VAT refunds for charities

Thu, Nov 19, 2015

It is said that “charity begins at home”.  It is also said “look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves”.  Maybe this has been updated for cents and euros I’m not sure but as part of the recent Budget documentation, a report on the VAT cost for charities was released by the Department of Finance.  Its main findings and representations were put forward by the Irish charities Tax Reform Group, a working group formed to examine proposals of reducing the VAT burden on charities in Ireland. 

Three views on making a meddling manager redundant in the interview process

Thu, Nov 19, 2015

Q: I am going for a middle management interview with the group business development manager. We don’t really get on, mainly because I disagree with how he goes about his business – to be blunt about it, he’d sell his granny. I want the job, but am not sure how I should handle the fact that I do things differently. Any suggestions? (LR, email.)

A: We put this question to three of our career coaches, LR, and hope that you find their observations useful. 

ITWBN Blogging for Business event— learn how to turn your words into cash this weekend

Thu, Nov 12, 2015

Into The West Blogger Network ware inviting everyone interested in learning more about the business of blogging to the last big ITWBN event of the year to be held this Sunday November 15 at the Galway Bay Hotel. The event will comment at noon and run through to 4.30pm. It aims to highlight the importance of “Blogging for Business, SEO and Content Marketing” for businesses.  

Alcom and IP Telecom to provide Zero Rental SIP service for businesses

Thu, Nov 12, 2015

Alcom Telecommunications based in Galway City and Ireland’s leading SIP/VoIP service provider IP Telecom have recently signed contracts to provide its customers with the SIP Trunks to enable customers to use their existing IP PBX phone system on the SIP network. SIP Trunks provide a business-class voice service harnessing the full potential of high quality broadband links to make significant savings in overall communications costs by eliminating expensive PRI, FRA and ISDN monthly line rental charges. Customers can save thousands of euros per annum by implementing SIP Trunks.

STARTUP CITY

Thu, Nov 12, 2015

Google has a special projects task force that keep their eyes and ears open for new projects to watch and develop. Last week, three of the GSP (Google Special Projects) team flew into Galway to to meet some local startups, like Colmac Robotics, in Startlab in Eyre Square. They loved the energy and innovation they found.

Knowledge Development Box – to encourage more innovation

Thu, Nov 05, 2015

Since Minister Noonan announced in October 2014 that Ireland would introduce a “best-in-class” Knowledge Development Box (“KDB”), there has been a lot of speculation about ‘how low would he go’.  Budget 2016 announced that the rate of tax which will apply for income qualifying under the new KDB will be 6.25%. The relief is available to companies for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2016.

The objective of the KDB is to provide a preferential tax rate for income generated from commercialising R&D / Intellectual Property (“IP”). While new to Ireland, “patent box” measures have existed for many years in other countries, with, for example, the UK having a Patent Box rate of 10%. 

Calling all self-starters in the Galway region looking for an exciting business opportunity

Thu, Nov 05, 2015

Smarter Surfaces is an Irish based company which manufactures a range of award-winning paints and wallpapers including whiteboard paint and magnetic paint.

Managing director Ronan Clarke developed the idea for the business while working in the construction industry in 2009. He had a request from a client to build a white board room. Discovering that there was no inexpensive or easy way to make one, he looked for a solution, and came up with the idea of creating a paint to turn a wall into a whiteboard. 

Budget 2016 and the welcome focus on farming and agri-business

Thu, Oct 29, 2015

In his budget day speech, Minister Michael Noonan recognised the significant role played by the farming and agri-food sector in Ireland’s economic recovery. This important sector employs approximately 169,000 people across the country and its produce is one of Ireland’s top 10 exported commodities.   

Alcom Telecommunications empowering smarter communications for SMBs

Thu, Oct 29, 2015

Galway-based telecoms reseller Alcom Telecommunications has recently launched the iPECS eMG80, one of the latest products from Ericsson-LG - a competitive solution that allows growing businesses to seamlessly expand into the world of IP and Unified Communications.

“The iPECS eMG80 will offer Irish businesses the opportunity to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction, with smarter and simplified communications. It is targeted at the 5-50 user segment which addresses most of the businesses in Ireland and enables enterprises to take advantage of IP technology, mobile working, remote working and the full feature set of the iPECS platform in a hybrid architecture meaning the features can be deployed on IP, digital and single line telephones with minimal cost impact. The platform provides businesses with a flexible, cost effective solution that can be tailored directly to the needs of the business,” said Liam Tracey, Country Manager for Ericsson-LG in Ireland. 

TitanHQ to create ten new jobs in Galway

Thu, Oct 22, 2015

There has been some good news on the local jobs front with the anouncement by Galway based IT security company TitanHQ that it is to create ten highly skilled technology jobs over the next year as the company continues to grow internationally.

Jobs boost as JFC Marine creates 20 new R&D and engineering jobs

Thu, Oct 22, 2015

John Concannon, MD. JFC Manufacturing last week announced the creation of 20 new jobs at the ‘Innovating the future of Marine Navigation Safety’  at the launch of the west of Ireland company’s new division, JFC Marine. 

AIB hosts economic briefing in Galway

Thu, Oct 22, 2015

Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.  is holding a series of nationwide briefings on the Irish and global economy in the coming weeks, the bank has announced. The briefings are provided free to companies who register in advance.The fifth in the series takes place on November 3rd in the Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, Galway. 

Mayo stores bring home Gold from Gala BEST Awards

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

FIVE Gala convenience stores from throughout Mayo have been awarded the Gold Standard for excellence in retail at the 2015 Gala Annual Conference and BEST Awards, which took place last week at The Malton Hotel, Killarney.

The Gold Standard is awarded following a comprehensive and independent assessment process under the Gala Business Excellence Standards Tool programme. The awards ceremony was MC’d by Lorraine Keane with special guests on the night including Pat Falvey, adventurer, and athletes from Special Olympics Ireland.

Pensions Advice with classifieds.advertiser.ie

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Mandatory Pensions on the Horizon?
IT MAY HAVE gone unnoticed, but the Government recently announced that it was planning for the introduction of universal pension coverage in Ireland.

Clayton Hotel to host inaugural Horizon Summit next month

Thu, Oct 15, 2015

Next month the Clayton Hotel, Galway will be the venue for the first Horizon Summit a leadership conference aimed at helping businesses in Galway and across the country reach their full potential in 2016.

Merit Medical ‘Networking Within Industry’ event today

Thu, Oct 15, 2015

Merit Medical Ireland, based in Parkmore Galway, will hold a ‘Networking Within Industry’ event this evening Thursday, October 15 at 5.30pm in their Vision Facility, Galway. 

Spinning the Table

Mon, Oct 12, 2015

As part of the Galway Advertiser’s ongoing feature on recruitment in conjunction with our classified website classifieds.advertiser.ie/jobs, we share some tips from recruiters based around Galway

Have you signed up to MeetWest yet?

Thu, Oct 08, 2015

Registration is continuing for MeetWest 2015, the largest business networking event in the West of Ireland this year.

Hosted by Roscommon County Council, MeetWest 2015 is a two-day business networking forum taking place at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, on November 18th and 19th 2015.  Partners organising MeetWest 2015 are Roscommon County Council, Galway City Council, Galway County Council Mayo County Council, , Roscommon Local Enterprise Office, Mayo Local Enterprise Office, Galway Local Enterprise Office, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Western Development Commission, SCCUL Enterprises and supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA.

Pat McDonagh receives Lifetime Achievement Award for retail excellence for his fleet of plaza forecourts

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Supermac’s founder Pat McDonagh has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the board of Ireland’s Forecourt and Convenience Retailer Awards. 

Going the extra, extra mile in job-searching

Thu, Oct 01, 2015

Q: I have been trying to get a job for the last 19 months. And, yes I have really tried: I mean, really, really tried. I have fine tuned my CV. I have gone to networking meetings. I have told friends and all sorts of random acquaintances that I am looking for work, and the type of work I’m looking for – but still all to no avail. But I am going to give up. Are there any websites you can recommend that might add a little bit more to my job search? (TC, email).

E-paper

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