Ibec Podcasts

What can the corporate world learn from a radical feminist and activist?
In the second episode of the Courageous Leaders podcast, Ibec Head of Skills and Social Policy Dr. Kara McGann is joined by Ailbhe Smyth, one of Ireland’s most influential social changemakers. As a key figure behind the Marriage Equality and Repeal the 8th campaigns, Ailbhe has endless experience in building broad coalitions among unlikely allies.
Kara and Ailbhe together explore a critical reality: for many people, the workplace is the most diverse space they inhabit. Ailbhe shares her thoughts on how businesses can move beyond performative gestures to become active guardians of social cohesion, "holding the line" against hate and ensuring Ireland remains a beacon of openness.

Courageous Leaders is a brand new Ibec podcast series, as part of our Open for Business campaign, where we hear from leaders across business and wider society on the importance of Ireland’s commitment to openness, inclusion and respect, in underpinning our economic success and social progress. 

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of our Preparing for Pay Transparency series, Pauline O’Hare, Senior Legal Director, and Kara McGann, Head of Skills and Social Policy, discuss the changes the transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive will have on gender pay gap reporting and how employers can best prepare for this.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Courageous Leaders is a brand new Ibec podcast series, as part of our 'Open for Business' campaign, where we hear from leaders across business and wider society on the importance of Ireland’s commitment to openness, inclusion and respect, in underpinning our economic success and social progress.  
In the first episode of the Courageous Leaders podcast, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy sits down with Denis O’Brien, one of Ireland’s most internationally recognised business figures.
Denis shares his unique perspective on how entrepreneurial ambition and humanitarian commitment must work together. From bringing connectivity to underserved markets in the Caribbean and Pacific with Digicel, to protecting human rights defenders globally, Denis illustrates why an open, outward-looking approach is essential for both economic success and human dignity.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of KC Connect, Neil O’Brien, Senior Employer Relations and Communications Executive, and Aoife McFadden, Legal Director, discuss new regulations which set minimum contribution rates which must be met for an employee to be exempted from pension auto-enrolment and how employers should approach this. 

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Despite some signs of softening, the Irish economy has proven resilient in the face of the uncertainty of the past year.
In this episode of Ibec Responds, Ibec’s Chief Economist Gerard Brady, and Economist Mourad Mejdi, discuss the major economic events of 2025 including the areas of international trade and the labour market… and look forward to 2026, analysing how developments in geopolitics and AI that could shape the economic outlook.

Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.