The Last Post Matt Cooper: Kenny Jacobs has a point when he says semi-state CEOs are underpaidThe bosses of commercial semi-state bodies are paid considerably less than their private sector peers, something that is unlikely to get us the best talent
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Twelve key questions we need to ask about the banks we bailed outSimon Harris’s tough-guy act with the banks shouldn’t fool you. There are important issues to be considered about our main financial service providers
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Claims that Nama was a success need to be taken with a mountain of salt State’s bad bank had a most arduous task in cleaning up Ireland’s broken banking system, but it had its many, many critics
The Last Post Matt Cooper: My advice to new finance minister Jack Chambers – be bold and think big in next budgetAs history has shown, the lack of an economic background need not be an impediment to success in Merrion Street
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Sinn Féin’s run to the centre has left it with a major identity crisisParty leader Mary Lou McDonald has had a woeful year and there is no guarantee the party can recover in time for a general election
The Last Post Matt Cooper: ‘Populist’ Harris and co again seek to ignore and dismiss fiscal council’s warnings Budget watchdog has no political ally in government or opposition to take up the cudgels on its behalf
The Last Post Matt Cooper: ‘Trump is threatening the very stability of the US ... This stuff is very dangerous’Anthony Scaramucci, speaking to me last week, gave a stark assessment of what a second Trump presidency would mean for the US and the world
The Last Post Matt Cooper: If Government wants to end GAAGo saga, then it better be ready to open the chequebook Very few were left happy with the Cork-Limerick epic last Sunday not being on free-to-air television, but solutions are not obvious
Obituary Matt Cooper: Tony O’Reilly was a titanic businessman who lived many extraordinary livesA talented sportsman in his youth, O’Reilly went on to become a colossal figure in Irish business life with few peers
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Biggest dilemma facing RTÉ is not governance, but what it actually wants to beProposals for cost cutting are mere tinkering at the edges when something more ruthless and fundamental is needed
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Simon Harris’s early missteps make November 15 a likely election dateNew leader is going to be the shortest-serving taoiseach in the history of the state, far shorter than he has stated as his immediate ambition
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Helen McEntee’s car crash week sees confidence drain away from herJustice Minister’s performance at the Oireachtas committee was baffling, given questions were flagged in a Sunday newspaper two days before
The Last Post USC is difficult to defend when massive surpluses exist and voters want money backOnly way for Harris to turn the dial with voters is to go big on eliminating the much-hated universal social charge
Comment Matt Cooper: Ask not what Eir can do for you, but what you do for EirThe company clearly hasn’t enjoyed the publicity of the last week, but it has probably worked out that customer inertia means most people will just put up with things
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Sinn Féin’s ‘angry/happy’ routine last week exposes fear of being outflanked by populists Mary Lou McDonald’s shortcomings as leader are in contrast to the sure-footed performance of Michelle O’Neill so far as the North’s first minister
The Last Post Matt Cooper: Costs of reunification must be central to debate on future of the North Predictions about a 25% hike in taxes to pay for it a year have quickly been poo-pooed by those who are striving for an end to partition
The Last Post Matt Cooper: It will take more than one speech to take back tricolour from those who besmirch it Winning ownership of the flag back from garda killers and racist thugs is no easy task
Politics The 13 things Simon Harris can learn from the Kenny and Varadkar erasThe incoming Taoiseach will be the third leader of Fine Gael in almost 22 years. Changes need to be made from his predecessors
Analysis Matt Cooper: Leo Varadkar saw the writing on the wall and wanted no part of it Varadkar is hoping his departure will do some favour to his embattled party
The Last Post Matt Cooper: O’Dea misfire on ‘woke’ gallery leaves him in questionable company Former minister and veteran TD has form in speaking out, but he should be more careful with whom he aligns himself