the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.Her diplomatic career has also included senior postings in Paris and Hanoi, as well as serving as Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary.In a wide-ranging interview, Kara covers her decision to visit all 26 counties in her first year in the role, the current state of Anglo-Irish relations, and talk of Britain rejoining the EU at some point.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of this week’s Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock will be talking to Vincent Cleary, co-owner of Offaly-based organic yoghurt maker Glenisk.Vincent is co-owner of the business with his brother Brian, a company that was set up in 1995 by their father Jack.Glenisk had a near death experience in 2021 when its manufacturing plant, warehouse and offices burned to the ground. Vincent explains how it has bounced back from that devastating moment.Plus, a couple of years ago, streaming giant Netflix looked untouchable. It had emerged from the pandemic with record subscriber numbers, was cracking down on password sharing and introducing advertising on its platform.But things have changed. This year the share price has tanked, and it is now laying off staff and rethinking its strategy.Ian Curran of The Irish Times has been covering the story and joined Ciarán on the line to outline what has gone wrong for Netflix over the past 12 months. Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Inside Business we’re looking at the latest data on motor insurance, which shows that premiums continue to rise.The Central Bank’s annual report on motor premiums shows them going up due to increases in both vehicle damage claims and personal injury costs.Darragh Cassidy, the head of communications at Bonkers.ie, and Joe Brennan of The Irish Times joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to discuss this, with Joe taking us through the headline numbers from the report and later Darragh outlining the ways that young drivers can reduce their premiums.Plus, those of a certain age will have fond memories of the Citroën 2CV, a French car that helped make driving affordable and accessible to all back in the day.At the Paris Motor Show recently it was relaunched as an electric vehicle costing just €15,000.This prompted our tech columnist Emmet Ryan to write about it in the Irish Times.He explains why the launch caught his eye, especially as he can’t drive.Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest on Inside Business is Brad Smith, vice chair and president at tech giant Microsoft.He was in Dublin this week to speak at the Government’s international AI summit in the RDS.Brad sat down with host Ciarán Hancock to discuss the need for regulation of AI, both globally and for individual states, Ireland’s potential role in the development of the technology and how it could change our lives and workplaces.He also spelled out Microsoft’s own plans and ambitions for AI development in the coming years.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on this budget special, host Ciarán Hancock was joined on the line by Irish Times political editor Pat Leahy from Leinster House who took us through the headline elements of the budget.In part two we focused on childcare, where many parents are put to the pin of their collar paying for their children to be minded in creches and other facilities.Elain Dunne is chair of the Federation of Early Childhood Providers and owner manager of Treehouse Montessori in Dublin. Will there be enough for a sector that is struggling to make ends meet?And in the final part of this episode, Ciarán was joined by EY tax partner Frank O’Neill and Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times for their assessment of the budget measures and to discuss how this is being received by the Irish business community.Produced by John Casey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Inside Business, we start with Ireland’s economic outlook a week out from the Budget 2027 announcement. After years of consistent steady growth and running a surplus, what potential challenges await next year? Are we putting enough into the State’s rainy-day funds?And why do developments with the US Federal Reserve have a clear impact on our economy?To discuss all this, host Cliff Taylor was joined in studio by Rossa White, Chief Economist at EY Ireland.In the second half of this episode, we look at agentic AI and why it has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately.Data breaches and deceptive behaviour have led to growing calls from AI leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei, for a more cautious approach to AI development and stronger safeguards. But why don’t these companies know what their software is up to?And is proper regulation even a possibility at this point?Irish Times business and technology journalist Ciara O’Brien has been following these developments closely and she explained why agentic AI is giving big tech cause for concern.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Inside Business, we look at Ireland’s bulging tax receipts from the major multinationals.Last week in an interview with Naomi O’Leary of The Irish Times, French finance minister Roland Lesscure suggested that this bounty should be shared around Europe, to reflect where the revenue is generated.Naturally, this went down like a lead balloon with our Minister for Finance Simon Harris.To discuss this, host Ciarán Hancock was joined on the line by Naomi, who is based in Paris for the Irish Times, and in studio by our in-house corporate tax expert Cliff Taylor.What was the French minister’s justification for demanding a share of our corporate tax swag, and does he have a point?Plus, Irish house price growth has been going gangbusters since 2013 and are now 28 per cent ahead of their Celtic Tiger peak.But recent indicators from estate agents and the CSO suggest the level of price growth is on the wane.Fiona Reddan has been looking at the trends in Irish house prices for the Irish Times, and she joined Ciarán in studio to discuss whether Irish house prices are likely to begin to fall.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, fuel prices at the pump continue to rise and Energia last week became the latest domestic player to increase its electricity and gas prices.A winter of discontent potentially lies ahead with the Government scrambling to put together support packages for the budget on October 6th.Muireann Lynch is senior research officer at the ESRI, and an energy expert and she joined host Ciarán Hancock in studio to give her view on the outlook for energy prices over the short to long term and how this will feed in to costs for Irish households and businesses.Also on this episode of Inside Business, we look at how the British and Irish Lions 2025 tour was hugely successful both on and off the pitch.On the pitch, the team won its test series in Australia 2-1. Off the pitch it made a record profit of £13m on revenue of £50m. Ben Calveley is the chief executive of the company behind the British and Irish Lions and joined Ciarán via video link to discuss the financial success of the Lions and potential avenues of growth for the business of both the men’s and the women’s tours.Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on this episode of Inside Business, a family firm that has become one of Ireland’s best-known food brands.Maxine Hyde’s grandmother - Ballymaloe founder Myrtle Allen - began making relish in the kitchen of their family run hotel. Today, Ballymaloe Foods has a range of products sold in supermarkets nationally, and a turnover of €15m.Host Ciaran Hancock gives their signature relish a taste, and asks what it takes to grow a food business in a market dominated by multinational brands. How have changing consumer tastes shaped the company’s strategy? And can a premium Irish food producer continue to thrive as households keep a close eye on spending?Also in this episode, we put one of the most talked-about gadgets of the year under the microscope. Dyson’s latest electric toothbrush comes with a price tag of €479, making it one of the most expensive brushes on the market. But does it actually deliver a better clean? Who is it designed for? And can any toothbrush really justify costing more than some smartphones?Irish Times business and technology reporter Ciara O’Brien has been putting the device to the test.Brought to you in association with EY.Produced by John Casey, JJ Vernon and Andrew McNair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.