The Currency | Business & Finance Stories, Commentary & Investigations :The Currency

Stories

Swiss spyware case adds new layer to the Intellexa puzzle

The web of companies of the US-sanctioned spyware company routes back to Irish holding companies. One of its executives is now facing charges in Switzerland.

The futility of expertise: Lessons from Ireland’s fiscal oversight failure

The Fiscal Advisory Council's plight illustrates a broader malaise — the institutionalisation of good advice that governments have no intention of following. When politics rewards short-termism, expertise is reduced to decoration.

Peter Kinsella

16th Oct, 2025 - 5 min read

Stories

“Strategically important”: Why S&P upgraded ESB’s credit rating to A

Despite the inclusion of higher-risk offshore-wind joint ventures in the semi-state’s debt profile, promised support from a strong Exchequer makes ESB bonds a safer bet, according to Standard & Poor’s.

Thomas Hubert

15th Oct, 2025 - 4 min read

Stories

Medals, mindsets and metrics: Bernard Brogan on building a culture that performs

Multiple All-Star Bernard Brogan has taken the principles of elite sport into the business world. With Legacy Communications and the fast-growing tech firm PepTalk, he’s helping companies boost culture, performance—and purpose.

Ian Kehoe

15th Oct, 2025 - 6 min read

Stories

In the face of Trump sanctions threat, Ireland will back new climate shipping rules

Ireland will hold firm on backing the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework despite the threat of retaliation by the US against countries that vote in favour.

Jonathan Keane

15th Oct, 2025 - 3 min read

The Dublin office and the Israeli settlements: How Airbnb’s Dublin entity became a legal flashpoint

An Garda Síochána has conceded a judicial review challenge of its refusal to investigate a criminal complaint over the role of Airbnb Ireland in facilitating lettings in illegal settlements. What happens next could have far-reaching impacts on service providers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Niall Sargent

17th Oct, 2025 - 6 min read

West Cork Distillers wins legal case over plans for key storage warehouses

An Coimisiún Pleanála had refused planning permission for the maturation warehouses which the indigenous whiskey firm says are vital to expand its storage capacity as its business continues to grow.

Niall Sargent

15th Oct, 2025 - 3 min read

Belfry: A podcast series that investigates one of AIB’s darkest chapters

The Belfry funds were sold as a “no-brainer” investment, but it became one of Ireland’s biggest financial scandals. In a two-part podcast investigation, we trace the rise and fall of AIB’s ill-fated property funds.

Francesca Comyn

15th Oct, 2025 - 3 min read

Balancing two worlds: Brendan Murphy on what Budget 2026 means for business

Baker Tilly tax partner Brendan Murphy has long argued that Ireland’s entrepreneurs deserve the same attention as the multinationals that dominate the exchequer. In the aftermath of Budget 2026, he reflects on a package that reassures foreign investors but leaves many home-grown businesses feeling less loved.