Entrepreneurs must challenge business models to beat downturn

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

IRISH entrepreneurs will have to be more innovative in their thinking than ever before and challenge existing business models by differentiation and lower cost if they are to build successful businesses in the face of the global economic downturn.

Financial Solutions Skillnet’s training programme to beat ‘recessionary blues’

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

Financial Solutions Skillnet (FSS), which offers subsidised training and networking for West of Ireland financial services companies, has received funding of €136,500 from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to deliver its second year of training.

Kick-starting its 2009 programme, the FSS Network has announced a number of training courses over the coming months which will focus on beating those “recessionary blues”.

How to claim tax relief for R&D

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

Q. My company has incurred significant R&D expenditure during the past few years. The product is now ready to go to market and I hope to be profit-making within two years. Can I claim tax relief for the expenditure incurred to date and how do I claim it? Are there special rules for claiming R&D costs?

Grocery survey shows bigger price gap — but gap to discounts shrinks

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

The price gap on a basket of groceries between the three big supermarkets is widening and the gap between their prices and Aldi and Lidl is narrowing, the latest price survey from the National Consumer Agency shows.

Fall in love with your business again despite the downturn

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

With February being the month for love, it’s time to 'fall in love' with your business. Fall back in love and make amends. Say you're sorry when you've expected too much; acknowledge when you've been a little insensitive and promise to get realistic about expectations.

Think about what you love about your company. Remember the first buzz and novelty of when you first started, the dreams you had together. And when you're buzzing with love and the possibilities of what still can be, put pen to paper and find new and interesting ways to make your customers fall in love. Then take the time to imagine being your customer and what you would love to receive as your customer. Walk through each step from enquiry to purchase and payment.

Experienced hotelier appointed new general manager of the g

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

The luxurious and award winning g Hotel has recently appointed Damien O’ Riordan as general manager to one of Ireland’s most fashionable five star properties. Damien has built a career for himself working in a selection of the most renowned establishments across Ireland and the United States of America and now plans to draw on these experiences to create the ultimate hospitality experience for guests, both locally and internationally at the g hotel.

Receivers and liquidators

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

Q. I read your answer on liquidation and insolvency last week with interest. However, I have a different set of circumstances. I have a trading company with the trading premises held within the company and financed by a large bank loan. The lending bank has a fixed charge over the property and a floating charge over the other assets. I am not going to be able to keep the repayments going on the loan much longer. I have only been able to do so by increasing the period during which I can pay my creditors and I can’t do this much longer as the creditors have me under huge pressure. I have been told that the bank might appoint a receiver but your answer last week did not refer to this. What is a receiver and how is a receiver different from a liquidator?

One job lost every minute in Ireland in January

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

One job was lost every minute in Ireland during January, it was reported on Wednesday when the Central Statistics Office announced that 33,000 people signed on the Live Register.

One job lost every minute in Ireland in January

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

One job was lost every minute in Ireland during January, it was reported on Wednesday when the Central Statistics Office announced that 33,000 people signed on the Live Register.

Call to invest in science and technology

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

Ireland's Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Patrick Cunningham has said the Government and business should "hold their nerve" and continue to invest in science and technology despite the economic pressure to cut budgets.

Speaking at the Presidents' Research Awards in DCU, the Chief Scientific Adviser Prof Patrick Cunningham said such investment in the past decade had served us well.

Long-standing Galway linen company changes name

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

The long-standing Galway linen supply company known variously over the years as the Connaught Laundry; Connacht and Court; the Linen Supply of Ireland, and most recenty CWS-National Linen has changed its name.

From last Monday, the company textile rental and washroom hygiene solutions which has a massive plant at Knocknacarra and which formerly was based at Henry Street, will be known as CWS-boco.

Mayo native is named new dean of business, public policy and law

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

Mayo-native Dr Willie Golden has been appointed dean of the college of business, public policy and law at NUI Galway. He will have responsibility for the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, and the School of Law.

Liquidation and insolvency — the harsh reality

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

Q. My wife and I are owners and directors of a trading company. The company has been badly hit by current economic conditions and we do not envisage our trade recovering. The company’s balance sheet position has deteriorated rapidly and assets only slightly exceed liabilities. Our main asset is the premises from which the company trades but which is owned by us personally. This is subject to a large mortgage which we are struggling to pay and we are currently in default. If we continue trading it is unlikely that we will be able to meet our liabilities. I was told that our creditors or the bank could liquidate the company. Is this true? If so what are our options and what does the liquidator do?

A. I strongly recommend that you seek professional advice before taking any course of action. I have summarised the major issues you should be aware of. More detailed information is available on the ODCE website www.odce.ie. In particular Information Book 7 examines this whole area.

Boost for Irish tourism as 72 per cent won't holiday abroad this year

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

Irish tourism could be set for a surprise boost this year with the revelation in a survey that, as the recession bites and workers fear for their jobs, 72 per cent will not be taking a holiday abroad this year.

Ireland’s first Irish Surf and Sail brand made in Galway

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

When you hear of Ganze, you think of Aran sweaters and geansais — but not any more. UCD student Amy McDonagh is pictured launching Ireland’s first Irish Surf and Sail brand made in Galway and ready for the seasons surf and sail adventures in 2009. Ireland is now the fastest growing destination on the world surfing circuit.

Hundreds of new jobs created in Galway Gaeltacht, say Údarás

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

More than 500 new fulltime jobs were created in the Galway Gaeltacht and 250 more were approved, it was revealed this week in the annual report of Údarás na Gaeltachta.

However, the agency has warned that companies in the Gaeltacht region face a challenging time in the months and years ahead, due to the international economic conditions.

Time to move up the CAD ladder with Amicus

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

During the boom years of the Celtic Tiger, architects, engineers, and anyone involved in design and construction were so busy that there wasn’t time to think. Although that frenetic activity has stopped, it is not all doom and gloom, as one benefit is that there is now time to look at the efficiency of the process and in particular, the role of design software.

So not only is 2009 an opportunity to make better use of the extensive functionality of your AutoCAD products, it is also the ideal time to move to the next stage of the process – Building Information modelling (or BIM). Twenty-five years after the introduction of computer-aided design (CAD) to the PC, most people are still only using their high-powered computers as electronic drawing boards.

Anglo shareholder compo to be determined by assessor

Thu, Jan 22, 2009

The passing of laws to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank this week revealed some more details on how and when compensation for Anglo Irish shareholders, whose equity has been wiped out, will be determined.

Hoteliers condemn ESB wage increases

Thu, Jan 22, 2009

Galway hoteliers have condemned as outrageous the decision by the board of the ESB to pay the 3.5 per cent wage increase under Towards 2016 (the first phase of the transition agreement).

The Galway branch of the Irish Hotels Federation questions whether the board of the ESB has fully grasped the perilous condition of the Irish economy and calls on the Commission on Energy Regulation (CER) to intervene immediately and instruct the board to reverse its decision and to disallow wage increases in the calculation energy tariffs.

Hoteliers condemn ESB wage increases

Thu, Jan 22, 2009

Galway hoteliers have condemned as outrageous the decision by the board of the ESB to pay the 3.5 per cent wage increase under Towards 2016 (the first phase of the transition agreement).

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.