Business

A Wicklow-based mother of two children with autism, Lisa Domican, has developed a new iPhone app that she hopes will help children with autism better build their communications skills. The app, which has already been successfully trialled in the Saplings School in Rathfarnham for children with autism, is called “Grace” (named after Lisa’s daughter) and is based on the principle of picture exchange communication. It was developed by Lisa in conjunction with software developer Steve Troughton-Smith, and with the support of Telefonica O2 Ireland . “As the mother of two children with autism, I know it works, I’ve seen the positive impact it has had on my own children, and therefore I can…

Mobile network Three said this morning that it has entered into an agreement with Telefonica to buy its O2 business in Ireland for €780m. An additional €70m will be paid if agreed financial targets are achieved.Three said the acquisition of O2 will take its market share to 37.5pc and bring subscriber numbers to 2 million active users. The two two companies had combined revenues of €803m in 2012, €174m of which was Three’s. “Three is very pleased to have agreed to acquire O2 Ireland, a business whose strengths complement ours very well,” said Three CEO Robert Finnegan. “Since market entry in 2005, Three Ireland has grown organically through innovation, competitive…

The development of a new hotel and residential complex in the Grand Canal Dock will create 200 construction jobs over the next year and result in 100 hospitality jobs when it opens in February 2013. By completion, more than €120m will be invested in The Marker, which will include 187 guest rooms over six floors, as well as 84 two-bedroom residential apartments, which will be available to rent or buy and will have full access to the hotel’s amenities. The hotel will be operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts and will be a Leading Hotels of the World member. According to its owners, it’s being designed to appeal to both…

The key differentiator between ‘Lean’ processes in Japan and Europe is that in Japan there is less focus on hard automation and more on the development of people, according to Dr. Richard Keegan, a fellow of the Institute of Engineers and manager of the competitiveness department at Enterprise Ireland. Keegan had first exposed to the concept around 16 years ago in his capacity as the European advisor to the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Co-operation when he went to a Toyota plant. “Being an engineer and having the opportunity to see the Lean best practice in real life was an eye-opener. The first thing I noticed was all the flashing lights…

Following revelations that Quinn Insurance lost more than €700m in the year prior to it being placed into administration, former head of the insurer Sean Quinn is still insisting the blame lies with the accountants currently in charge. Quinn has claimed that the business had €1.1bn in liquid assets and €464m in property when Michael McAteer and Paul McCann were appointed as administrators.

Seán Quinn Jnr was released from prison today and a High Court hearing of contempt proceedings against his father Séan Quinn Snr was adjourned for two weeks. Justice Elizabeth Dunne said it was not a matter for the court to decide on Quinn Jnr’s release time – it was up to the prison authorities. He was released from Mountjoy shortly after the hearing, having served three months. Meanwhile, a new legal team asked the court for more time to prepare a defence for Seán Quinn Snr. Lawyers for IBRC told the court there had still been no meaningful co-operation from him to comply with court orders to reverse the asset-stripping of Quinn companies. Karina…

Permanent TSB has agreed to buy the deposit business of Northern Rock Ireland, the company announced today. The retail banking arm of Irish Life & Permanent is to buy €650m of deposits from Northern Rock’s Irish business which currently has 17,000 customers. This is the second major acquisition of deposits by Permanent TSB bank in the past six months. The bank successfully acquired €3.6bn in deposits from Irish Nationwide Building Society in February. “This is a very significant transaction for Permanent TSB bank and is an important strategic step for the bank as deposits are critical for all Irish banks going forward,” David Guinane, chief executive of Permanent TSB said today.…

The Mount Wolseley exits examinership; 175 jobs securedIan Lawlor, examiner to The Mount Wolseley Over 170 jobs have been safeguarded at The Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow further to an investment package worth €7.5m being made by Brehon Capital as the hotel successfully exits examinership. This is the first successful provincial hotel examinership in the country, showing hotels can successfully restructure their operations within a three-month time frame under the protection of the court, according to examiner Ian Lawlor, the managing partner at JPA Brenson Lawlor accountants. He said that this is an “extremely valuable alternative” to a receivership process that can often take some years to conclude and probably…

€35m investment for Irish dairy sector innovation The Irish Government has announced a new €35m investment in two innovation initiatives for the Irish dairy sector. The two projects are an Enterprise Ireland-funded €25m Dairy Processing Technology Centre (DPTC), hosted by the University of Limerick. The second is a €10m investment by Teagasc and dairy industry shareholders in the expansion of the Moorepark Technology Ltd (MTL) pilot plant facility in Fermoy, Co Cork. The investment by the Irish Government and the Irish industry is designed to position Ireland as a world leader in dairy innovation. It will also greatly help to maximise the long term growth opportunities created by anticipated increase…

Bord Bia , in partnership with Google Ireland, has today launched the Digital Food Hub, a new training programme aimed at helping Irish food businesses to maximize their online presence and sales. Following an application process, 21 Irish food companies have been selected to participate in the inaugural seven month programme, which will include workshops, training modules and one-to-one mentoring delivered by Google digital experts at its European headquarters in Dublin. The companies, representing dairy, meat, confectionary and chilled food sectors, range from large multinational players such as Kerry Foods and Cuisine de France to new businesses like The Little Milk Company and Elivar.According to Bord Bia’s Tomorrow’s Shopper 94pc of shoppers…