Encouraging more small businesses to take the risk, jump on a plane, find a new customer, and build overseas sales is challenging at the best of times. But getting 2,000 to do this by the end of next year is challenging, to say the least.

Green Deal Industrial Plan aims to make it easier for sustainable EU companies to access tax breaks, redirect cash toward clean-tech industries, and relax state aid rules

"Increases may be seen as price gouging during the hard times of the last year and may linger long in the mind of buyers."

New standards being introduced next month are likely to further increase Chinese consumers’ trust in local brands

While the post-pandemic surge in Ireland’s economy was driven by exuberant export sales, both will struggle to be maintained, but there are still some reasons for cheer as we enter 2023.

Challenges faced by global giants such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, whose Irish operations posted sales of €316bn, may force Ireland to rethink its FDI strategy

Major shipping firms say the sanctions, without a cap below which Russian oil can be insured for shipping to non-EU countries, could paralyse global trade

Strikes at the British ports of Felixstowe, and a potential strike at Liverpool, are making life difficult for exporters and importers now planning their autumn shipping schedule

A weak euro is one of the pain points affecting the profit line of a large range of US corporations located here, reducing the bottom line of their dollar earnings

'We need to protect and support our non-EU foreign owned multinational sector, while at the same time increasing the flexibility to gain investment and support for the SME sector'