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McRedmond calls time; home building on hold; and are modern offices fit for purpose

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

RTÉ looks certain to appointment Kevin Bakhurst as its new director general after rival David McRedmond firmly shut the door on further engagement over the post. Photograph: Eric Piermont / AFP via Getty Images

Dominic Coyle's face
Dominic Coyle
Mon Apr 17 2023 - 06:14

Businessman David McRedmond broke his 10-day silence on Sunday to say he was no longer interested in the top job at RTÉ as a row continues to rumble over extensive leaks at a board meeting of the broadcaster called to approve the interview panel’s preferred candidate, Kevin Bakhurst.

The construction sector reported that activity on new home building declines for the sixth month running as only commercial property construction showed any growth in activity in March. Barry O’Halloran has the story.

Barry also writes that Ikea is planning its first smaller scale plan and order site outside Leinster, with a new outlet at Douglas Village Shopping Centre.

Tesla saw profit at its Irish business jump by 75% last year on the back of a 53% jump in car sales, writes Gordon Deegan. But the figure for 2023 show little sign of additional strong growth this year so far.

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A new EU law clamping down on corporate greenwashing has strong support form Irish people, according to a new survey for the Compliance Institute. It finds that just one in four Irish people are confident that they can spot the difference between valid claims on environmental, social and governance claims for a product and greenwashing.

In his column, Eoin Burke-Kennedy looks at how former US president Barack Obama’s grim pre-Brexit warning to Britain has worked out. It’s not pretty.

And Simon Kuper, filling in for Pilita Clark, is forced to WeWork as his home office is renovated. His verdict: modern offices are terrible places to try to get anything done. Find out why.

Finally, Irish League of Credit Unions boss David Malone lays out what more needs to be done to develop a properly competitive banking sector in Ireland, with credit unions as a credible source of personal banking in a market with just three pillar banks.

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