Ageism at work, a staycation saga and hope for Irish brewers

It's the place where disputes between employees and employers end up, but is the way the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) operates constitutional?

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that two aspects – that hearings were held in private and there was no provision of an oath – were indeed incompatible with the constitution, so now the Government says it will introduce urgent legislation to remedy the way the WRC works. Martin Wall and Mary Carolan report on what this means for cases in future.

Experience, competence, judgement, knowledge. All things that increase with time, you would think. Alas, ageism remains a scourge of Irish workplaces and the recruitment market, Olive Keogh hears in our World of Work feature. Indeed, in some sectors even 40 is considered "over the hill".

The onshore wind energy sector isn't only essential to the decarbonisation of Ireland, it employs 5,100 people in the State – and this number is forecast to increase to 7,000 by the end of the decade, a KPMG report for Wind Energy Ireland suggests. Kevin O'Sullivan reports.

Workplace Relations Commission to be subject to emergency legislation

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Kingspan says it disclosed all details on director’s exit

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Irish arm of Amazon records €2.6bn in revenues

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Ministers must come up with a plan to avoid summer staycations drama

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Sticking on a renewable note, former Mainstream Renewable Energy chief executive Andy Kinsella has joined forces with a Texas investment company to set up a new Dublin-headquartered, European-focused onshore wind and solar energy venture called Aer Soléir. Joe Brennan reports.

To food and flavourings giant Kerry Group, which has suspended talks with its main shareholder, Kerry Co-op, about the possible sale of its dairy and consumer foods business in Ireland. A deal would have seen the legacy business – which includes the Dairygold, Charleville and Denny brands – spun out in a joint venture with the co-op. But talks have broken down, Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

From bacon to pints. Remember pints? The pandemic has spelled dark days for Irish brewers, but in this week's Agenda feature, Mark Paul discovers there is hope that someday soon the beer will flow again.

With proposed changes to international tax law and US president Joe Biden putting his stamp on the US approach to corporation tax, Ireland could take a huge tax revenue hit, with the impact to the economy being longer-lasting than the pandemic, writes John FitzGerald.

In his Caveat column, Mark Paul tackles the twists and turns in the Government's reopening saga and ponders what it means for this summer's vital staycation business. Nobody seems to have any idea when inter-county travel restrictions will be lifted – essential if there is to be any domestic tourism, he writes.

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