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Economy and Policy

Kerry Group: The Irish Giant That Feeds the World — and It's Only Getting Bigger

From a small dairy co-operative founded in County Kerry in 1972 to a business operating in more than 150 countries — the numbers, the 2030 strategy and the Irish roots behind one of the world's great food companies.

Cover Story · Economy · 4 min read · 23 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

The Public Sector Strike: Where It Started, What the 14 October Walkout Changed, and Where Things Stand Today

How Ireland’s 14 October public-service walkout led to a suspended second strike and a pay-first negotiating framework — and what businesses should watch next.

Economy · 4 min read · 21 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

Finance Bill 2026 Explained: What Ireland's New Tax Law Means for SMEs and Workers

Published on 19 October, the Finance Bill turns the Budget 2027 tax package into law — wider tax bands, a lower USC band, a cut in capital gains tax and new supports for business.

Economy · 4 min read · 22 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

Fuelling the Crisis: How Rising Pump Prices Are Squeezing Irish Businesses to Breaking Point

Diesel has topped €2.20 per litre and petrol is nudging €2.00. For Irish businesses that depend on fuel, the cost is no longer a line item — it's an existential threat.

Economy · 4 min read · 10 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

Budget 2027: What It Actually Means for Irish Businesses — and What It Means for Your Pocket

A CGT cut to 31%, a €1 billion ISIF scale-up fund, a new investment account and a wider income tax band — what Tuesday's budget changes.

Economy · 4 min read · 8 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

Budget 2027 Is Four Days Away. Here Is Everything Irish Businesses and Workers Need to Know

An €8.5 billion package lands on Tuesday 6 October — €7 billion in spending, €1.5 billion in tax measures, and a new personal investment account.

Economy · 4 min read · 2 October 2026
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Economy and Policy

McDonald's Is Spending $8.5 Billion to Reinvent Itself — and Ireland Is at the Centre of What Comes Next

McDonald's NEXT commits $8.5bn to modernise its restaurants globally, while a €150m Irish plan adds 25 restaurants and 1,750 jobs by 2030.

Economy · 4 min read · 26 September 2026
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Economy and Policy

Ireland's Energy Squeeze: Why Prices Are Rising Again, and How Long It May Last

Bord Gáis, Energia and Electric Ireland have all raised prices this autumn, and the Energy Minister says elevated costs could run for 12 to 24 months. Here is the full picture.

Economy · 4 min read · 9 September 2026
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Economy and Policy

From 42,000 Fans in 1988 to €514 Million in Economic Impact: The Story of College Football in Ireland

How American college football grew from a one-off 1988 millennium fixture at Lansdowne Road into a permanent annual event generating over €130 million per edition and a €514 million cumulative boost for the Irish economy.

Economy · 4 min read · 29 July 2026
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Economy and Policy

Andy Burnham: The New UK Prime Minister — His Career, His Record and What It Means for Ireland

Andy Burnham became the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade on 20 July 2026. We trace his career from Westminster to Manchester and what his premiership means for Ireland.

Economy · 4 min read · 18 July 2026
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Economy and Policy

The Final Whistle Has Blown. Here's What the 2026 FIFA World Cup Actually Generated for the US Economy

Spain defeated Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium, closing the most expansive World Cup in history. Bank of America data shows the tournament generated $40 billion globally and $20 billion for the US economy.

Economy · 4 min read · 23 July 2026
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Economy and Policy

Keir Starmer Resigns as UK Prime Minister — What Happened, and Why It Matters for Ireland

Less than two years after winning a landslide majority, Keir Starmer is stepping down as Britain's prime minister. Here's how it happened — and what a new UK leader means for Irish business.

Economy · 4 min read · 22 June 2026
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Economy and Policy

The EU Migration and Asylum Pact Comes Into Force Today. Here Is What It Means for Ireland.

Today, June 12 2026, Ireland's most significant overhaul of asylum and migration law in the history of the State takes effect. For Irish business — from labour supply to talent pipelines to operational planning — the implications are real and immediate.

Analysis · 4 min read
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Economy and 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 · 4 min read
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Economy and 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
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Economy and 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.

Analysis · 4 min read
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Economy and 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
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Economy and Policy

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 · 4 min read
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