Subscriber OnlyBusiness Today Newsletter

No deal in sight as Aer Lingus work to rule begins

The best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

Aer Lingus pilots began work to rule this morning. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Peter Flanagan's face
Peter Flanagan
Wed Jun 26 2024 - 06:34

There are few signs of an end in sight to the dispute at Aer Lingus, with industrial action beginning this morning and no indication that an agreement between the pilots union Ialpa and the airline is near. Barry O’Halloran has the latest on where the talks between the sides are at, while Conor Pope reports on growing fears of potential chaos for passengers if the industrial action continues.

Staying with travel, months after the competition regulator ruled Dublin Airport manager DAA could not buy a car park near the airport the sight remains closed as we near the peak summer season. Barry J Whyte reports on what is happening with the property, and what are the implications for travellers driving to the airport.

Increasing our wind energy is a critical part of the Government’s plans to reduce emissions in the years to come, but dozens of Irish wind farms may be forced to shut down before 2030 unless urgent changes are made to the planning system, according to a Wind Energy Ireland report. Kevin O’Sullivan has the details.

As RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst announces his plan to get things on to an even keel and cut costs, Laura Slattery looks at the path forward for the troubled broadcaster.

READ MORE

In his column, Martin Wolf looks at what has long been a bug bear of governments but is now very much back in fashion: industrial policy. But are states using it in the right way? The early indications are not encouraging.

Property company Savills has urged the Government to ease rental caps in the next budget to arrest a sharp decline in the completion of new properties available for rent. The recommendation, which the company said was designed to “create a more favourable investment climate”, is contained within its pre-budget submission to Government, published on Wednesday. Colin Gleeson has the story.

Colin also reports that almost a third of 18- to 24-year-olds have used artificial intelligence (AI) to complete a job application, according to research carried out by recruitment firm Hays Ireland. And companies are using it themselves to assess applicants.

Irish digital agency Granite Digital has announced new plans for its US expansion, creating 50 jobs in New York in the next two or three years as it pushes for new business. The move comes following the company’s acquisition of a majority stake in New York-based creative agency LCM247 just over a year ago. Among the new roles are positions in software engineering, AI-focused data science, analytics and Customer Experience, among others. Ciara O’Brien has the details.

The battle between two Dublin family-owned funeral companies in the south city suburb of Goatstown has taken a fresh turn. Fanagans Funeral Directors has lodged a planning application for a new funeral home in the area just weeks after Massey Bros confirmed that it was to open its 10th branch in Dublin beside Charlie Chawke’s The Goat Bar and Grill in Goatstown. Gordon Deegan has read the planning application.

Energystore, the Holywood, Co Down-based insulation manufacturer, has acquired Scottish flooring specialist Advanced Traditional Screeding (ATS) for an undisclosed sum. The deal will add £5 million (€5.9 million) to the Northern Ireland company’s revenues and help it grow its footprint across the UK, an Energystore spokesman said in a statement. Ian Curran reports.

Stay up to date with all our business news: sign up to our Business Today daily email news digest. If you’d like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money, the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.