Columns - Irish Examiner

John Whelan

An expert in Irish and international trade, John Whelan is a former Chief Executive of the Irish Exporters Association, a role he held for more than a decade and previously served as an export industry adviser to the AIB Bank Group.

John Whelan: Businesses search for a way forward after tariff cluster bomb

Some sectors will take a full hit. The IFA and EU farming organisations were first to sound the alarm

Fri, 04 Apr, 2025

John Whelan: EU should not use trade 'bazooka' in response to US tariffs

The French, Italians, and Spanish were equally worried about the Brussels-recommended 50% tax on American whiskey, which appears to have been leaked to the US officials

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025

Intel’s future uncertain as new CEO grapples with Trump’s policies

The Biden administration pumped billions of dollars in grants into Intel under the Chips act to try and support its chase to get back to its global position in the semi-conduct race

Sun, 16 Mar, 2025

Ireland faces a bigger threat from the US than just tariffs

Micheál Martin may need to pledge some material incentives to increase the size of Irish business investors in the US

Mon, 10 Mar, 2025

John Whelan: Dublin has highest density of AI engineers in Europe, but can Ireland capitalise?

Dublin stands out for its high density of AI talent, comprising 17% of all software engineers in the area, more than double the average for European cities, according to a survey

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Blue Capsules on Conveyor at Modern Pharmaceutical Factory. Tablet and Capsule Manufacturing Process. Close-up Shot of Medical D

John Whelan: Trump’s tariff damage to Ireland could be immense

As Ireland depends heavily on exports to Germany, Europe, and the US, the impact of tariffs is likely to be severe

Sun, 09 Feb, 2025

John Whelan: What direction is Europe's Competitive Compass pointing?

The new EU compass could support small companies to grow their market share across Europe, assisted by fewer regulatory burdens and access to a more expansive single finance market

Mon, 03 Feb, 2025

John Whelan: Ireland racks up €46bn surplus on US as tariffs loom

It's no secret that Donald Trump is disgruntled by the EU’s trade surplus and has Ireland in his sights when considering additional tariffs

Sun, 19 Jan, 2025

John Whelan: New EU commission will face push back as new regulations kick in

Increase in competition from China and the US give the incoming European Commission plentiful issues to combat

Sun, 12 Jan, 2025

John Whelan: 2025 is going to be a turbulent year for airlines

While results for the winter period are generally reported to have been buoyant and still to be published, Ryanair may still struggle to recoup earlier months’ lost operating profits, writes John Whelan

Sun, 05 Jan, 2025