Viatel runs rule over BT’s Irish unit

Viatel Technology Group, a Dublin-based digital technology company, is among parties running theto rule over UK telecoms giant BT Group’s Irish unit, which was recently put on the market for a second time in five years, according to sources. BT Ireland is also said to have received bid interested from other players. However, it was not possible to confirm the identity of those parties. Joe Brennan has the details.
German economics minister Robert Habeck has proposed a multibillion State stimulus plan to revive the country’s moribund economy and promote climate-friendly industrial transformation. After two years of recession and a third looming, Mr Habeck’s “Germany Fund” plan would see the state contribute 10 per cent on top of company investments, offset against company tax liabilities or paid out in cash if the firm is not profitable. Derek Scally reports from Berlin.
The profitability of Irish motor insurers fell last year to its lowest level since 2017, as settled claims costs jumped 39 per cent to €693 million, driven by damage claims, according to a Central Bank of Ireland report. The sector would have made a loss in 2023, had insurers not released significant levels of reserves that had been set aside for prior-year cases which turned out to be less costly to settle than initially expected, the bank’s report said. Joe Brennan reports.
Almost half of workers in Ireland were either paid late by their employer over the past 12 months or had their salary entitlements calculated incorrectly, a new survey has revealed, reports Ian Curran. The poll of some 1,000 employees in the Republic, conducted by iVox on behalf of payroll and human resources technology company SD Worx Ireland, found salary was still the most important factor among workers when choosing who to work for.
Both the EU AI Act and the Irish Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, which gives rise to the online safety code, use a risked-based assessment to determine which companies and technologies have the greatest regulatory obligations, writes Karlin Lillington in her weekly column.
Both point to harms that would trigger punishments. But they also both kick the most substantial and tricky issues – how to manage or prevent those harms, and define them in the first place – back to companies.
Dell’s new Irish head has a sense of deja vu writes Ciara O’Brien, but in this case it’s not an illusion of memory, because Jason Ward really has been here before. In fact, as the new head of Dell’s operations in the north of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Ward is going back to his roots in more than one way.
Not only is he also managing director of Dell Technologies Ireland, a job he left two years ago, he will also run Dell’s business in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland and the Baltics. Among his previous roles was head of enterprise for Dell in the Nordics.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is building Starlink, a global communications network using low-orbit satellites, writes Chris Horn, but Starlink may soon not be the only game in town. Jeff Bezos’s Amazon already runs much of the internet’s infrastructure with its web services and worldwide data centres. Adding a satellite constellation would allow Amazon to strengthen its competitive position with direct high-capacity connections to its infrastructure, bypassing any need for intermediary internet service providers.
The Dublin commercial property market has been mired in a slowdown for some time now. It’s a cyclical industry at the best of times, but the slump since the pandemic shows little sign of improving, writes Cantillon who also finds leading Irish television companies including ShinAwiL, Deadpan Pictures and kids’ comedy makers Turnip + Duck were among those networking at the Mipcom television trade event in pursuit of partnerships and deals.
Sea swimming has grown exponentially in popularity in recent years with its devotees extolling its virtues for its positive impact on their mood, health and general wellbeing. But if you can’t face the prospect of immersion in cold water, take heart, writes Olive Keogh. There is now a “cheats’” way to enjoy some of the benefits of sea therapy as Karen Kearney has bottled its goodness to create Soak, a range of wellness products to boost the mood and help those experiencing problems with sleep, low mood, anxiety and stress.
There are good reasons people want smart locks. You can use your smartphone as a key instead of carrying a bunch of keys around with you. You can send people temporary keys when needed rather than handing over a physical version, and revoke access just as easily. Ciara O’Brien reviews the Yale Conexis L2 smart lock.
Some 68 per cent of businesses in Ireland have no board-approved policy for using artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, a new survey by the Institute of Directors Ireland has found. The survey also found 43 per cent of businesses said they expected cybersecurity to be the biggest challenge over the next 12 months, with 63 per cent of companies discussing the topic regularly at board meetings. Fiona Keeley reports.
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