Galway companies develops students’ commitment to completing Leaving Cert

Thu, Jan 30, 2014

Employees in some of Galway’s top companies recently welcomed fifth year students from local schools into their premises to give them a chance to see what it is really like to work there, as part of the Schools Business Partnership (SBP) which facilitates partnerships between schools and local businesses.

KBC Galway hosts ‘Change Your Bank Day’

Thu, Jan 30, 2014

KBC Bank Ireland is hosting ‘Change Your Bank Day’ in its Eyre Square hub in Galway on this Saturday February 1. With many consumers re-assessing their personal finance arrangements early in the year and Danske customers researching alternative banking arrangements, KBC is opening for a full day on Saturday to offer greater flexibility to customers seeking to change banks.

‘Change Your Bank Day’ is an entire day dedicated to making it easy to change your bank. A team of KBC advisors will be on hand to handle questions on KBC’s full suite of retail banking products and services, and to assist new customers in making the seamless change over to KBC. Customers can compare the value for money of their current banking products to those on offer at KBC and advisors will be there to demonstrate how customers can bank with KBC for as little as €2 per month, or in other words, the price of a cup of coffee.

VAT 2014 and beyond

Thu, Jan 23, 2014

From 1 January 2014, businesses which have not paid for supplies (either in full or in part) within a six month period will be required to repay to Revenue the VAT previously reclaimed on these supplies. This is mainly an anti-fraud measure, however it is hoped that it will encourage prompt payments, thus increasing cash flow for suppliers, as we all know that cash is king!! Where the supplier is subsequently paid, the amount of deductible VAT can be reclaimed by the customer again. This is measured on a pro rata basis.

For example, Customer A receives an invoice for €10,000 plus VAT from Supplier B in May and immediately reclaims 23% VAT (€2,300) on it. If A pays €7,000 of this debt in the first six months (e.g. July/August VAT period) and they still owe the remaining €3,000 after the November/December VAT period, they must pay back 30% of the VAT claimed initially (€690). If the outstanding €3,000 is subsequently paid at a later date, January onwards for example, they can still reclaim the 30% of VAT in relation to this, meaning the right to deductibility is not entirely lost.

One hundred thousand visitors to the Galway region used Ireland West Airport Knock

Thu, Jan 16, 2014

2014 promises to be another milestone year at Ireland West Airport Knock with the year ahead forecast to be the busiest ever in the airport’s history with passenger numbers expected to exceed 700,000 for the first time.

Galway company signs new contracts totalling more than two million euro

Thu, Jan 16, 2014

A west of Ireland based retail management systems company has signed major new contracts in the UK and Ireland, worth well in excess of €2million. Retail Solutions, based in Tuam, Co Galway – and with offices strategically located across the country – has already much of the Irish market sewn up and has plans to branch into South Africa this year.

Female entrepreneurs in Galway sought for new cycle of Going for Growth

Thu, Jan 09, 2014

Going for Growth, an Irish programme which helps ambitious women entrepreneurs grow their business, is launching a call out for women entrepreneurs in Galway to apply for its 2014 programme.

Forty six people lose their lives due to workplace accidents

Thu, Jan 09, 2014

Official figures released this week by the Health and Safety Authority, show that there were 46 people killed in work-related accidents during 2013, compared to 48 in 2012.

People believe economy will improve but they will not benefit

Thu, Jan 02, 2014

Irish people are optimistic about the economy generally for 2014 but feel that their own circumstances will get worse. The apparent contradiction is contained in a major survey of 26,000 Irish people carried out by The AA.

NUI Galway report values Ireland’s ocean economy worth over a billion

Thu, Jan 02, 2014

NUI Galway’s Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) has published its second report on Ireland’s Ocean Economy as part of their ongoing process of collection and analysis of marine socio-economic data in Ireland — and its findings reveal that the ocean economy is worth €1.2bn

Results from the report show that in 2010, the direct economic value of the Irish ocean economy was €1.2 billion which translates into approximately 0.8 per cent of GDP. The sector had a turnover of €3.5 billion, and provided employment for approximately 16,300 people (Full Time Equivalent). The report allows for the comparative analysis of the contribution of the marine sector to the national economy in the 2007-2010 period.

Retailers enjoy robust St Stephen’s Day sales

Thu, Jan 02, 2014

Retail Excellence Ireland, Ireland’s largest retail industry body, have confirmed that the St. Stephens Day Sales were the busiest in six years.

Retailers warned that shoplifting is costing two million a month in Ireland

Thu, Dec 19, 2013

ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, has warned retailers to be extra vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period as they are being targeted by organised gangs of shoplifters. The Association outlined that retailers are twice as likely to be victims of shoplifting over the Christmas, as the level of crime rises due to the greater opportunity and the recession.

The Retirement Planning Council urges employers to help staff prepare for retirement

Thu, Dec 19, 2013

The Retirement Planning Council of Ireland is calling on employers to give the gift of a retirement planning course to their employees this Christmas. A recent campaign by the Retirement Planning Council emphasises how retirement can be the most daunting time of a career and preparation is crucial in order to maximise the time ahead.

Retailers warned that shoplifting is costing two million a month in Ireland

Thu, Dec 19, 2013

ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, has warned retailers to be extra vigilant during the Christmas and New Year period as they are being targeted by organised gangs of shoplifters. The Association outlined that retailers are twice as likely to be victims of shoplifting over the Christmas, as the level of crime rises due to the greater opportunity and the recession.

Is your business ready for the SEPA deadline on February 1?

Thu, Dec 12, 2013

At the beginning of February 2014, the Single European Payments Area, a payment integration initiative of the European Union, will be in full operation. The aim of the project is to improve the efficiency of cross border payments and to turn the many national clearing systems into a single payment area.

Collins McNicholas Ltd and Stewart up for ‘Best Managed’ companies awards

Thu, Dec 12, 2013

Two Galway based companies, Collins McNicholas Ltd and Stewart, will compete to be a Best Managed Company at the annual Deloitte awards ceremony in March 2014. A symbol of organisational success and achievement, the awards are in their sixth year, and some of Ireland’s most dynamic and innovative companies now hold the prestigious Best Managed designation.

Taking the geography out of the equation

Thu, Dec 12, 2013

Location can have such a powerful impact on careers. If the job requires you to be in a certain place, at a certain time, to do certain tasks, then the fact that you live 70 miles away, and need to drop off the children at school each morning, can so easily rule you out.

Father and daughter team to revolutionise the job-seeking market with CareerBud

Thu, Dec 05, 2013

Liam and Orla Delaney have just launched CareerBud.com, a business designed to assist job seekers with the difficult task of finding employment in today’s world. CareerBud is unique in that it is designed to keep the jobseeker at the heart of the process.

WIN’s funding bequest comes to an end

Thu, Dec 05, 2013

WIN – West of Ireland Networking is an independent, not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee. To date they have been funded entirely by the Maureen O’Connell Fund through St Vincent de Paul which has allowed WIN to grow and provide vital services to those who are unemployed or underemployed in the West of Ireland.

Success is all about perfect execution, says Galway author as he is lauded by business gurus

Thu, Dec 05, 2013

Galway-based keynote speaker and best selling author Kevin Kelly has just launched his new book Do — The Pursuit of Xceptional Execution here and in the United States. Already the book has been endorsed by many New York Times best selling authors including business guru and author Tom Peters whose comments feature on the front cover:

"Now I can retire in peace. Kevin Kelly has written the book I always wanted to write. And he's done to the point of perfection—calling it xceptional execution,” said Mr Peters.

Alcom’s to expand workforce after business boost

Thu, Nov 28, 2013

Award-winning Galway telecommunications company, Alcom, has successfully completed a new systems network installation for Supermac’s throughout Ireland.

E-paper

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