AGP Executive Report

Budget 2027 & Cost of Living: Ireland’s Budget 2027 talks are sharpening around childcare and energy supports, with a major childcare package for under-6s expected to cut fees by up to €1,000 a year, while excise claims on rural pub closures are challenged as outdated. Education & Industrial Relations: Teachers begin work-to-rule action amid pay talks breakdown, with school supervision and after-hours meetings affected and a full strike planned for 14 October. Business & Jobs: Start-up formations hit a record high in 2026 so far, with strong growth in IT, motor, construction and manufacturing; Stripe is also set to add 200 jobs in Dublin. Energy & Environment: Mining-waste storage facilities in Ireland are criticised as using “first World War” era technology; energy and food price pressures remain in focus. Agriculture & Policy: EU leaders press to protect farm funding in the next budget, while drought impacts and animal health issues continue to surface. Industry & Trade: Kerry Group opens a new coffee facility in Pennsylvania, expanding its US manufacturing footprint. Governance & Compliance: A loophole in puppy-selling licensing is alleged to let large-scale breeders pose as small operators.

Budget 2027 Watch: Ministers are weighing a €300 one-off Fuel Allowance payment for 465,000+ households, alongside a €10 State Pension rise and €7 Living Alone increase, with carbon tax relief on home-heating oil also in the mix as energy costs bite. Farm Support & CAP Politics: The “forgotten farmers” scheme has paid €2.225m to 445 long-established young farmers, while 17 EU leaders are urging Ireland’s EU presidency to protect CAP and Cohesion funding from cuts. Agri Infrastructure & Heritage: 80 traditional farm buildings were restored for renewed agricultural use under the Heritage Council grant scheme, backing climate resilience through reuse. Industry & Business: Ei Electronics has signed a five-year Munster Rugby sponsorship, and Costa’s UK & Ireland coffee arm has returned to profit after revamps and menu expansion. Local Economy: Leixlip businesses report repeated water outages forcing stockpiling and closures, hitting trade. Tech & Finance: Reuters reports Revolut’s $115bn valuation as it pushes toward becoming a global bank, while smart glasses face growing privacy pushback in Europe.

Food Safety & Recalls: Wakefern recalls Wholesome Pantry organic unsweetened applesauce after FDA testing found elevated patulin, a mold-related toxin; no illnesses reported, with affected 23oz jars identified by UPC/item code and a best-by date of June 16, 2027. Agri Careers & Supply Chains: McDonald’s opens applications for its 2027-28 Progressive Young Farmers programme, placing 10 trainees across UK and Ireland for a 12-month paid route through farming, processing and restaurant supply. Budget 2027 Energy Relief: Taoiseach Micheál Martin signals carbon tax increases on home heating oil/kerosene will be halted for the rest of the Government’s term, alongside a Christmas bonus for welfare recipients and pensioners, as talks continue ahead of Tuesday’s budget. Farm Emissions Metrics: The IFA says an alternative methane measurement approach is being reviewed, which could change how farm emissions are reported and how agriculture’s climate impact is framed. Food & Drink Awards: Blas na hÉireann names Arán Bakery & Bistro in Kilkenny its 2026 supreme champion, with spelt sourdough taking the top prize. Cyber & Business Continuity: New analysis highlights how cyber incidents can halt operations and shows many leaders lack confidence in handling major breaches. Irish Industry Recognition: VOYA wins Spa Skincare Brand of the Year at the Destination Deluxe Awards, reinforcing Ireland-based luxury skincare growth.

GAA Leadership: Éamonn Fitzmaurice has been appointed Galway senior football manager for the next three years, saying the timing of Paul Bellew’s call and the quality of the squad pulled him back into inter-county management. Streaming & Media: JustWatch TV launches in Spain (with Ireland among initial markets), letting users watch directly inside the JustWatch apps via free ad-supported content, rentals, or an ad-free subscription. EU Budget Talks: Cyprus EU presidency chief Christodoulides signs a joint letter urging the EU to protect cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy in the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. Agriculture & Animal Health: DAFM warns Ireland is entering a higher-risk period for avian influenza and urges strict biosecurity; separately, Shamonda virus is confirmed on two Cork dairy farms but the minister says there are no trade or movement ramifications. Energy & Climate Funding: Meath’s Boyne Rivers Trust seeks an agricultural community animator for Farming for Water; Carlow community groups win €423,696 for climate and energy projects. Housing & Construction: A new 19-home A-rated development is set to launch in Roscommon Town, targeting energy-efficient buyers close to amenities. Food & Drink Industry: William Grant & Sons reports a 13% fall in 2025 profit before tax amid weak demand and trade pressures. Local Business & Leisure: Plans are submitted for a new Lane 7 leisure centre in Cork city centre (bowling, pool, darts, arcade and karaoke), creating 25 jobs.

Diesel shock hits UK pump prices: The RAC reports average UK diesel has crossed £2 a litre for the first time, adding fresh pressure on haulage, delivery firms and Irish-linked supply chains as motorists face record fill-up costs. G7 reserve release: G7 leaders agreed to release 100m barrels of diesel and crude from strategic stocks over four months, with a substantial diesel drawdown front-loaded in the first 20 days—aimed at easing the fuel squeeze. EU rejects US diesel export threat: Brussels said it fully rejects any US ban on diesel exports, while pushing for coordinated action via the IEA rather than unilateral restrictions. Irish agriculture health alert: Shamonda virus has been confirmed on two Cork dairy farms, with officials stressing no movement/trade restrictions yet and advising farmers to contact vets, especially for pregnant animals. Education disruption: The Teachers’ Union of Ireland voted overwhelmingly for industrial action from Monday Oct 12, with strike days planned for Oct 14 and Oct 21 if needed. Defence procurement: Thales says Ireland’s new Ground Master radar order will help build a “first fully recognised air picture,” targeting a key capability gap. Local food win: Arán Bakery & Bistro in Kilkenny takes Supreme Champion again at Blas na hÉireann, underlining strength in Irish artisan production.

Budget 2027 Fight: People Before Profit is pushing a “millionaires’ tax” on net wealth above €3m, lifting corporation tax to 20%, and funding a €500 household energy credit via a data-centre levy, alongside a €1.75 fuel price cap and higher welfare. Legal Tech Deal: Cork’s Bundledocs has been acquired by Opus 2, expanding its AI-ready dispute and document workflow platform for law firms. Ports & Trade: Limerick, Shannon and Tralee Chambers are urging major investment in Shannon Foynes and the Shannon Estuary, linking the port to offshore renewables, logistics and grid upgrades. Energy Diplomacy: The EU has rejected US threats of a diesel export ban, as Washington presses France and Germany to release emergency reserves; Macron calls for coordinated G7 action. Rail Contract: Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group wins a €140m+ Iarnród Éireann deal to operate and maintain specialist on-track machines. Regional Growth: Film producers in the Mid-West want the return of a regional production incentive to build crews beyond Dublin. Start-up Spotlight: Enterprise Ireland names Monksland’s Dunbar Pharma founder Leah Fletcher as a finalist for the HPSU Founder of the Year awards. Transport & Jobs: Comtrade 360 is setting up a Galway delivery centre with plans to hire 30.

Hospitality Stabilisation: PwC Ireland reports hospitality insolvencies down 23% year-on-year in the first nine months, with 86 failures to end-September, crediting the Budget 2026 VAT cut for restaurants and catering. Tech Jobs in Dublin: Stripe says it will create 200 more roles at its Dublin HQ, bringing staff to 1,000+ across Ireland, with IDA support. Inflation Watch: Bank of Ireland forecasts CPI inflation peaking near 4% this year, while pointing to an AI/data-centre investment cycle lifting GDP outlooks. Farm Support Push: The IFA is urging a meeting with Boortmalt to remove a €10/t parity charge, warning malting barley profitability is undermining grower confidence. Sheep Scheme Pressure: IFA sheep chair seeks Budget action to raise direct payments to €23/ewe (plus hill support) and protect Sheep Welfare Scheme funding from cuts. Public Dental Dispute: HSE dentists back industrial action for the first time, with a strike planned for 14 October amid restructuring and pay negotiations. Life Sciences Investment: TheraDep opens a BioDep Innovation and Surface Coatings Centre of Excellence in Youghal, adding R&D and cleanroom manufacturing capacity. Energy Costs & Data Centres: Commentary highlights how energy prices are squeezing Irish industry and households, while data-centre subsidies remain politically contentious.

Energy & Policy Pressure: The US has warned France and Germany they could face a diesel export ban unless they draw down emergency stockpiles, with an EU call also involving Ireland as fuel prices hit records. Alternative Budgets: Sinn Féin unveiled a 13.4bn euro alternative budget focused on living costs, including no carbon tax increases, petrol/diesel cuts and energy credits, while also reiterating plans to abolish USC on the first 40,000 euro. District Heating Funding: The Government backed district heating with €5m for Drogheda and Dundalk pre-construction work, as Ireland looks to cut reliance on imported fossil fuels. Solar Push: Bord Gáis Energy launched a 0% finance deal for rooftop solar, letting homeowners borrow €4,000–€10,500 over two to four years with a €99 deposit. Consumer & Transport Enforcement: CCPC prosecutions led to convictions of Dublin car dealers for misleading buyers about crash history. Agriculture Practicalities: Teagasc says one in three drystock farmers haven’t spread lime in five years, urging soil tests and liming plans. Industry & Finance Moves: Probitas rebranded to Aviva Syndicates, and Malone Life and Pensions announced expansion beyond the EU into Australia and Hong Kong. Irish Music Industry: Ireland Music Week launched the Trevor Dietz Management Bursary, with Erin Barker named the first recipient.

Irish Manufacturing: AIB’s PMI shows Irish factory output rising “rapidly” in September to the highest level since March 2022, with output, new orders and export orders all strengthening, alongside solid job creation—though costs jumped sharply. Agri-Food & Dairy: Dairy markets look steady week-on-week, with only skim milk powder edging up; meanwhile Irish grass-fed value is in focus as Kerrygold’s global pull underlines how brands can lift returns for suppliers. Antibiotics & Beef Trade: IFA is calling for the EU to ban Argentinian beef after research flagged gaps in antibiotic stewardship and unrecorded residues, with imports still rising. Farm Policy: Farmers can register to use a one-week slurry spreading extension (deadline moved to 7 Oct), but must meet nitrates registration and buffer-zone rules. Data Centres & Jobs: Indeed research says nearly 5% of Irish job postings now mention data centres, pointing to a hiring surge tied to power and build-out decisions. Public Sector Pressure: More than 100,000 public workers begin work-to-rule industrial action, with nurses and midwives limiting non-clinical activity. Machinery for Farms: Massey Ferguson launches the 7S Mark 2 six-cylinder range (170–245hp) with updated cab and Datatronic 6 terminal.

Public Sector Pay: Around 100,000 public service workers in the Republic begin work-to-rule today after pay talks stalled, with Fórsa pointing to cost-of-living pressure and expired agreements. Data Centres & Energy: Plans have been submitted for a £16.5bn “net-zero technology campus” data centre at the former Chapelcross nuclear site near Annan, but critics warn it could strain Scotland’s grid and breach emissions limits. EU Funding Delivery: The Comptroller and Auditor General says repeated failures to draw down EU Just Transition Fund money are leaving Ireland behind schedule, risking decommitment unless further funding is claimed fast. Seafood Innovation: BIM appoints Damien Toner to lead development and innovation services, backing aquatech growth and international expansion. Organic Sector: Cork will host the European Organic Congress 2026 (6-8 October), focusing on organics as a resilience and policy priority. Agri-Tech: MTU’s MastiTrak team wins Young Innovators of the Year for early mastitis detection using real-time temperature monitoring. Jobs & Skills: ATU Mayo runs an open day and “jobs of the future” apprenticeships expo on 7 October. Irish Economy Snapshot: CSO data puts unemployment at 5% in September, unchanged from August.

EU Energy Shock: EU energy ministers in Dublin heard that Europe is facing “very high” energy prices this winter, with the bloc having paid over €100bn extra for fossil fuel imports since the Iran conflict without getting more supply, as Dan Jørgensen warned of continued volatility and pushed electrification and grid links. Energy Policy & Regulation: The same meeting also flagged a proposed one-year delay to methane rules for fuel imports, while the EU considers further steps to manage energy costs and market pressure. Irish Business Stress: Deloitte Ireland reports 632 insolvencies in the first nine months of 2026, up year-on-year, with retail and IT hit hardest—an early signal of strain across consumer-facing and tech services. Solar & Governance: Activ8 Solar Energies appoints Barry Gavin as independent non-executive chair, adding sustainable finance and clean energy infrastructure expertise to its board. Data Centres Clash in Kildare: Naas locals vow to fight Microsoft’s planned data centre after Kildare County Council rejected a zoning change, citing electricity and water impacts. Agri-Food Costs: Dairygold set 2026 harvest grain prices, including feed barley at €218/t (with bonus) and feed wheat at €228/t, as farmers weigh returns amid cost pressures. Deforestation Rules Loom: Ireland’s plan to transpose the EU Deforestation Regulation would bring fines up to €10m and new criminal offences for non-compliance, raising compliance pressure for food and landowners.

Energy Security: EU energy ministers in Dublin warned that the Iran war has already cost consumers more than €100bn in extra energy imports, with diesel supply risks heading into winter and calls to accelerate the shift to electricity and grid expansion. Carbon Policy: Tánaiste Simon Harris said scrapping Ireland’s carbon tax would mean “billions” paid to Brussels, while energy minister Darragh O’Brien defended carbon-tax-funded home retrofits and said Budget 2027 decisions are still being worked through. EU Regulation: Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said the EU is considering delaying the methane rules for fuel imports, without weakening the requirements. Insurance Costs: The Central Bank will cut the crash-era Insurance Compensation Fund levy on non-life policies to 0% from January, with an estimated average saving of about €6.50 on motor premiums. Renewables Investment: Octopus Energy Generation invested in 43MW of operational Irish solar, pushing its Irish portfolio beyond 300MW. Agriculture & Food: CSO data shows Ireland’s cattle numbers rose 2.4% year-on-year to 7.07m, with dairy cows up 2.0%. Transport: Mullingar councillors want the bus route extended to more residential areas, including the Delvin Road. Business Productivity: CSO figures show labour productivity is far higher in multinational-dominated sectors than in the domestic economy.

Life Sciences & Pharma: SCIEX says it has expanded BioPhase 8800 capillary electrophoresis capabilities, adding software controls, automation connectivity and new support for oligonucleotide therapeutics—aimed at speeding lab decisions. EU Agriculture: EU agriculture ministers advanced post-2027 CAP talks, pushing for stability for farmers while responding to drought pressures and administrative simplification. Climate Resilience: Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council warns flood relief delivery is too slow, with 30 of 54 major schemes still at preliminary design after years of delays. Energy Affordability: Environment Minister Darragh O’Brien seeks Cabinet approval for an enhanced boiler scrappage scheme, including €2,000 grants for oil/kerosene boilers and bigger support via SEAI. Budget Watch: ESRI warns Budget 2027 could breach spending limits and flags the “fragility” of Ireland’s tax base as reliance on multinational corporation tax continues. AI & Society: The Catholic Church in Ireland will host an AI seminar in Maynooth, following a Vatican call to keep AI “human-friendly” and tightly regulated. Data Centres: EU data-centre efficiency labelling plans get cautious industry support, but operators want a fair system that won’t undermine competitiveness. Sanctions Risk for Industry: An Irish alumina plant supplying Russia could face EU penalties, with jobs and industrial impact at the centre of the debate.

Living Wage Push: Ireland’s Living Wage Technical Group says the living wage should rise to €16 an hour, up from €15.40, citing higher energy and rent costs plus the new “My Future Fund” pension impact. Education Industrial Action: The TUI has voted overwhelmingly (over 98%) for industrial action, including strike action, over a missed 1% salary increase tied to Senior Cycle redevelopment pay and grading measures. Healthcare Pay Dispute: INMO nursing and midwifery managers are staging lunchtime protests at Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar, with work-to-rule starting alongside actions at multiple hospitals nationwide. EU Defence & Industry: EU defence ministers backed five pan-European defence projects eligible for €325m EDIP funding, with Ireland’s Helen McEntee highlighting drones, maritime defence, space and air/missile protection. Data Centres & Fraud: Research from Sumsub says European financial firms still rely on fragmented systems, with UK and Ireland leading integration but fraud often caught late. Energy & Renewables: Elgin completed the €200m Blackhall 200MW solar acquisition in Co Meath, boosting late-stage pipeline for future RES auctions. Local Transport: Carlow councils approved a 30kph urban speed limit across town centres and housing estates, with implementation required by March 2027.

Data Centres & Energy Policy: The Irish District Energy Association says new EU rules will force large data centres to reuse waste heat, potentially boosting district heating and cutting pressure as data centres already take a big share of Irish electricity. Business Costs: Azets’ Business Barometer finds nearly half of Irish firms have deferred investment amid higher energy costs and uncertainty, with many also pausing hiring and expecting to pass costs on. Construction & Healthcare: Work has started on a €5m Aintree Hospital dialysis centre in partnership with Fresenius, adding capacity and training facilities ahead of a 2027 rollout. Agriculture & Food Security: Irish farmers’ groups warn the CAP could be weakened by plans for a single national payment fund, urging MEPs to push back. Irish Society & Culture: A film backed by Liam Neeson brings the Tuam children investigation to cinemas, while a community circus programme in Tipperary and Galway is giving Traveller kids aerial training and performance opportunities.

Energy Policy: Spain’s Congress will debate a push for a temporary EU “solidarity” tax on energy firms’ extraordinary profits, as governments argue over who should shoulder the next energy-crisis bill. Home Energy & Housing: Ireland’s Solar PV grant is set to expand, with eligibility widening to newer builds (up to those occupied before 2025), as the Government targets cleaner power uptake amid affordability pressure. Agriculture & Food: Limerick researchers call to extend the sugar tax beyond drinks to sweets and chocolate, warning that cheap, high-calorie biscuits are fuelling obesogenic habits. Climate & Water: A study says Ireland’s record July drought impact was amplified by climate-driven higher evaporative demand, making extreme dryness far more likely. Energy Infrastructure: A €12.5m upgrade at the Killybegs water treatment plant is completed, boosting resilience for local homes and supporting the fishing port’s businesses. Digital & Power Demand: New reporting highlights how AI-driven data centres are reshaping electricity demand, with major growth projected in the US. Data Centres & Cooling: Singapore has introduced a national standard for liquid cooling in tropical data centres, aiming to improve energy and water efficiency as heat strains air-cooling. Public Transport/Planning: Government is considering extending petrol and diesel excise duty cuts into early spring to reduce the risk of renewed fuel protests. Legal & Business: A Scramogue man is set to begin practice at the Bar of Ireland, after completing devilling in land law and commercial landlord-tenant work.