
Irish businesses increasingly focused on staff pressures, report says
The inaugural Business Risk Index for Ireland, compiled by insurance broker Gallagher, shows a shifting landscape of concern and operational uncertainty.
The report, which captures the views of 200 leaders across small, medium and large enterprises, highlights that today's commercial risk environment is being shaped less by traditional threats, and more by evolving workforce and cyber threats.
The top concern for Irish businesses right now is employee retention, cited by 29 per cent of respondents, with this figure rising to 40 per cent among companies employing more than 150 people.
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Next is the cost-of-living crisis, seen as a serious threat by 27 per cent of businesses and most acutely felt by companies with between 10 and 50 employees, where concern spikes to 34 per cent.
Concerns around sector competition (22 per cent), cybercrime (21 per cent) and a lack of skilled talent (19 per cent) also rank high on the corporate risk radar.
The cost of salaries was flagged as a risk by 15 per cent of respondents, as was the cost of materials (14 per cent), and compliance with regulations (14 per cent). These challenges are affecting firms across all sectors and sizes.
Risks related to legal issues – with employees, clients or suppliers – as well as business interruption, vandalism or theft, and the cost of servicing debt, were among the least frequently mentioned.
When asked about the broader trading environment, Irish business leaders were notably cautious. More than one in three (35 per cent) said that trading conditions had worsened over the past 12 months and that it was now riskier to run a business.
Another 24 per cent felt that although the trading environment had not changed dramatically, the type of risks they face has evolved.
About 20 per cent of businesses reported stability in both trading and risk terms – a view most common among smaller firms. Just 5 per cent said that the environment had become less risky.
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Extra.ie
27 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Michael O'Leary slammed for 'insulting' metro comments
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has come under fire for his 'insulting' remarks about Dublin's MetroLink project which he believes is a 'waste' of taxpayer money. On Tuesday, the government announced that the project would get a €2billion boost in funding as part of the national development plan. The 18.8km rail line, most of which will be underground, is to run from north of Swords to Charlemont in the south of Dublin city centre. Michael O'Leary believes the MetroLink is a waste of money. Pic:Various metro projects have been proposed in recent decades with none proceeding to build stage, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said this boost in funding is 'a very definitive commitment to the metro'. Despite Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe stating that the latest estimated cost for the MetroLink was €11billion, the Ryanair chief believes it will cost about €20billion or 'about a billion a kilometre'. He told RTE Radio on Wednesday: 'Dublin Airport doesn't need it, Dublin Airport passengers won't use it – they're already well-served by buses.' Michael also claimed that less than a third of the airport's passengers use buses. He went to compare the amount of passengers the MetroLink would serve in Dublin, comparing it to the tube which runs from Heathrow and through 'all of London'. Michael believes that the Dublin metro would only serve around 100,000 people in the city. He continued: 'Here's the madness of this. This thing is going to start at Stephen's Green in the morning. If you want to get to our first wave of departures, which leave at about 6.30 in the morning, you need to be at the airport at 5.30am. 'Are you seriously going to drive into the centre of Stephen's Green, where there's no car parking, to get this metro to get to Dublin Airport for 5.30 in the morning? No, you're not. 'Let me give you the alternative scenario: for €100 million, this year we could buy 400 buses, and 400 buses would provide exactly the same capacity as this metro from Dublin Airport, in through Ballymun, in through Drumcondra, on bus lanes that already exist.' He then hit out at the government's handling of public finances, citing the '€330,000 bike shed', and criticised comments by Micheál Martin, who said the Irish capital will not be sustainable without a metro. The Ryanair boss added: 'Does he not understand that the buses actually will all be electrified by the end of this decade, which will actually be greener than light rail?' Labour Party TD Duncan Smith finds Michael O'Leary's comments 'insulting'. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Labour TD Duncan Smith remarked that Michael O'Leary's criticisms of public infrastructure were bound to happen. He said: 'Dubliners are stuck in daily gridlock. MetroLink is their best chance at affordable, reliable transport that serves communities, not corporate profits. 'As a consistent advocate for MetroLink in Swords, I find it insulting to hear this kind of drive-by commentary from someone who clearly doesn't rely on public transport to get to work. 'Dublin deserves better than a transport plan from a billionaire whose only experience with buses is when he is pretending to be one.'


Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
International Security Guard Day: Meet some of those on duty in Cork and Dublin
When she started out in security, Valentina Dimkovska could hardly have imagined she'd one day be standing at the doors of one of Dublin's most famous nightclubs. Originally from North Macedonia, Valentina arrived in Ireland after several years as a logistics specialist with the US Army. 'I started in 1999 and it was just something to pay the bills,' says the 51-year-old. Valentina Dimkovska, Door Supervisor, Dicey's Garden 'It was exciting and it looked like a challenge. During my time with the US Army, I spent four years in Kabul. From the very first day until now I have never thought of changing. I'm happy in security.' Kabul is a far cry from Dicey's Garden where she now works as door supervisor. But according to Valentina, it is not without its challenges: 'Every night is different. It's never boring. We meet a lot of nice people every night. We try our best to let everybody inside and have fun. Still, sometimes we have a reason to refuse people and it's usually too much alcohol or drugs. If there's aggression there's zero tolerance on that.' 'We get quite an international crowd; lots of people from Spain, France and Brazil. We don't get a lot of trouble from them, and don't get me wrong here, but most of the problems come from locals. You get people telling you to go back to your country, that sort of thing. The only way you stop it is through talking. For it to escalate, the situation needs to get very bad, if somebody attacks you or pushes you. Thankfully that's quite rare.' When she joined the team at Dicey's Garden more than 10 years ago, Valentina was its first female member. More women have since joined her and the team now boasts three female bouncers out of a total of 40. In her 26 years in the industry, she has noticed a change and she says that women are 'slowly becoming more interested' in working in security. 'The hours really suit me,' she says. 'I can work at night, make some money and during the day look after my family. I'm not going to recommend what I do to every woman. But I have worked in corporate security and you can see more women in that sector. That is very different work.' Corporate security After six years working between the Four Courts and Central Criminal Court, Kasia Aziewicz made the switch to corporate security in 2015. Having started as a security officer, she progressed rapidly to her current role as a site security manager for a major international company. Kasia Aziewicz, Women in Security Liaison ASIS Ireland Chapter 'This side of the industry is about security but also customer service,' says the Polish native. 'And since I started in it we have definitely seen more women come in. It's more open and it's great to see.' Besides looking after the security of thousands of people in her day job, Kasia is the Women in Security Liaison for the Irish chapter of ASIS International, a global security network and community of 36,000 members that connects people in the industry. 'My role with ASIS is to showcase stories of women in security through our Women in Security Podcast as well as through meetups and networking events,' she explains. 'There are more women in security but they are still a little hidden so it's important that they are seen, that they see each other and speak to each other because people don't realise what goes on behind the scenes. It's a way of maybe attracting more women into the industry and showing them there are different roles. There are more opportunities there now for women. I think that's down to the fact that there are more roles and different options now around the likes of events, training and analysis which uses a lot of tech.' Behind the scenes security Ciara Doyle is one of those women in security who works behind the scenes. In her role as a Specialised Intelligence Analyst for a large international company, she is responsible for the safety of thousands of employees across the globe. Ciara Doyle, Specialised Intelligence Analyst, Provincial Though she is based in Dublin, it is her job to monitor events in every corner of the world where her client's employees might be. She needs to be aware of all sorts of safety risks from political upheaval and military coups to acts of God and local protests. 'Something might happen in a city where we have an office or they might be attending a conference or simply a meeting and we know we have certain numbers of people there who need to be kept up to date on developments,' says the 27-year-old. 'That information can be time-sensitive. So you have to be a clear thinker and be able to respond under pressure. You're pulling multiple sources of data and trying to collate that to give them an accurate reflection of what's happened and how it can impact the business and its people.' Having studied History and Politics at Maynooth University, Ciara went on to do a Master's Degree in International Law before joining a public relations and media analytics firm where she started her training as an analyst. After a year, an opportunity with her current employer, Provincial, came to her attention. 'The role was similar but what intrigued me was it seemed to be more aligned to what I was interested in,' says the Dubliner. 'I love it and I have such great support from my management. 'They're very progressive. Even in the three years that I've been with them, they've brought in more benefits and support, particularly around maternity which is great to see. So I feel now that I can have a family and still have a career in security. Ten or 20 years ago that would have been unheard of.' Event security 'In our world, you deal with all sorts of different people and behaviours,' says Jess O'Sullivan, managing director of AOS Security. Jess O'Sullivan of AOS Security. Picture: Larry Cummins 'Women bring a different dynamic to a team. When we come across a conflict situation, if a female is involved or is present she will rarely get lashed out at and the situation tends to get diffused more quickly. So they often take a different approach and of course, as I always say, they can multitask.' Jess and her late husband, Alan, started AOS Security more than 28 years ago providing security for pubs and clubs around Cork. Since then, the company has grown significantly and today looks after some of the city's most famous landmarks including Páirc Uí Chaoimh. When it comes to women in security, Jess believes it depends on the sector. 'In the guarding side of it, in pubs and nightclubs, you wouldn't have as many women as men still,' she says. 'But on the events side of it, there are more and there are some very talented women out there working in events. I think there are lots of opportunities for women and they can progress within the industry. I always encourage them. Even this year, when we were doing our recruitment drive, the applications that came in were 60% from men and 40% from women. So there's more interest there and it's great to see.'


Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Ireland's groceries second most expensive in Europe
Irish food prices are the second most expensive in the Eurozone after Luxembourg, a new study shows. And when it comes to drink, there is no relief – the price of alcohol was almost double the EU27 average in 2024. The figures are revealed in a Central Statistics Office (CSO) study of 36 countries, comparing prices of groceries across the continent. The nations included the 27 EU member states and nine others. The figures are revealed in a Central Statistics Office (CSO) study of 36 countries, comparing prices of groceries across the continent. Pic: Shutterstock Romania was the least expensive of the EU countries, while Slovakia was the least expensive of the 20 Eurozone countries. Booze prices in Ireland are the second most expensive in both the Eurozone and EU27, at nearly double the average in the latter. Retailers blame higher food prices on taxes and duties, increased wages and the cost of delivering goods to Ireland. Retail Ireland spokesman Arnold Dillion said: 'Higher prices in Ireland reflect long-standing structural cost challenges in the economy, along with higher government taxes and duties on certain products. Retailers blame higher food prices on taxes and duties, increased wages and the cost of delivering goods to Ireland. Pic: Getty Images 'Irish retailers face a significantly higher cost base than many of our European neighbours, with labour among the most expensive in the EU, complex and costly logistics due to our island geography, and elevated commercial rents, energy costs, and insurance premiums. 'Where price increases have occurred, they've been driven primarily by upstream factors, including sharp rises in farm gate prices, surging global commodity costs, adverse weather affecting European harvests, and renewed energy price spikes last winter.' Although Irish wages are higher than the EU average, Michael Kilcoyne of the Consumers' Association of Ireland pointed out: 'There's a difference between what we earn and what we take home as taxes in this country are amongst the highest in Europe. 'We're also paying over the odds for accommodation, we're also paying over the odds for energy prices and so on,' he said. Pic: Shutterstock 'We're also paying over the odds for accommodation, we're also paying over the odds for energy prices and so on, and what's happening is a lot of people have no savings at all when the rainy day comes – none whatsoever.' He said 'they're living hand to mouth', adding: 'It's not just food, it's other areas as well. Food is only a small part, an important part, but it's all of the other things too – energy costs and accommodation costs in this country, it's way off. 'The cost of living now is higher than it was when they brought in the once-off assistance towards energy bills, which ran for two or three years in the Budget. They're talking about not bringing in anything this year, even though the cost of living is higher. That needs to be looked at again.' Alcohol was cheapest in Italy, where prices were 16% below the EU27 average. Pic: Shutterstock Alcohol was cheapest in Italy, where prices were 16% below the EU27 average. Within the European Union, Finland was the most expensive for alcohol. Ireland was the fifth most expensive of the 36 countries for alcohol and second in the European Union and Eurozone. For alcohol, the most expensive of the 36 was almost 3.5 times dearer than the least expensive. The price of alcohol in Ireland was 98% above the EU average. Ireland was the third most expensive Eurozone country for bread and cereals; ninth most expensive for meat; eighth most expensive for fish; eighth most expensive for milk, cheese, and eggs; 12th most expensive for oils and fats and the sixth most expensive country for fruits, vegetables and potatoes. Ireland's bread and cereals prices were 17% above the EU27 average, and the lowest were in Romania at 44% below. The Irish prices for meat were level with the EU27 average. Pic: Getty Images Ireland's bread and cereals prices were 17% above the EU27 average, and the lowest were in Romania at 44% below. The Irish prices for meat were level with the EU27 average. The highest meat prices among the 20 Eurozone countries were in Luxembourg at 37% above average, while the lowest was Slovakia at 30% below the EU27 average. Fish prices here were 5% above the EU27 average, while for milk, cheese and eggs, Ireland was the eighth most expensive of the 20 Eurozone countries. CSO senior statistician Edel Flannery said: 'Looking at specific food categories, we can see that except for meat, prices for the various types of foods in Ireland were all higher than the EU27 average in 2024. 'Prices for breads and cereals were 17% higher than the EU27 average, while milk, cheese and eggs were 11% higher; fruits, vegetables and potatoes were 9% higher; oils and fats were 6% higher; and fish prices were 5% higher. 'For tobacco, Ireland was the most expensive of the 36 countries surveyed in 2024, with prices 159% higher than the EU27 average. Tobacco prices were lowest in Turkey with prices 74% below the average for the EU27.'