Business leaders turn out for awards and why there hasn’t been a US downturn for now

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by Irish Times, click this post to read the original article.

Niall Browne of Dawn Meats has been named Businessperson of the Year at the eighth annual Irish Times Business Awards in the Mansion House on Thursday night. The award comes on the back of the Waterford-based meat processor receiving the green light to acquire a majority stake in New Zealand’s biggest meat processor, Alliance Group.

Elsewhere, Áine Kennedy won the Future Leader award from The Irish Times as CRH and Greencore’s acquisition of Bakkover also took home awards. Galway’s Castle Group won the Local Business of the Year award.

Michael Smurfit meanwhile received the distinguished leader award on the night. One of Ireland’s best known business executives, Smurfit also spoke to Ciaran Hancock for the interview of the week.

Politicians must axe the 32 million a-year limit on passengers at Dublin Airport before an autumn ruling by regulators that could hit summer 2027 travel, Aer Lingus will warn the Government. As Barry O’Halloran reports, Aer Lingus is seeking a meeting with Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, to stress that recent developments and looming legal deadlines mean the limit must be lifted long before the Government’s target of the end of this year.

Aer Lingus also sponsors the College Football Classic in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium every year. The most recent match in August gave the Irish economy a €132 million boost, according to an economic impact report from Grant Thornton. Colin Gleeson has read the report.

It has long been an Irish success story, but clinical trials firm Icon hit touble last week when it delayed its latest earnings and warned it may have overstated revenue for 2023 and 2024. It’s shares promptly plunged. Paul Colgan unpacks the issues troubling the company.

The Government is planning to spend almost 90 per cent of the corporation tax revenue it generates over the next five years, a conference heard yesterday. As Eoin reports, Irish Fiscal Advisory Council economist Brian Cronin said the Coalition’s recently published spending plans indicate it will save just €1 out of every €8 (12.5 per cent) generated by the business tax between 2026 and 2030.

It’s been a question asked around the world since US president Donald Trump unleashed his so-called liberation day tariffs on the world 10 months ago: where has been the US economic downturn that was expected to inevitably follow? There are myriad answers, and Eoin Burke-Kennedy goes through them in his column.

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