Food service shortages, gala venues and a grim outlook for the UK

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has accused the Government of not doing enough to address the chronic skills shortage facing the hospitality sector. And, ahead of its annual conference in Killarney on Monday, industry chief Adrian Cummins talks to Mark Paul about measures it wants ot see introduced.

Staying with the hospitality sector, conference organisers are looking for unusual venues for gala dinners for delegates, writes Mark, and the OPW is looking at what State buildings might be made available.

Brexit is never far away from the headlines and Chris Johns argues that, even if it somehow stumbles through that hurdle, Britain faces a permanent cycle of negotiations with an EU that is much savvier than London on the issue, citing the experience of Switzerland

A new study by the pharmaceuticals industry finds that Ireland is, with France, the slowest of the wealthy western European states to approve payment for new medicines, and chooses not to do so for more than half of the drugs studied..

Construction growth tapers slightly in March but is still strong

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Uncertainty pushes North’s private sector into decline

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Glenveagh founders enjoy €23.7m in pay and stock

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Johnny Ronan’s Tara Street tower approval divides opinion

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Onto better news and anIrish food start-up that makes pre-prepared meals with a focus on health is targeting sales of €1m this year, writes Peter Hamilton. Its one worry? Being tripped up by Brexit.

In her column on the world of work, Pilita Clark argues for a more equal approach on parental leave to cater for younger men's desire to spend more time with their children and as a way of counteracting the widen gender pay gap.

You can also meet the final three contenders in our Business Person of the Year awards as well as the four short-listed companies vying to be named Ireland's Small Enterprise of the Year

Finally, approval for Johnny Ronan's 22-storey office blockon the corner of Tara Street and St George's Quay has divided opinion. Chambers Ireland said the thumbs up for what will be the tallest building in Ireland was a "common sense decision for Dublin". An Taisce has decried it as a "catastrophic error which undoes decades of planning control".

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