Grants of up to €35,000 for firms planning move into new markets to cushion US tariffs blow
will offer new grants to firms planning to expand into alternative markets due to the impact of
tariffs
on sales to the
United States
.
Under measures approved by Cabinet on Tuesday, a market research grant of up to €35,000 will be made available to companies seeking to develop mitigation strategies to the impact of tariffs.
The export agency has established a tariffs response team to develop measures for Irish exporters. It follows calls from the sector for enhanced supports, including a tariff adjustment fund modelled on the multibillion package made available in the aftermath of Brexit.
Other measures which will be pushed by Enterprise Ireland include a market discovery fund for companies devising strategies, with funding of up to €150,000, as well as money to hire external strategy consultants.
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Ukrainians accommodation
Meanwhile, Government has agreed steps to limit the ability of some property owners to take advantage of a €600-a-month payment for accommodating Ukrainians.
Cabinet has agreed that the accommodation recognition payment, which was already scaled back this year, will now be limited to owners of properties which have been used in the private rental market at any time since the start of 2022.
A Government spokesman said the move, brought forward by Minister for Housing James Browne and Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan, comes amid concerns about the scheme's impact on the rental market.
Housing
Cabinet also agreed an additional €696 million in capital funding for housing programmes, including home building, vacant home refurbishment and allocations for the defective concrete blocks grant scheme.
In addition to securing Cabinet approval for the appointment of new Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan also got agreement to send four gardaí to assist the French police during the tourist season.
The members will not have police powers but will be there to assist in any interactions with Irish citizens who are victims of crime or involved in the commission of offences. They will be based in Mont-Saint-Michel and Giverny.
Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien briefed Cabinet on a 10.6 per cent increase in passenger numbers across contracted bus and rail services, contained in the National Transport Authority's annual report for 2024.
He also received approval for the publication of new legislation aiming to provide defined timelines for Environmental Protection Agency licencing decisions. The Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 will update three different licensing systems, with the Government of the view that it is taking too long for decisions to be made, with even minor proposed changes to a site requiring a full licence review.
Cabinet also signed off on a plan to carry out a public consultation on planning exemptions.
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Irish Times
19 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Are consultants really an utter waste of time and money?
Journalists , telemarketers and used- car salespeople can console themselves that there is one profession even more widely detested: consultants. After all, most people have had at least one direct or indirect interaction with the professional class of pseudo-managers churned out by business schools and hoovered up by the likes of McKinsey, Deloitte or BCG – and most of them unpleasant, frustrating or simply baffling. Sure, sometimes they get involved in high-profile projects like ambitious mass relocation programmes or daring pharmaceutical sales initiatives. But most of the work seems to revolve around 30-something MBAs too dim for private equity being parachuted into multinational businesses or sprawling government departments to tell the bosses what they should already know. And that seems to be a generous interpretation. Nonetheless, it is estimated that consulting globally generated revenues of about $400 billion (€346 billion) last year. How can something so widely mocked as an utter waste of time and money be so profitable? READ MORE As it happens, three academics have recently had a stab at measuring whether consultants actually add any value, which the National Bureau of Economic Research published this month . And lo: 'We document that consulting take-up is concentrated among large, high-labour-productivity firms. For TFP [total factor productivity] and profitability, we find a U-shaped pattern: both high and low performers hire consultants. 'New clients spend on average 3 per cent of payroll on consulting, typically in episodic engagements lasting less than one year. 'Using difference-indifferences designs exploiting these sharp consulting events, we find positive effects on labour productivity of 3.6 per cent over five years, driven by modest employment reductions alongside stable or growing revenue. Average wages rise by 2.7 per cent with no decline in labour's share of value added, suggesting productivity gains do not come at workers' expense through rent-shifting. 'We do observe organisational restructuring with small increases in dismissal rates, and higher services procurement but reduced labour outsourcing. Our heterogeneity analysis reveals larger productivity gains for initially less productive firms, suggesting improvements in allocative efficiency.' How did the three authors – Gert Bijnens of the National Bank of Belgium, Princeton University's Simon Jäger and Benjamin Schoefer of Berkeley – calculate this? Through a pretty nifty data set. They combined two decades worth of granular value-added-tax data from the Belgian tax authorities, confidential and anonymised firm-level data provided by the National Bank of Belgium and public financial accounts to create what they reckon is 'the first comprehensive data set of major strategy consulting relationships in an entire economy'. [ McKinsey sheds 10% of staff in 2-year profitability drive Opens in new window ] The tendency of consulting work to be episodic – typically lasting for about a year and a half – allowed them to examine the subsequent impact on employment, wages and productivity. To focus squarely on classic consulting, Bijnens, Jäger and Schoefer excluded the 'Big Four' accountancy firms Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, where most of the revenues come from audits and tax advice. Lots of fancy equations later, and they found that: 'Consulting events are associated with labour productivity growth, appearing to stem from mild reductions in employment against mildly growing revenue and value added. We find positive effects on average wages, no effect on the labour share, and a reduction in a proxy for outsourcing and, if anything, a shift towards managerial labour. [ Consultants face a many-sided crisis Opens in new window ] 'We find a mild increase in dismissals, against an overall modest or insignificant employment effect, consistent with some restructuring activities that, overall, increase productivity. Hence, overall, our findings point towards consulting being associated with positive or neutral outcomes for firms and, arguably and in a more complex picture, workers. 'On average, our results are more in line with a productivity-enhancing view of consulting and reject a view of consulting as a rent-shifting institution. We do not find strong profitability effects – perhaps in part because the moderate productivity effects are 'eaten up' by wage boosts (although we cannot rule out compositional effects driving both margins).' This probably won't assuage the baying hordes of management consultant critics, nor is the report glowing enough to constitute a full-throated endorsement of the consulting business model. But it was interesting enough to warrant a midweek post in late July. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Banteer, Lismire and Mourneabbey
1995 Banteer hurler reunion A reunion for the winning 1995 Banteer Junior Hurlers takes place on Friday 29th August at 8.30pm at the Glen Theatre. The Banteer team won the Duhallow hurling title after an absence of 38 years with the previous title being won in 1957 when Banteer hurlers won the 3 in a row. It is hoped that all of the 1995 team will attend on the night and tickets are available now at 10e each for anyone who wishes to attend and tickets must be bought beforehand. Light refreshments will be provided on the night and old videos will also be shown of the match and social from that year. Sportsfield appeal rates decision Taillte Ireland has proposed property rates on the new Sportsfield facility which has a community café, community museum and a community digital hub/meeting room. The local community group is contesting this proposal with the support of local public representatives and have requested that no rates be applied. This facility is community built, community owned and community operated. Any extra income is put back into additional community facilities at the centre. The community has had to raise over 650k via local fundraising, a bank loan, company sponsorship, selling tickets etc to complete the recent 2.2M community project. Over 300k of this total 2.2M expenditure alone was also paid in Vat payments to our Government for the construction of this project. This project also helps to improve the social isolation for our community as it's now a meeting point since we now have no shop or post office left in Banteer village. The whole facility is run with the assistance of volunteers from our community ADVERTISEMENT Any excess income generated is poured back into paying off our loan and into the maintenance of the existing facilities as well as development of additional facilities for our community. The Valuation Act maintains the long-standing position that all properties of occupiers that operate with the intention of making a profit are ratable, so the opposite should then apply in our case i.e. all properties of occupiers that operate as not for profit should not be ratable. In the Sportsfield the community café, community museum and community digital hub/meeting room activities and all the other facilities are all not for profit and are conducted to fund the rate exempt activity on land developed for sport and recreation including outdoor surfaces, football pitches,walks,playgrounds etc. The community not-for-profit sector plays a vital role in Irish society and community facilities such as ours are a very important element of a sustainable Rural Ireland. To reinforce our appeal all our activities are purely not for profit and the group have also surveyed many other similar community facilities in Cork County and ALL of these are not paying rates. Lyre Junior A Football Lyre enjoyed a well deserved win at the start of their 2025 Junior Football C'ship campaign with a victory over Lismire at Tullylease on Saturday evening last. Played in ideal conditions Lyre were disappointingly slow to get out of the scoring traps trailing 0-3 to 0-0 after 10 minutes. Eventually the men in white & black found their scoring range though hitting four points without reply through the boots of Alan Coughlan (3) & Cathal O' Donoghue to lead 0-4 to 0-3 after 18 minutes. Both teams exchanged pointed frees before an excellent move in the 23rd minute involving Ruairi O' Connell, Liam O' Brien & O' Donoghue saw the latter under pressure curl the ball into the top left hand corner of the Lismire goal to give Lyre a 1-5 to 0-4 double scores lead. Lismire narrowed the divide with a brace of points before two more Coughlan frees saw Lyre out in front 1-7 to 0-6 at the short whistle. The second half saw Lyre continue where they left off scoring four points without reply through Coughlan (3) & an O' Connell effort from distance. Such was the dominance of the Lyre defense Lismire failed to score until the 48th minute of the second half. However an O' Donoghue two pointer along with points from Coughlan & substitute Jack Finnegan boosted the Lyre cause. Lyre were also grateful to net minder Luke Philpott on making a point blank save on 55 minutes to deny Lismire a certain goal. However the men in yellow & black did receive a lifeline on 59 minutes with an excellently converted penalty reducing the divide between the sides, the score now 1-15 to 1-7. Both teams again exchanged points one last time but it was always going to be Lyres day & a victory with a margin of eight points, 1-16 to 1-8, did not flatter the winners. Team: L Philpott, J McAuliffe, N Twomey, C O' Neill, C Crowley, K Tarrant, E O' Brien, R O' Connell, B Murphy, Oisín Twomey, M Twomey, Conor O' Keeffe, A Coughlan, C O' Donoghue & L O' Brien. Subs: T Sexton, J Finnegan, A O' Shea, S Kelleher, K Barry, J Archdeacon, D O' Donoghue, Cian O' Keeffe, C Coughlan, Naglis Vaivada & R Kiely. Sportsfield Draw winners First draw winners in Banteer Sportsfield draw were: €1500 JJ of JJ Appliances. €500 Paudie Ryan. €100 each to Katryn Canty; Margaret Barrett; Shane O'Riordan; Mike McAuliffe, Lyre; Susan Corrigan. The annual draw for the ongoing operation, maintenance and development of the facility for 2025 – please support same as your support helps us make it better for all users. Improvement plans for 2025 include upgrade of old dressing rooms, goal posts replacement, sanding/aeration works ,new pitch mower, solar PV installation. Work will start on these projects in the next month. Banteer Bingo Bingo is played at Banteer Community Centre on Tuesday night at 8.30pm, playing for jackpot of €3,000. Looking forward to seeing everyone. EV charging at Sportsfield/Park Banteer Community Sportsfield/Park have submitted a grant application for the installation of a 150kw fast EV charger in the carpark across from the Park. This entender grant scheme by TLI is to provide 6 fast chargers on or within 3km of the N72 Fermoy to Killarney road. Lismire Football Championship Lismire footballers went under to Lyre in the first round of the Ashgrove Renewables Junior Football Championship last Saturday evening in Tullylease. Their inability to fully grasp the new rules with the ball being advanced on numerous occasions to point scoring opportunities for the opposition was a key factor in their downfall. That coupled with inaccurate shooting led Lyre to a 1.16 to 1.08 victory. Match report in sports pages. Lismire lined out as follows: Cathal Field, Jeremy Lawlor, Stephen Kiely, Stephen Bourke, Daragh O'Keeffe, Conor Sheahan, Eamon Hayes, Michael McSweeney (0.1), Sean McSweeney, Rory Sheahan (0.2), Patrick Buckley, Cian O'Sullivan (0.1), Damien Finn (1.4), Jack Sheahan, Jack Enright. Subs: Paddy Duggan for J Lawlor, Conan Walsh for P Buckley. Scrap Metal A load of scrap metal is being prepared for collection on 9th August. If you have any unwanted scrap metal, please bring it to the GAA Grounds and leave it at the designated scrap metal area. Please be reminded that only scrap metal and batteries are suitable for recycling e.g., farm machinery, old cars, engines & parts, gates, corrugated iron, wheelbarrows, trailer chassis, cement mixers, transport boxes, electric motors, batteries, milk cans, slurry tanks, electric cookers, dishwashers, washing machines, radiators, food mixers, lead, bicycles, solid fuel cookers, barrels and any old iron. Please do not bring fridges, freezers, plastics, tiles, tyres or electrical goods like TVs and microwaves. Donations Newmarket Post Office has a drop off box for charity–they are now ONLY taking old stamps and cards for charity–they are NO longer taking old glasses and as always NO remotes/old phones etc. The collector wishes to thank you all for your donations over the years and hope you will continue to donate the old stamps and cards. Mourneabbey Clyda Rovers GAA Lotto - Results 27th July, Week 30. Numbers drawn 5, 11, 27, 28. €20 Donnacha Barrett; €20 Tadhg O'Mullane, Island; €20 Jimmy McGlinchey, Douglas; €20 Maeve O'Connor, Toureen; €20 Johnny O'Sullivan, Ballynockin. Recent Results - Senior A Football Championship Round 1: Clyda Rovers 3-11 Fermoy 1-11. Junior A Football Championship Round 1: Kilshannig 4-12 Clyda Rovers 2-11. Upcoming Fixtures - Junior A Hurling Championship Round 1: Clyda Rovers vs Araglen Sunday 3rd August in Glanworth at 4pm. Congratulations to Mourneabbey Ladies Footballers Laura Walsh, Éimear Walsh and Rachel Breen who were members of the victorious Cork Minor Team who won the All Ireland Final in Birr on Saturday 26th July.
The Journal
4 hours ago
- The Journal
Ukrainians leave jobs and pets behind as they're forced to leave Co Cork hotel
THE EVICTION OF around 400 Ukrainians from a hotel in Co Cork has been described as an 'affront to humanity'. The 120-room Quality Hotel in Redbarn outside Youghal had hosted Ukrainian families since April 2022. They were informed in January that they would have less than a month to find alternative accommodation but this was then pushed out to 31 July. In January, the people at the hotel were told that accommodation would be offered elsewhere to those who need it and that 'every effort will be made to keep them as close to their current location as possible'. However, the Department of Integration noted that 'given the significant number of moves planned, this may not always be possible'. The statement added that the provider at this site has expressed an interest in providing accommodation for international protection following the end of the Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection contract. Responsibility for integration matters has since been passed to the Department of Justice. 'Unjust' Fiona Corcoran of The Greater Chernobyl Cause told The Journal that around 250 people left the hotel, while others had left earlier. The Greater Chernobyl Cause is a humanitarian aid charity based in Co Cork and founded by Corcoran. She said it was 'unjust to forcibly remove Ukrainian residents from their sanctuary' and criticised the Department of Justice for not allowing people to bring their pets with them. 'The Government allowed our Ukrainian refugees to bring in their pets from war torn Ukraine and now they're forcing them to find new homes for their animals,' said Corcoran. 'These pets provide essential emotional support in coping with the trauma caused by the death and occupation and conflict and the experience of becoming a refugee. 'One of the women I spoke to said she brought her dog to a friend's house and that this is 'maybe for a while, or maybe forever'.' The people who were being accommodated at the Quality Hotel are now being relocated in various areas around Ireland, including in neighbouring Co Kerry and Co Waterford, but also as far away as Co Louth. 'It's actually an affront to humanity, as far as I'm concerned,' said Corcoran of the relocation. She said that the people in the hotel had 'absolutely no say whatsoever' in where they are sent to. Advertisement 'For some people, it's actually the third time their being forcibly moved, because when Russia invaded Crimea back in 2014 some of these people lost their homes. 'Then they had to move again in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, and now once again they have to move because our Government is uprooting them.' Corcoran also criticised the decision to move some of the people to the village of Portmagee in Kerry. 'There's one bus a day there, and that's actually booked in advance,' said Corcoran. 'So transport is a huge issue, there's no GP, and the nearest hospital is 90 minutes away.' One woman who had to move from the hotel told Newstalk that she has been resettled in Waterford. 'We hope that something could change, because everybody would like to stay here,' she said. 'Don't give false hope' She also noted that around 150 of those who were living in the hotel were employed locally. 'Our government hasn't a clue what it's doing because that's after creating unemployment of 150 people,' said Corcoran. 'The Government says it's cost saving but how can it be cost saving if people are losing their jobs and then they're on the live register.' She also voiced concern that the move could impact on job security for special educational needs assistants who primarily worked with Ukrainian children. Corcoran also remarked that the move is 'very upsetting for the Youghal community because these Ukrainians are part of the community'. 'They're part of the GAA and other sports and school choirs, so the locals are very, very upset and very sad to see that the Ukrainians have moved on. Meanwhile, Cocoran said she is 'very cross' with one of the local politicians. While she didn't name this politician, she said: 'He knows who he is and shame on him. 'He gave me a guarantee last week that he would be with the Ukrainians in Youghal on Monday, and then chose not to take our calls. 'If you're not going to get involved, that's fine, but don't give false hope to these Ukrainians who left their war torn country and who have lost close family members.' The Department of Justice has been approached for comment. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
