Top Stories

“Continuous strain”: Courts Service at resource and staffing breaking point

Striking solicitors are not the only ones complaining about funding for the courts. Released files shows the agency's CEO recently warned the incoming secretary general in justice of staff shortages and budget gaps stalling judicial and technological reforms.

Inside Trump’s plan to give the Pentagon a stake in Venezuela’s oil riches

The deal caps months of secretive negotiations to give the U.S. rights to the some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, write Vera Bergengruen, Drew FitzGerald, Collin Eaton, and Juan Forero, The Wall Street Journal.

ICG management urges private clients of Brewin Dolphin to back €1.2bn deal

Eamonn Rothwell's team is asking shareholders to change their votes to favour its €8-a-share offer. Oxy Capital, an opposing shareholder, has however again called for investors to vote against the deal.

Can Apple’s new CEO rev up the Steve Jobs innovation engine?

To help the company reach new heights, John Ternus must take it beyond the supply chain mastery of Tim Cook, who built it into a $5 trillion colossus, writes Rolfe Winkler, The Wall Street Journal.

Two sustainability firms are merging to become Future Planet

The Institute of Sustainability Studies is merging with Future Planet. Sustainability expert Niall Collins will lead the combined entities.

The summer that scorched French grapes, English gardens—and Europe’s economy

Record heat withered crops, strained businesses and upended everyday life. It happened faster than anyone expected, write David Luhnow, Stacy Meichtry and Ed Ballard, The Wall Street Journal.

The world’s drinks order is in. Distillers were expecting more

Alcohol companies are swamped with aged spirits including cognac, bourbon and Scotch whisky, writes Carol Ryan, The Wall Street Journal.

Michael Corcoran’s social life: “We had to figure out how to do it differently”

One year after founding the social media consultancy Slice, the man previously known for putting Ryanair on the online map is confident he has finally found the business model he had been chasing for the past 15 years.

Top Voices

Stockholm meets London: Ireland’s investment account could have the best of both worlds – if the final figures are right

The Department of Finance appears to have been influenced by both Sweden's ISK and the UK’s ISA in developing Ireland's new tax-incentivised accounts. But all of the critical information required to determine their worthiness remains under wraps – for now.

Paul McArdle: The Irish start-up betting that AI can reinvent the CRM

Ahoy founders Kevin Bluett and Monique Eisenach left HubSpot to build software that does more than record what businesses do — it helps them get things done.

The budget Kabuki must end: Rewinding the week that was

The real budget problem is not what happens on budget day – it is the lack of discipline that follows it.

How Irish farming transformed the Saudi desert into a dairy empire

It is 50 years since Masstock starting building a vast dairy operation in Saudi Arabia. Co-founder Alastair McGuckian, who celebrated his 90th birthday this week, reflects on a lifetime bringing Irish farming expertise to the world.

Stewardship or subsidies? Why the State should means-test corporate green grants

The State is using public money to de-risk major climate and energy projects of big business. But is it subsidising those with the capital to act alone at the expense of homeowners and SMEs navigating the green transition?

John Looby: Ignore the noise – there is little new in finance

New technology, new personalities and new financial instruments can create the illusion of change. But beneath the surface, finance remains driven by the same old forces — and the same old mistakes.

Stuart Fitzgerald: Lessons from Brexit Britain show in economic data from both sides of the Irish Sea

Ireland may not have any intergalactic space warriors, but it still has growth.

Watchdog barks, Government spends, multinationals pay – for now

Spending €1bn a year on petrol and diesel subsidies is a lot, but this is just one of several billion-euro levers the Government has access to in the lead up to the budget – unless Ireland finally loses its immunity from successive international crises.