Cork-based pharma consultancy plans to double headcount amid tariff uncertainty
• How one Irish consultancy is preparing to grow despite Donald Trump's latest tariff threats
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Irish Examiner
11 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump tells Europe to ‘get your act together' on immigration before US-EU trade talks
Intensive negotiations were continuing on Saturday between the EU and the US before a crunch meeting in Scotland between Donald Trump and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to avert a costly trade war. Trump spent the night at his family-owned Turnberry golf resort on a private visit, but took time to criticise European leaders over wind turbines and immigration, claiming there won't be a Europe unless they 'get their act together'. 'I say two things to Europe. Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds,' he said. 'On immigration, you better get your act together,' he said. 'You're not going to have Europe any more.' On Saturday morning, he abandoned a scheduled meeting with the press, who travelled with him on Air Force One, for a round of golf at his seaside course with music blaring from the buggy he drove. Sky News, stationed next to the course, reported the songs included Billy Joel's Uptown Girl, Elaine Paige's Memory and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. Billed as a four-day family visit to Scotland, Trump is meeting European leaders and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, raising hopes of new and refined trade deals with the EU and the UK. People take part in a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, as US President Donald Trump begins his five-day private trip to the country at his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire On the prospects of an EU trade deal, the US president has said there were '20 sticking points'. When asked what they were, he said: 'Well, I don't want to tell you what the sticking points are.' He described von der Leyen as a 'highly respected woman' and said the meeting on Sunday with the EU chief would be 'good', rating the chances of a deal as 'a good 50-50'. It is understood von der Leyen and her aides will fly in on Saturday, with the European trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, arriving on Sunday morning. It is expected the deal will centre on an outline agreement in principle over 15% tariff rates for exports including cars, but with a 50% tariff continuing on steel. There may also be a breakthrough deal on pharmaceuticals, setting a rate of 15% for exports. Although this would breach a longstanding World Trade Organization agreement that medicines are rated at a zero tariff, it would be a far cry from the 200% tariff Trump threatened to impose on pharmaceuticals earlier this month. People take part in a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, as US President Donald Trump begins his five-day private trip to the country at his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire This would have triggered a highly damaging trade war not just with Ireland, where many US multinationals are based, but Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France and Spain. Read More Israeli air strikes in Gaza Strip leave at least 25 dead, health officials say Von der Leyen's spokesperson, Paula Pinho, said: 'Intensive negotiations at technical and political [level] have been ongoing between the EU and US. Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.' It is believed the meeting will be held in Aberdeenshire and will be followed by a series of meetings with Starmer on Monday, with hopes he will widen the bare bones trade deal he struck in May. Trump's arrival in Scotland has required the biggest security operation since Elizabeth II died in 2022. More than 5,000 police and security personnel are involved in the four-day visit with no risks taken after the assassination attempt on the president a year ago. High perimeter fences have been erected around the coastal golf course with naval vessels patrolling the shore while security drones overhead and dozens of security detail staked out the resort early on Saturday. The heavy security presence may be a foretaste of events to come later in August when the US vice-president, JD Vance, and his family arrive for a holiday in the Cotswolds, reportedly in the village of Charlbury. Locals who resisted the expansion of Trump's golf course in the past have asked who would be footing the bill for the security arrangements. - The Guardian
Extra.ie
41 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Electricity bills set to hike for thousands of Irish homes
Thousands of people are set to see an increase in their electricity bills soon with energy company Flogas hiking its rates. Starting on August 25th, the Irish provider is set to increase its variable electricity charges by around 7%. For a typical Flogas residential electricity customer, the changes will mean an increase of around €10.51 a month, or €126 a year, on their bills. Flogas are increasing their rates on August 25. Pic: Shutterstock The energy company currently has about 43,500 residential electricity customers on variable rates. Flogas Energy Managing Director Sean O'Loughlin stated, 'We will support affected customers through our Customer Service team as much as possible and have a range of options, including payment plans, Budget Plan and pre-payment meters.' The hikes come as the government has confirmed that one-off cost of living measures, bonuses and electricity credits will not be a feature in the upcoming budget. In recent years, the public has come to expect energy credits as part of the government's annual budget announcements. For Budget 2025, two €125 energy credits were issued with one in January and another in November. Previous budgets have included a range of cost-of-living supports such as double payments and bonus lump sums. However, these measures will not be included this year. Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers, stated that while several one-off payments were made in recent years for certain social welfare schemes, this year will mark a departure from that approach. Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers revealed no electricity credits will be in this year's Budget. Pic: Fran Veale Chambers appeared on RTE's News at One to give information on what shouldn't be expected in Budget 2026 and pointed out that the government wants to take decisions that would be 'sustainable with global uncertainty'. According to the Irish Independent, around one in eight domestic electricity customers were behind on their electricity bills earlier this year. Commission for the Regulation of Utilities figures showed that in the three months before April, a total of 286,000 households were in arrears. Pic: Getty Images This is up by 85,734 when compared with the same quarter last year. A total of 175,500 households are behind on gas bills, up around 15,000 on last year. Average arrears on electricity bills is €437, according to the CRU. On gas bills, the average arrears amount is €213. A sobering thought for many as we gallop towards autumn and winter and the colder months ahead.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘Get your act together': Donald Trump tells Europe to address immigration
Intensive negotiations are continuing on Saturday between the EU and the US before a crunch meeting in Scotland between Donald Trump and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen , to avert a costly trade war. Trump spent the night at his family-owned Turnberry golf resort on a private visit, but took time to criticise European leaders over wind turbines and immigration claiming there won't be a Europe unless they 'get their act together'. 'I say two things to Europe. Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds,' he said. 'On immigration, you better get your act together,' he said. 'You're not going to have Europe anymore.' READ MORE US president Donald Trump waves as he drives a golf buggy the Trump Turnberry golf courses, in Turnberry on the south west coast of Scotland on July 26th, 2025. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images On Saturday morning, he abandoned a scheduled meeting with the press, who travelled with him on Air Force One, for a round of golf at his seaside course with music blaring from the buggy he drove. Sky News, stationed next to the course, reported the songs included Billy Joel's Uptown Girl, Elaine Paige's Memory and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Water. Billed as a four-day family visit to Scotland, Trump is meeting European leaders and the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, raising hopes of new and refined trade deals with the EU and the UK. [ Epstein saga has exposed cracks in Maga movement which could fatally undermine Donald Trump Opens in new window ] On the prospects of an EU trade deal, the US president has said there were '20 sticking points'. When asked what they were, he said: 'Well, I don't want to tell you what the sticking points are.' He described von der Leyen as a 'highly respected woman' and said the meeting on Sunday with the EU chief would be 'good', rating the chances of a deal as 'a good 50-50'. It is understood von der Leyen and her aides will fly in on Saturday, with the European trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, arriving on Sunday morning. It is expected the deal will centre on an outline agreement in principle over 15% tariff rates for exports including cars, but with a 50% tariff continuing on steel. There may also be a breakthrough deal on pharmaceuticals, setting a rate of 15% for exports. Although this would breach a longstanding World Trade Organisation agreement that medicines are rated at a zero tariff, it would be a far cry from the 200 per cent tariff Trump threatened to impose on pharmaceuticals earlier this month. This would have triggered a highly damaging trade war not just with Ireland, where many US multinationals are based, but Germany, Denmark, Belgium, France and Spain. Von der Leyen's spokesperson, Paula Pinho, said: 'Intensive negotiations at technical and political [level] have been ongoing between the EU and US. Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.' It is believed the meeting will be held in Aberdeenshire and will be followed by a series of meetings with Starmer on Monday, with hopes he will widen the bare bones trade deal he struck in May. A major security operation surrounded the US president's golf round at the start of a five day long private visit to Scotland. A large number of police and military personnel have been spotted searching the grounds at the venue in South Ayrshire. Various road closures have been put in place, with limited access for both locals and members of the media. With no talks apparently scheduled for Saturday, the president – a well-known golf enthusiast – appears to be free to play the famous Turnberry course. However, protests have been planned, with opponents of Mr Trump expected to gather in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen later on Saturday and the Stop Trump coalition planning what it has described as being a 'festival of resistance'. As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will head to Aberdeenshire later in his visit and is expected to open a second course at his golf resort in Balmedie. As he landed in Ayrshire on Friday, the president took questions from journalists, telling Europe to 'get your act together' on immigration, which he said was 'killing' the continent. He also praised Starmer, who he described as a 'good man', but added that the prime minister is 'slightly more liberal than I am'. Saturday will be the first real test of Police Scotland during the visit as it looks to control the demonstrations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, as well as any which spring up near to the president's course. The force has asked for support from others around the UK to bolster officer numbers, with both organisations representing senior officers and the rank-and-file claiming there is likely to be an impact on policing across the country for the duration of the visit. Before the visit started, Mr Swinney appealed to Scots to protest 'peacefully and within the law'. - The Guardian and PA
