If we are going to provide the social care services that people desire — and in many cases, deserve — we are going to have to ensure that there is in place a large cadre of wealth creators.

Sports Minister Shane Ross has welcomed the appointment of three new independent directors of the Football Association of Ireland - but warned that the development does not mean the immediate restoration of government funding to the crisis-hit sporting body.

"If there's a role I can be used in, in a capacity that somehow bring trusts and capability from all of the stakeholders... I would gladly do it."

Confidence is an intangible, but powerful, agent in the economy.

It is tempting to be negative about the number of destinations served by Cork Airport due to its focus on short-haul routes, but a deeper analysis shows that in fact a more complex but positive scenario exists.

Goodbody Stockbrokers is set to be sold to Bank of China in a deal understood to be worth around €150m, after a lengthy sales process.

The President of Microsoft Brad Smith was critical of broadband availability in Ireland while speaking at a conference last week.

The Cork architect Kevin Smyth has proposed a radical tree-planting programme for the main streets of his city.

Tax is a tricky subject. At one level I get the concept that paying general tax helps our elected politicians to finance the services that most agree are key to civil society.

The fate and fortune of small towns and villages in Ireland will be a defining feature of our country’s future.

Amid the febrile atmosphere that is enveloping all those associated with Brexit one question sticks in my mind.

Differing investment styles have come to the fore amid another tough period for global financial markets.

Domino's Pizza has reiterated plans to grow further in Ireland after seeing Irish-based sales grow by 8.5% in the first half of the year.

The Irish Stock Exchange has been on an interesting journey during 2019, writes Joe Gill.

What do the French and American governments, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Tesla’s Elon Musk and Virgin’s Richard Branson have in common?

The recent Irish Open in Lahinch was a powerful reminder that a community working with both private and public institutions can deliver a world class success.

'FIRE' is a term I came across in recent weeks reading some research on wealth management services in the US.

Politics in the UK has taken on the attributes of an elongated version of Fawlty Towers.

Last week two Irishmen, who are leaders in the world of aviation, made decisions that will have profound consequences for air travel worldwide.

My wife and I spent some time in France last week, and specifically in the coastal town of La Rochelle.

The term “out of sight, out of mind” struck me last week when watching the debate about President Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland. Some people were in a lather about the lack of protests, especially at Doonbeg, the Co Clare village near Mr Trump’s golf resort.

Last week I attended an evening for a group of Munster-based companies that met to debate funding options for their future growth.

The rejuvenation of rural Ireland at a time of unprecedented change in social and economic life is a great challenge for citizens and policymakers alike, writes Joe Gill.

The chief executive of aircraft leasing company Avolon, Domhnal Slattery has resourced and produced a key report on entrepreneurship in Ireland.

The 2018 financial reporting season has now passed and most companies on the Irish Stock Exchange have delivered results that were largely in line with expectations.

The food industry got a significant wake-up call last week and one that needs to be absorbed by anyone invested in its future.

Aviation has an often overlooked importance for the Irish economy.

Many years ago my 10-year old nieces and nephews employed a code comprised of three words to describe something none of us cared for.

Over the past weekend, it was interesting to observe the contrast between one nation engaged in a progressive and positive interaction with the international community and another travelling in the opposite direction, writes Joe Gill.

It is 30 years since I began work in Dublin, having started my career in Cork. At that time, I would have been cynical about those who griped about how the capital was over-indexing on investment and political attention, at the expense of regions, including Munster.

One of the benefits of surging foreign direct investment (FDI) and recovering domestic enterprise is the creation of new jobs.

On a visit to Ethiopia last week, the Taoiseach chose to visit one of the most impoverished areas of the world and witness, first hand, profound poverty.

Instead of hiding under the covers every time someone outlines threats to the future, we should take inspiration from how our forefathers addressed the challenges of the past, writes Joe Gill

Finding ways to encourage, incentivise and promote employment among older people are policies worth debating and pursuing in Ireland, writes Joe Gill.

The chaos that defines the UK’s Brexit process brings into sharp relief the relative stability on offer to investors and employers in Ireland.

Facebook’s decision to expand in the heart of Dublin 4 and create room for an additional 5,000 employees is a powerful endorsement of Ireland’s foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy and planning, writes Joe Gill.

I would strongly argue that Cork is the best location for a global food conference, says Joe Gill.

Thankfully, the Environmental Protection Agency has the independence and mandate to point out to us all the many uncomfortable facts about the state of the country.

Rising bond yields in the US may not have many tangible effects on Irish consumers and business currently, but they are a salutary reminder that the price of debt can, and probably will, change.

A storm of hurricane proportions is churning towards the European airline industry and the consequential damage should not be underestimated.

Last weekend’s Ryder Cup golf tournament was a notable example of the good that can transpire from a Europe that acts as a team and which is unified, writes Joe Gill.

In 1976, the average supermarket stocked 9,000 unique products; today, that number has ballooned to 40,000, yet the average person gets 80%-85% of their needs in only 150 different supermarket items.

Dublin Airport Authority and its masters must fast-track the airport and facility expansion process, writes Joe Gill

Central Bank governor Philip Lane has proposed that the Government back a revamped Special Savings Incentive Account (SSIA) scheme, more than 17 years after former finance minister Charlie McCreevy presided over a widely criticised €16bn scheme to encourage savers to set aside money on a regular basis.