SMEs wary on future, air travel rebounds, and stigma of career breaks for women

Sentiment among Irish SMEs dropped sharply in the first quarter as war in Ukraine and surging inflation made firms more wary about their future prospects. Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports.

With rampant inflation and soaring energy costs, the Government should focus its support on the most vulnerable via the welfare system, including broadening the fuel allowance to a wider group of beneficiaries, like low-paid workers, writes John FitzGerald in his weekly column.

Aer Lingus and Ryanair were among the airlines recently to predict a strong rebound in air travel this summer. But is this a real recovery or a false dawn? Barry O'Halloran reports in our weekly Agenda feature.

Financial advisers believe the Government will fail to meet its latest deadline to introduce an auto-enrolment pensions scheme for workers who do not have any private retirement income cover. Dominic Coyle has the details.

Holidaymakers are driving aviation's recovery. But is it a false dawn?

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SME optimism drops in face of Ukraine war and higher inflation

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Financial advisers believe deadline for auto-enrolment pensions plan will not be met

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How we can protect the vulnerable in inflationary times

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New research from LinkedIn suggests there is still a stigma attached to women taking a career break, with a fifth saying their professional progression was hindered by taking time out. Olive Keogh examines the study's findings.

In his Caveat column, Mark Paul outlines how Irish drinks group C&C needs to restore Magners' sparkle in the British market.

Barry Connolly has been chosen as The Irish Times Business Person of the Month for April, an award run in association with Bank of Ireland. Connolly is the majority owner of the Fulfil protein-rich nutrition bar business, which was sold in April to family-owned confectionery giant Ferrero for a reported €160 million.

The wife of former solicitor Michael Lynn has told his multimillion euro theft trial that she didn't know if he was "dead or alive" for five days after he went into a Brazilian prison. Claire Henry reports from the trial.

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