Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock

It's been a busy week for tech giant Meta. Its new glasses have sparked controversy over privacy concerns, while founder Mark Zuckerberg published his AI manifesto, and the company indicated that it might be willing to pay local communities to host data centres in their areas. Irish Times tech expert Ciara O'Brien explains why the glasses have caused such a stir and how Zuckerberg's approach to AI differs.

In part two: Ireland's corporation tax receipts are bulging, helped by the increase in the rate of tax paid by large companies as a result of recent changes agreed under the auspices of the OECD. The government recently published exchequer returns for the first seven months of the year, giving an insight into the extra corporation tax that is likely to flow our way. It's a helpful backdrop for the government in the run-up to October's budget. Eoin Burke-Kennedy looks at the numbers and what they mean. He also looks at what might happen to Ireland's public finances if an Apple, Microsoft, or Eli Lilly were to pull out.

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In a column last week, Cliff Taylor posed the question as to whether middle earners are being ripped off by the Irish income tax system.

And with no income tax package introduced in 2026, that meant the real tax burden has increased this year.

Minister for Finance Simon Harris has signalled that tax cuts are coming in the budget targeted at middle income earners, but does that require difficult political trade-offs?

Cliff joins host Ciarán Hancock in studio to give his view.

Plus, in a hard-hitting column this week, John McManus posed the question as to how Michael Fingleton got away with it for so long.

This is in relation to Fingleton’s stewardship of Irish Nationwide over nearly four decades until it collapsed in 2009, being bailed out by Irish taxpayers to the tune of €5.4 billion.

Fingleton passed away last Sunday at the age of 88.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up this week’s episode of Inside Business, we are looking at pensions and what constitutes a comfortable retirement here.

A recent survey from Royal London Ireland suggested Irish workers believe they will need almost €41,000 per year to achieve that.

So, when should you start contributing into a pension and what age should you ramp up those contributions?

And why is home ownership so important when it comes to our financial life cycle?

To discuss this host Cliff Taylor is joined in studio by partner at PwC Ireland Munro O’Dwyer.

Plus, Permanent TSB shareholders are to vote Thursday July 30th on Austrian bank Bawag’s planned €1.62bn takeover.

This suggests a finish line is in sight after the bank was put up for sale last October.

But what will the takeover potentially mean for branch closures and staff cuts?

Irish Times Markets Correspondent Joe Brennan has been writing about this, and he joined Cliff on the line.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on Inside Business this week, we look at the woes impacting the Irish aviation sector.

Aer Lingus last week announced plans to cut up to 500 jobs at the airline, the equivalent of 8 per cent of its workforce.

And Ryanair announced on Monday that its profits had dropped in the first half of the year due to higher fuel costs and a reduction in air fares as people hedge their travel plans amid the current increases in the cost of living.

To discuss these issues, host Ciarán Hancock was joined in studio by Davy stockbrokers aviation analyst Stephen Furlong and on the line by Eoghan Corry, a veteran aviation journalist.

Plus, Ciara O’Brien of The Irish Times on the Government’s plans to introduce a digital wallet, that in time could hold your passport and driving licence.

How will it work and why is it being brought in now?

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up on this week’s episode of Inside Business, host Ciarán Hancock speaks to Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times about the State’s purchase of the a 5-acre site on O’Connell Street in Dublin that used to house the Carlton cinema.

Officially, it has been purchased for the Metrolink underground rail link to Dublin airport. But is this part of a wider plan by the Government to take charge of regeneration in this key urban quarter of the capital?

Why did Transport Infrastructure Ireland pay €80 million to purchase the site from UK developer Hammerson? And did it really need to buy the site to deliver a Metrolink stop on O’Connell Street?

Plus, fighting has once again broken out in the Middle East as the fragile ceasefire between the US an Iran has impacted on shipping going through the Strait of Hormuz.

Denis Staunton has covered the story for The Irish Times, and he sums up the events of this week and where peace talks might go from here.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.