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Today on the ThinkBusiness Podcast, powered by Bank of Ireland, we’re joined by Gary Bradley of RS Ireland, one of the country’s best-known industrial parts and components suppliers. With roots stretching back almost 80 years as Radionics, the business serves everyone from electrical contractors and construction firms to hospitals, universities, tech and pharmaceutical companies. We discuss its next chapter: a major move from Rialto to a new purpose-built facility in Ballymount.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Welcome to the ThinkBusiness Podcast. I’m John, and today we’re coming to you from the National Ploughing Championships. For many farmers in the southeast and the midlands, this summer was one of the toughest in years. Drought turned green fields brown. Cattle came indoors months early, and winter fodder was used up in July and August. The rain is back and so is the grass. Now farmers are counting the cost. My guest is Susan Maher of Bank of Ireland. We talk about the fodder and financial stocktakes farmers need to do before winter, and why Irish farms are better placed than most to weather a bad year. We also cover what investing for a less predictable climate looks like, and how the bank’s Enviroflex scheme rewards farmers for sustainable practices.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of working life in Ireland, but are employees getting the support they need to keep pace with change?
According to PwC Ireland's latest Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, AI adoption is rising, workplace transformation is accelerating and workers remain optimistic about their ability to learn new skills. Yet access to learning and development resources has fallen sharply, while cost-of-living pressures, burnout and growing workloads continue to weigh heavily on employees.
Joining us today is Laoise Mullane, Director of Workforce Consulting and AI Adoption Lead at PwC Ireland. We'll discuss why a widening AI skills divide is emerging in workplaces, what differentiates employees who are thriving with AI from those struggling to keep up, and what employers need to do now to ensure technology investments deliver value for both businesses and their people.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

This week we come to you from Dingle, County Kerry, and the 19th edition of Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards. Every October, hundreds of producers gather here, from one-person kitchens to established brands, alongside the retail buyers, chefs and judges who decide which of them goes home with gold, silver or bronze. Bank of Ireland is a sponsor of the Backyard @ Blas speaker space.
Over the next half hour you'll hear from a beekeeper, a baker, a forager, a sauce maker, a bakery ingredients supplier and a man who puts Irish food on aeroplanes. They talk about tight margins, rising costs and wars that close shipping lanes. They also talk, again and again, about each other. And at the end of the podcast, you'll meet the winner of this year's Best Startup award, a chef who started out a year ago with just two products in two shops.
At Blas I interviewed:
Grainne Keneally from Elderberry Farm Produce
Ian Mernagh from All About Nectar
Florrie Purcell from The Scullery
John Graham from Andrews Ingredients
Graham Herterich from The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke
Matt McCabe from Subu Connect
Sunny Joy from GoMeal, winner of Best Startup award sponsored by Bank of Ireland, as well as Best in County for Mayo and Best in Connaught
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In this episode of the ThinkBusiness Podcast, powered by Bank of Ireland. we speak with David Broderick, Director of the Small Firms Association, about the current trading environment for Ireland's small businesses, the priorities SMEs want to see addressed in Budget 2027, and the practical steps business owners can take to strengthen resilience and drive growth. We also explore how initiatives such as MentorsWork are helping entrepreneurs adapt, develop new skills and navigate an increasingly complex business landscape.
Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.