The autumn season is often a busy time of year from an employee relations and employment law perspective, and we expect 2023 to be no different. In this podcast, Linda Reid, Senior Employer Relations Executive and Briana Duffy, Employer Relations Executive, provide listeners with an update on any legislative developments we expect to see over the Autumn period along with other HR updates or watchpoints for employers to be aware of. Learn more about upcoming Ibec webinars mentioned in this episode of KC Connect here.Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The European single market represents a vital component of Ireland's economy. Over the past thirty years Ireland has been able to take advantage of the free flow of goods, services, capital, and people, which has led to significant growth in the country's trade and investment. The single market has provided Irish businesses with access to a market of over 500 million consumers, allowing them to expand their customer base and increase revenue. For this episode of Ibec Responds join Pat Ivory from Ibec’s EU & International Affairs team and Deirdre Clune, Member of the European Parliament, for an overview of this powerful economic force and learn what the next 30 years of the EU Single Market will look like.  Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Ireland has a long and tradition of storytelling, from captivating mythology to heartfelt recounting of daily life to tales that impart lessons or foster a sense of community or historical understanding. These fascinating stories pique interest, broaden horizons, and encourage us to learn about and experience the world outside our own. They told in poems and homes, through ballads or fairy and folk tales.   We explore how the tradition of storytelling can serve as a tool for understanding and empathy, allowing us to better accept cultural differences, comprehend life experiences, and exchange knowledge. The origin of this tradition is oral storytelling, which is dependent on active listening, a skill that must be maintained in order to preserve the tradition. Learning from this, we consider how the skills from this tradition can support diversity in our communities and workplaces. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was signed into law in April of this year and introduces various new entitlements for employees.In this podcast, Linda Reid, Senior Employer Relations Executive and Nichola Harkin, Head of Employment Law Services, provide listeners with a practical view of the new rules relating to breastfeeding breaks and leave for medical care purposes. They also update listeners on when we might expect to see the remaining entitlements including the right to request remote and flexible working and domestic violence leave coming into force.Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

For businesses, climate action is no longer simply a question of environmental compliance and corporate responsibility. Today it is a matter of business value and competitiveness. Businesses that do not address their climate impacts will increasingly get left behind by consumers, investors, and talent. Most businesses recognise these imperatives but simply do not know where to start. The task is complicated by an overabundance of target setting frameworks, climate pledges, policies, and commercial offerings. In this episode of Ibec Responds we hear from Conor Minogue, Ibec Senior Executive for Infrastructure, Energy and Climate Policy, about the new 'Climate Action: A toolkit for business', developed by Ibec in collaboration with Accenture, and how it can help businesses develop a best-practice climate action strategy and avoid common pitfalls like greenwashing. We also talk to Nicholas Reynolds, Sustainability Manager with O’Brien Fine Foods and Caoimhe Donnelly, Chief Sustainability Officer with CIE, who share their experience developing climate action strategies, and setting emission reduction targets. The Toolkit can be accessed here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Internationally, Ireland’s education system has an enviable reputation due to high participation in higher education and the collaborative nature of the system in the development of a graduate talent stream.  Talented people, the availability of key skills, and the ability to connect easily with universities are real positive features of Ireland’s competitive offering.Ibec have been at the forefront in highlighting the national deficit created by underinvestment in this sector. The devastating impact has widened the gap between Irish universities and international counterparts, damaged our reputation to attract research and business investment and is silently eroding our competitive edge.In this episode of Ibec Voices, Claire McGee, Ibec Head of Education and Innovation Policy, is joined by Dr Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College Dublin. Dr Doyle provides a compelling insight into Trinity College Dublin’s relationship with society, business and learners as it continues to lead in research, education and international networks. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Finding and sustaining work is a challenge for many people with disabilities, and often conversations around disabilities come from a place of reasonable accommodation rather than capturing the talent and innovation that many people with disabilities bring to their work. People with disabilities make up 13.5% of the population in Ireland, yet only 36.5% (of people aged 15-64 with a disability) are at work. Ibec’s Founders campaign aims to establish an eco-system in which Irish entrepreneurial endeavours can thrive and prosper. In this episode of Ibec Voices, we look at entrepreneurship through the lens of disability, and consider the unique challenges individuals with a disability face when founding and sustaining a business. Sharon Higgins, Ibec Executive Director of Membership and Sectors, is joined by Professor Thomas Cooney, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Technological University Dublin, Claire Kennelly, Managing Director of Inclusive World Training, and Noel Joyce, lecturer at New York University Shanghai. They discuss the substantial contribution to entrepreneurship and innovation those with a disability have, and how being innovative involves understanding and accepting divergent perspectives. The episode highlights how diverse backgrounds and experiences can yield insights that can challenge the status quo and create real value.Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

2023 is the European Year of Skills, which aims to address skills shortages in the European Union and boost the EU skills strategy. In this episode of Ibec Responds we explore the importance of lifelong learning to business and how Ibec is driving this important initiative. Nikki Gallagher, Ibec Head of Public Affairs,  is joined by Claire McGee, Ibec Head of Education and Innovation Policy, and Meadhbh Costello, Ibec Social and Education Policy Executive, to discuss talent opportunities and what L&D investment bring to a business.  Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Better health and the subsequent increase in life expectancy has created a demographic where people are seeking to work longer.Following the publication of the Report of the Commission on Pensions and the Oireachtas Joint response, Government announced in September 2022 a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system in Ireland. On the 10 October 2022, Government approved the General Scheme of the Auto Enrolment Bill.While we await legislation in this area , this KC Connect episode looks at the continuing challenges in this area for employers.  Our Ibec experts Kevin Feighery and Aoife McFadden discuss challenges employers have in both fixing mandatory retirement ages and managing requests for longer working against the backdrop of imminent reform. Book your place at the Ibec Employment Law Conference 2023 here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Meat Industry Ireland, the Ibec sector association representing the primary beef, pork and lamb processing facilities located in the Republic of Ireland, launched the Irish Beef Sector Sustainability report in February. The report outlines the progress the industry has made to date in reducing GHG emissions and delineating the roadmap to further emissions reductions in line with government Climate Action Plan targets. In this episode of Ibec Responds, Síle Sweeney, Senior Executive at Meat Industry Ireland, is joined by Philip Tallon, Operations Manager at Dawn Meats and Margaret Berry, Head of Sustainability at Kepak, to discuss sustainability in the meat sector.  Read the Beef Sector Sustainability Report here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations, S.I. No. 686/2022 were signed into law on 16 December 2022. The Regulations amend existing legislation concerning contracts of employment and introduce new obligations in relation to probation and parallel employment. In this episode of KC Connect, Ibec solicitors Catriona McKeating and Pauline O’Hare will run through the terms that must now be included in contracts of employment, the pitfalls of exclusivity clauses and how to manage probation without falling foul of the Regulations. Book your place at the Ibec Employment Law Conference  here. Ibec members are encouraged to explore the Ibec guidance note on the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive and Ibec Contracts of Employment sample documents. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Our past few episodes of Ibec Voices placed a focus on a critical component of the Irish economy, the small business community. We visited the Small Firms Association Strategic Management Masterclass in Athlone to sit down with SFA National Small Business Awards Finalists and hear their stories. This two-day programme is offered as part of the prize package for Finalists.We were joined by a selection of owners, managers, and employees of small business from all sectors and from across Ireland. They told stories of tenacity, risk, and innovation, and across the series of interviews we get a real insight into the resilience and agility in the small business community. In our final episode we are joined by: ·       Barry Prost, Co-Founder, Rent a Recruiter·       Sinead Hayes, Director and Co-Owner, Nationwide Safety Training·       Phoebe Clarke, Financial Controller, Finnegan’s Farm·       Ronan Garvey, Chief Product Officer, ZEUS Scooters Explore the Small Firms Association National Small Business Awards here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Our next few episodes of Ibec Voices will place a focus on a critical component of the Irish economy, the small business community. We visited the Small Firms Association Strategic Management Masterclass in Athlone to sit down with SFA National Small Business Awards Finalists and hear their stories. This two day programme is offered as part of the prize package for Finalists. We were joined by a selection of owners, managers and employees of small business from all sectors and from across Ireland. They told stories of tenacity, risk and innovation, and across the series of interviews we get a real insight into the resilience and agility in the small business community.  In our second episode we are joined by: ·  Aine Kennedy, CEO and Founder of the Smooth Company·  Jenny Diamond, Founder and Director of Corporate Services, Nanny Payroll·  Jamie Flannery, Social Media and Marketing Manager, Dingle Sea Safari Explore the Small Firms Association National Small Business Awards here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

In this episode of KC Connect, Ibec experts Aisling McDevitt and Kevin Feighery discuss the transposition of the EU Directive on Transparent and Predictable Working conditions into Irish law as it relates to probationary periods, and the role of fair procedures in the context of the Industrial Relations Acts. The discussion will include the current position on the following legislation: The commencement of S.I. No. 686/2022 - European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022, which creates a maximum legal duration on probationary periods.  We also discuss the importance of fair procedures in probationary dismissals in the context of the Industrial Relations Acts, highlighting two key Labour Court recommendations in this regard.Book your place at the Ibec Employment Law Conference here .Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Our next few episodes of Ibec Voices will place a focus on a critical component of the Irish economy, the small business community. We visited the Small Firms Association Strategic Management Masterclass in Athlone to sit down with SFA National Small Business Awards Finalists and hear their stories. This two day programme is offered as part of the prize package for Finalists.We were joined by a selection of owners, managers and employees of small business from all sectors and from across Ireland. They told stories of tenacity, risk and innovation, and across the series of interviews we get a real insight into the resilience and agility in the small business community.  In this episode we are joined by: ·       Erica Hargadan, CEO, Babogue ·       Aisling Gaffney, Office and Packing Operations, Irish Socksciety·       Conor Mangan, Marketing Specialist, Woodco Renewable Energy·       Conor Morley, Managing Director, WWSExplore the Small Firms Association National Small Business Awards here.  Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

Ibec is marking the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement with a new campaign, For Peace + Prosperity. The campaign illustrates the pivotal role that business has played in perpetuating peace and prosperity on the island.In this episode of Ibec Responds,  Ibec CEO Danny McCoy is joined by two important architects and advocates of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement , former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Alastair Campbell, former Director of Communications for Prime Minister Tony Blair. Following Ibec’s For Peace + Prosperity event at the Mansion House, they discuss what was achieved from the Agreement, the lasting impact on the all-island economy and lessons for the future.Explore our For Peace + Prosperity campaign here. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

The Experience Economy is a diverse and substantial part of Irish life and plays an important role in Ireland’s international reputation as a place to live, work and visit.In this episode we will discuss the scale of Ireland's Experience Economy, Ibec’s ambitions for its growth, and recommendations to Government for further support. We are joined by Sharon Higgins, Ibec Executive Director of Membership and Sectors, and Pat McCann, Non-Executive Director of Glenveagh Properties and Former Dalata Hotel Group CEO. The pair also provide a retrospective on the activity of Ibec’s Experience Economy Committee during the pandemic, and advice to businesses on how to access supports available. Pat McCann started in 1969 with Ryan Hotel Group plc and later joined Jurys Hotel Group plc in 1989. He rose to the position of Chief Executive in 2000 and retired from Jurys Doyle in 2006. However, retirement did not slow Pat down, and he founded the Dalata Hotel Group in 2007, which went on to become the largest hotel group in Ireland. Besides his success in the hotel business, Pat has contributed significantly to various organisations. He served as President of Ibec from September 2019 to September 2020 and is a member of the Ibec Board. Despite retiring from Dalata at the end of 2021, Pat currently serves as Chair of the National Maternity Hospital and Glenveagh Properties plc and is involved with several private companies. Explore Ibec’s Experience Economy campaign here.Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

With global pandemics, climate change and military aggression against Ukraine, we see unprecedented generational challenges to our economy and well-being. A core element in responding to these challenges involves technological change, how we interact with that change and with each other.  In this episode of Ibec Voices we are joined by Jackie King, Executive Director of Ibec Global, and Ciaran Martin, Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford and founder of Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre.  Together they discuss how policy, business and technology leaders can work together to ensure a safe, secure, and trusted internet while keeping it open and free to address shared generational challenges to our economy and well-being. Professor Martin will also offer practical guidance on what business leaders can do to manage cyber risk in their organisations.  Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

An inadequate supply of affordable housing is the greatest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.In this episode of Ibec Responds we are joined by Ibec Executive Director of Lobbying and Influence Fergal O'Brien and Ibec Chief Economist and Head of National Policy Gerard Brady. They share their insights into the key findings of Ibec's new 'Better Housing, Better Business' report. The report advocates for sustainable solutions to Ireland's housing crisis.Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.

This year has seen a vast array of proposed new employment legislation, along with the requirement to transpose EU Directives into local legislation, with many employers waiting for clarity on dates of commencement of these Acts.  In this episode of KC Connect, Ibec experts Aoife McFadden and Linda Reid appraise employers of these pieces of legislation and outline what timeframes we can expect for them being enacted. Thank you for listening. To explore all of Ibec's podcast offering, visit here. Make sure to follow Ibec Podcasts to stay up to date with new episodes.