Caveat

We should thank the central bankers for not easing mortgage rules years ago

If the rules had been loosened sooner or, worse, not adopted at all, house prices would now be even higher with many borrowers in bigger trouble as rates rise

Fri Oct 21 2022 - 05:00

Irish trade unions edge closer to Holy Grail of mandatory recognition by employers - but issues remain

A working group has told the Government that employers should be forced by court order to deal with trade unions. But turning that into a reality is still some way away

Fri Oct 07 2022 - 05:00

Debate over 9% VAT is Irish tourism’s Neverending Story and it isn’t finished yet

Leo Varadkar’s intervention after the budget this week seemed calculated to keep the issue on the table

Fri Sept 30 2022 - 05:00

Mark Paul: Runaway public spenders are like climate change deniers who want our kids to pick up the tab

It is as wrong to spend tomorrow's public cash today as it is to leave future generations the job of fixing the planet

Fri Sept 23 2022 - 05:00

Tax report has something to suit every political hue, but will ultimately amount to nothing

The Commission on Taxation and Welfare’s eye-catching proposals push the boundaries of what the public will accept

Fri Sept 16 2022 - 05:00

Post-Covid spending spree is set to end as a harsh winter looms for Irish consumers

The spending phoney war will soon be over and retail and hospitality had better watch out

Fri Sept 09 2022 - 05:00

Cashless society would give banks way too much power

AIB’s U-turn and recent Aviva chaos are two examples of why cash may still be some kind of king

Fri Sept 02 2022 - 05:00

Leave alcohol taxes alone until the hangover clears from minimum unit pricing

Cutting alcohol excise or raising alcohol levies will make it harder to judge if MUP has actually worked

Fri Aug 26 2022 - 05:00

Hydrocarbons may eventually kill us but the economy could die first

Ireland is playing both sides by importing oil and gas from despots while refusing to drill it from our own backyard

Fri Aug 05 2022 - 05:00

Caveat: Commercial long Covid is speeding death of customer service

Standards and staffing were hit in the pandemic but companies must stop using the disruption as an excuse

Fri Jul 29 2022 - 05:00

Tourism is a €9.5bn industry, not just a bit of fun

The chaos around travel is emblematic of how the sector is viewed by those in power

Fri Jul 01 2022 - 05:00

Lifting caps on banker pay now would be a bicycle kick of a political own goal

It remains in the public interest for the State to keep a grip on institutions that continue to show signs of rot

Fri Jun 24 2022 - 05:00

Hotel room excessive price hikes may cost tourism its 9% VAT rate

Hoteliers claim room prices are up because refugees are occupying much of their stock. But taxpayers pay them for these and sector is profiteering on remaining supply

Fri Jun 10 2022 - 05:00

Workers are being urged to show pay restraint but, in all fairness, why should they?

Less of the wage-price spiral doom-mongering. Employers can't hold off on pay rises with inflation above 8% and, as the IMF says, they could always accept lower profits

Fri Jun 03 2022 - 05:00

C&C aims to restore Magners’ sparkle in the British market

The Irish company has emerged from the pandemic with a desire to keep it simple

Fri May 20 2022 - 05:33

Caveat: Donohoe boxes clever this time round on tourism’s special 9% VAT rate

Dragging out debate around restoring the higher rate would be a mistake – either leave it as it is or be decisive about the timeline

Fri May 13 2022 - 05:06

Caveat: €58m bonus play of Boohoo’s Irish chief could become a crying game

Inflation has slowed the online fast fashion retailer’s growth

Fri May 06 2022 - 05:51

Climate agenda brings real challenges for international tourism

There is a limit to how green discretionary travel can ever be

Fri Apr 29 2022 - 05:08

Caveat: Ireland needs to be careful it doesn’t end up dancing to TikTok’s tune

The Chinese-controlled social media giant potentially could be even more troublesome for the State than its US Silicon Valley peers

Fri Apr 22 2022 - 05:52

Football clubs are influencers and need to cut their crypto ties

Clubs have a different social role from other companies and should not encourage fans to take financial risks

Fri Apr 15 2022 - 05:47

Kerry Group’s desperate attempts to keep its Russian food factory leave a bad taste

Caveat: Kerry is the only Irish multinational keeping alive its links with Putin’s fetid regime

Fri Apr 08 2022 - 05:06

Self-inflicted problems threaten to take off at Dublin Airport

From drop-off charges to dire security queues and deals with autocratic regimes, DAA has made several missteps

Fri Apr 01 2022 - 05:22

P&O’s barbaric sackings share ‘Hall of Infamy’ with Clerys

Sheer scale of the ferry group’s managerial incompetence is a sight to behold

Fri Mar 25 2022 - 05:24

Irish eyes will not be smiling if war in Europe stops US tourists from travelling

Towns such as Killarney are heavily dependent on the US market but all is not lost just yet

Fri Mar 18 2022 - 06:00

John FitzGerald: Ukraine shock waves to be felt for some time

Role of government not to try stop inevitable, but to protect vulnerable against high prices

Fri Mar 18 2022 - 05:30

DAA needs its wings clipped over plan to charge for airport drop-off

Everybody can see through authority’s spurious ‘sustainability’ rationale; it clearly will be a revenue raiser

Fri Mar 11 2022 - 05:32

Russia and China cast darker shadows now for Irish investors than during days of Brics buzz

Caveat: Moscow’s invasion reveals risk of investing in the non-western economies

Fri Mar 04 2022 - 05:25

Direct provision sees State prop up swathe of Irish hotels

Caveat: State asylum system readies for €500m splurge before decommissioning

Fri Feb 25 2022 - 05:42

Coronavirus: On masks and vaccines, we must respect each other

A trip to a packed pub can tell you a lot about where your attitude to virus risk lies

Fri Feb 18 2022 - 05:25

The Government cannot solve everybody’s problems. The nation is addicted to the State

Individuals and businesses should not be made to feel powerless

Fri Feb 11 2022 - 06:00

Caveat: We can't forget the necessity of Covid restrictions but don't dismiss what they cost us

This week’s public health data suggests a brighter future for business and society

Fri Feb 04 2022 - 05:33

Enniskerry planning battles are a microcosm of State’s housing challenges

Crisis won’t be solved without massive construction, but try telling locals they have to sit back and say nothing

Fri Jan 28 2022 - 06:20

A top tip for hospitality employers: treat your staff as well as you can

As industry prepares for a new phase of pandemic, the State is devising new laws to boost workers’ rights to gratuities

Fri Jan 21 2022 - 05:05

Mark Paul: Irish pubs will be changed forever by the pandemic

On future nights out we are likely to seek out better ventilation and thinner crowds

Fri Jan 07 2022 - 05:42