Relm Finance to launch fourth fund, busy weekend at airports, and Facebook fatigue

Relm Finance, the Irish non-bank lender specialising in commercial and residential property investment, is preparing to launch its fourth fund with more than €300 million potentially available to be drawn down. As with previous funds, this one is backed by Avenue Capital Group, a large New York-headquartered investment group. Relm's chief executive Paul Dowling told Ciarán Hancock: "We've developed a great partnership with Avenue. We work closely together and they are not afraid of larger €50 million-plus deals while giving us the flexibility to execute smaller lot sizes, too".

Barry O'Halloran reports that airports had their busiest weekend this year over the October bank holiday, but figures confirm that numbers still trail pre-Covid levels. A total of 594 flights moved in or out of the Republic on Friday, according to air navigation body Eurocontrol, making it 2021's busiest day in Irish skies.

Barry also reports on how Covid curbs left property dealer Cushman & Wakefield's Irish arm with a ¤3.5 million loss last year. Accounts filed by Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Ireland Ltd with the companies' registrar show turnover almost halved to €10.7 million in 2020 from €19.6 million the previous year.

Got Facebook fatigue yet? The company is certainly hoping you do. In her column this week, Karlin Lillington examines the latest scandal to hit the social media giant, and says the most recent revelations will change nothing without decisive regulatory action.

Spotify’s business model is still all verse, no chorus

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EA’s Irish arm sees losses narrow

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Cushman & Wakefield’s Irish arm sees €3.5m loss over Covid curbs

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Boeing boosted by return of 737 Max deliveries

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The Irish arm of videogame publisher Electronic Arts (EA) saw losses narrow in the 12 months to April 3rd, despite turnover remaining relatively stable. Accounts filed for Electronic Arts Ireland Limited showed revenue of €31.7 million in the period, up from almost €29 million a year earlier. Ciara O'Brien has the details.

Ciara also speaks with Adaire Fox-Martin, the former teacher turned tech enthuaisist who has returned to her hometown of Dublin to head up Google's European cloud wing.

And sticking with Google, this week Ciara reviews its Pixel 6 Pro which she says is their best phone offering yet, one that feels like a premium device with its excellent camera and Tensor chip.

In the week that the Climate Change Advisory Council unveiled its recommendations for two, five-year carbon budgets aimed at reducing the State's carbon emissions by 51% by 2030 - Cliff Taylor and Kevin O'Sullivan join Ciarán Hancock for this week's Inside Business to examine if these targets are feasible.

In Innovation, Neil Briscoe writes that it would seem axiomatic that motorbikes are potentially more useful than cars in the fight against climate change. They are smaller and lighter than cars, and have a smaller carbon footprint when being built. However, as always, there's a bit of a catch, as the problem with the bikes is – where to put the battery?

Olive Keogh speaks to self-confessed insomniac Deirdre Hynds who earleir this year launched Unwind, a range of snack bars for evening time that encourages its consumer to have a good night's sleep.

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