Business Pulse🔴 Live: IDA Ireland Q2 Enterprise Report
Cover Story

The EU-US Trade Deal Is Done. Here Is What It Means for Every Irish Business With American Exposure.

A 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US. Zero tariffs on US industrial goods entering the EU. A sunset clause. A pharmaceutical uncertainty. And Ireland — with €139 billion in pharma exports and 245,000 people employed by US multinationals — directly in the centre of it all.

Business Pulse Editorial
Economy & Policy · 5 min read · 10 June 2026

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Economy & Policy · Cover Story

The EU-US Trade Deal Is Done. Here Is What It Means for Every Irish Business With American Exposure.

A 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US. Zero tariffs on US industrial goods entering the EU. A sunset clause. A pharmaceutical uncertainty. And Ireland — with €139 billion in pharma exports and 245,000 people employed by US multinationals — directly in the centre of it all.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 5 min read
5 min
Economy & Policy

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Begins Thursday — Here Are the Numbers Behind the Biggest Economic Event in Sports History

$41 billion injected into global GDP. $871 million in prize money. 6 billion viewers. 5 million fans in stadiums. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is not just the biggest sporting event ever staged — it is one of the most significant economic events of the decade.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 5 min read
5 min
Economy & Policy

Enterprise Ireland Client Exports Hit a Record €36.75 Billion — And the Target Is €50 Billion by 2029

Irish-owned companies are exporting at record levels. Enterprise Ireland's client base generated €36.75 billion in export sales in 2025 — a 7 per cent increase on the previous year. Here is what is driving the growth and where Ireland is targeting next.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Your Business

Ireland's VAT Cut for Hospitality Is Three Weeks Away — What It Means for Businesses and Visitors

From 1 July 2026, VAT on food and catering services in Ireland drops permanently from 13.5% to 9%. It is the most significant change to the cost of eating out in Ireland in three years.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Startups & Founders

Enterprise Ireland Has Just Backed Ireland's Most AI-Driven Startup Class Ever — Here Is What That Means

198 new companies. €32.9 million invested. More than half built around artificial intelligence. Ireland's startup ecosystem is entering a new era — and Enterprise Ireland is betting big on it.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Thought Leadership

He Slept in His Car in Australia. Now He Leads One of Ireland's Fastest-Growing Tech Companies.

Brian Moloney built StormHarvester from nothing in Belfast. It is now the fastest-growing technology company in Ireland, operates in four countries and is an EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2026 finalist. Here is what Irish business can learn from how he did it.

Business Pulse Editorial · Founder Profile · 4 min read
4 min
Sustainability

From 10 Million Tonnes of CO2 a Year to Ireland's Green Energy Future: The Bord na Móna Transformation

It was once Ireland's largest fossil fuel provider, emitting 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Today, Bord na Móna is a renewable energy company with a 5GW pipeline, 20,000 hectares of restored peatlands and its highest operating profit in history.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Sustainability

Ireland's Silent Carbon Engine: How Coillte's 440,000 Hectares Are Central to the Country's Climate Future

Coillte manages 7 per cent of Ireland's entire land mass. Its forests sequester carbon, supply sustainable timber for homes, restore biodiversity and provide recreational space for millions. The question is whether Ireland is using this asset — and the company managing it — to its full potential.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Sustainability

An Post Hit Its Carbon Target Three Months Early. Here Is Exactly How It Did It.

50 per cent fewer emissions than 2009. More than half the delivery fleet electric. 95 per cent of heavy goods vehicles running on renewable fuel. 99 per cent of buildings on green energy. An Post's 2025 Sustainability Report is a masterclass in what structured, funded, time-bound climate action actually looks like.

Business Pulse Editorial · Analysis · 3 min read
3 min
Your Business

Are You Eligible for a LEO Grant in 2026? What Irish Business Owners Get Wrong

Every county in Ireland has a Local Enterprise Office — yet thousands of business owners miss out. Here is what you need to know about LEO grant eligibility in 2026.

Guide · 5 min read
3 min
Your Business

How to Start Exporting from Ireland in 2026 — A Practical Guide for Irish SMEs

The Get Exporting programme, market choice, and funding supports Irish SMEs need to know. A practical guide to starting exports from Ireland in 2026.

Guide · 4 min read
3 min
Your Business

The Irish Business Funding Nobody Is Talking About — And How to Access It in 2026

A plain-language guide to Irish government funding and grants for SMEs in 2026 — Enterprise Ireland, SBCI, Skillnet and more.

Guide · 5 min read
4 min
Your Business

What Happens During a Revenue Audit in Ireland — And How to Make Sure Your Business Is Ready

A practical guide for Irish SMEs on what triggers a Revenue audit, what the process looks like, and how to get your records ready.

Guide · 4 min read
3 min
Your Business

What Does It Actually Cost to Hire Someone in Ireland in 2026?

The salary you offer is only the starting point. Here is the full cost picture for first-time employers in Ireland in 2026, from Employer PRSI to auto-enrolment pensions.

Guide · 5 min read
5 min
Your Business

Access to Finance for Irish Businesses Has Never Been Broader. Here Is Everything Available Right Now.

Bank lending is up. Credit unions have tripled their capacity. A €560 million government loan scheme is open. Enterprise Ireland has €250 million in equity funding. The full picture of Irish business finance in 2026.

Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
⚡ Business Pulse Spotlight

The 30 Under 30:
Ireland's Young Business Leaders 2025

Meet the founders, innovators and executives under 30 already reshaping Irish business — from Donegal to Waterford.

Read the full list →

Economy & Policy

View all →
Economy & Policy

The EU-US Trade Deal Is Done. Here Is What It Means for Every Irish Business With American Exposure.

A 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US. Zero tariffs on US industrial goods entering the EU. A sunset clause. A pharmaceutical uncertainty. And Ireland — with €139 billion in pharma exports and 245,000 people employed by US multinationals — directly in the centre of it all.

Analysis · 5 min read
5 min
Economy & Policy

Ireland Collected €38.7 Billion in Tax by End of May. Here Is What That Tells Us About the Economy.

Income tax up. VAT up. Corporation tax tracking ahead of forecast. Total tax receipts 6.1 per cent ahead of last year with four months still to go. The May 2026 Exchequer returns tell a story of an Irish economy that is performing with remarkable resilience.

Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Economy & Policy

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Begins Thursday — Here Are the Numbers Behind the Biggest Economic Event in Sports History

$41 billion injected into global GDP. $871 million in prize money. 6 billion viewers. 5 million fans in stadiums. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event ever staged.

Analysis · 5 min read
5 min
Economy & Policy

Enterprise Ireland Client Exports Hit a Record €36.75 Billion — And the Target Is €50 Billion by 2029

Irish-owned companies are exporting at record levels. Enterprise Ireland's client base generated €36.75 billion in export sales in 2025 — a 7 per cent increase on the previous year.

Analysis · 4 min read
4 min
Economy

Housing costs are now Ireland's biggest competitiveness problem. Full stop.

Business leaders across sectors are unanimous: the inability to house workers is becoming the binding constraint on Irish growth.

Opinion · 3 min read
3 min
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