Open for business: how Irish companies are adapting during Covid-19

Ella McSweeney's new role is helping provide information and inspiration for small business owners getting back on their feet, writes Deanna O'Connor

Ella McSweeney: Small businesses are the backbone of our economy.

RTÉ is firmly focused on the public service element of public service broadcasting with the new series Open for Business, which comes to our screens each Tuesday at 7pm. Co-presenter Ella McSweeney describes it as “a mix of information and inspiration” to support small business owners getting back on their feet.

“It’s been such a strange time, and to have a programme which is very much heavy on information is reflective of the need there is for people out there to understand what are the grants available, where is the public money going, how can you get it, what can you use it for.” Best known to viewers from reporting on agricultural and environmental affairs at Ear to the Ground, McSweeney presents from the studio in Dublin with business journalist Richard Curran. The show is a mix of case studies from real businesses around the country, expert advice and studio interviews with top CEOs.