Top Stories

Paddy McKillen Jr: “For me personally, insolvency is now unavoidable”

On Friday, the businessman secured court protection from his creditors over liabilities of over €27m. In a statement, the former Press Up boss described the past few years as "exceptionally difficult".

Did Putin really think I was a spy?

In an exclusive excerpt from his new book, ‘This Cursed Beautiful Land,’ Evan Gershkovich searches for answers about his arrest while reporting in Russia.

Hard landing – Part 2: Shannon remains Ireland’s neutrality battleground

The US military's decades-old footprint at the airport continues to fuel a high-stakes clash between soft-power pragmatism and the idea that Ireland remains a neutral country in any legal sense of the word.

Irish-owned LHK Group is making its 10th acquisition

The LHK Group is acquiring three financial advice firms in Lucan, Swords and Dublin 14. Its chief executive Colm Kelleher says: “We want to be a consolidator, not consolidated.”

The AI build-out is becoming the biggest economic bet in U.S. history

Data-center spending is greater than that for the canals, railroads and grid combined—creating jobs and wealth but also boosting inflation, write Konrad Putzier and Justin Lahart, The Wall Street Journal.

From zero to €5m in five months: How Dell is helping TensorX build for billions

Mark Hopkins of Dell Technologies Ireland and Tim Grant of TensorX discuss the partnership helping the Irish AI company scale its sovereign AI platform as businesses move from AI pilots to production.

Dublin group on track for 1,000 childcare places eyes private-equity investment

A significant Dublin-based childcare group is in talks with private equity to fund its expansion. The upcoming deal is hot on the heels of London firm Fremman’s acquisition of Tigers Childcare.

Hard landing – Part 1: The quarter-century standoff at Shannon Airport

As a new wave of activists target US military assets at the Midwest airport, The Currency looks back at 25 years of protest, successive governments’ relationship with the US, and the debate over Ireland’s role in the transatlantic alliance.

Top Voices

More than a game: Has the FAI and Government failed the test on Israel?

From the Government's bold move in 1999 to halt a Euro qualifier against Yugoslavia to today’s position to go ahead and play Israel, has Ireland traded moral leadership for a fixture behind closed doors?

Conor Brady: Garda whistleblowing allegations must be examined further

The latest allegations on RTÉ mark continued tension between An Garda Síochána’s imperatives of transparency and national security. Independent offices on protected disclosures and on security already exist to take them up.

Safeguards, beef, and smoke and mirrors: The Mercosur debate is back

The European Commission recently suspended Brazilian beef imports into the bloc, reigniting a fierce debate over the EU-Mercosur trade deal and how its safeguards are working.

Ronan Lyons: Crisis over, mission accomplished, and everything in between

I genuinely hope that we get to mark the end of the housing crisis within the next couple of years. But we will be living with an unhealthy housing system for some time to come – and the political system needs to remember that and not get distracted. 

Tara Shine: What do hotter European summers mean for the Irish hospitality industry?

If I was the owner of a hotel in Donegal, I would market the destination for its cool weather and green landscapes, while also leaning heavily on the efforts to be sustainable and reduce emissions.

Europe can regulate mad and bad AI. Now we must build the ability to make it safe

The Government will host the International AI Summit in October. We should seize this opportunity to create a practical and safer vision for AI that serves the people of Europe, our businesses, and public institutions.

Can Metrolink change the State’s spending culture?

Jack Chambers is getting bored of just spending money and more excited at increasing the return he can get from it. Beyond the €17bn metro test, transferring early capital successes into current expenditure will be the bigger challenge.

The game-time conundrum: How to fix Irish rugby’s production problem

Leinster are still sore about losing Joey Carbery to Munster eight years ago, but behind that individual story is a wider and ongoing issue about talent circulation – and the lack of it.