Latest News

Rainmaker secures €1.5 million investment

(23 Jan 2012)
RAINMAKER, THE airline software business run by former CityJet executive Pat Byrne, is raising €1.5 million from the Diageo Ulster Bank venture capital fund. Rainmaker is a Dublin-based software developer that supplies a number of US and European airlines. The company has secured €1.5 million from the Diageo Ulster Bank Venture Fund, which is managed by NCB Ventures, a division of the NCB stockbroking firm. Rainmaker has developed specialist applications that provide airlines with web-based access to real time information on the performance of flight operations such as crew utilisation and pay and fuel management. Its products focus mainly on managing and reducing costs. A number of regional airlines in the US and Europe including Jet Blue, Pinnacle Airline Group, ASA, Express Jet, Virgin America, Mesa of Arizona, CityJet, Loganair and Wideroe of Norway, use the Irish company’s systems. It has recently recruited Aeroflot, Monarch and Spirit Airlines, the fastest growing airline in the US, as new customers. Rainmaker’s chief executive is Pat Byrne, who occupied the same position with CityJet, which is now part of Air France KLM. Mr Byrne said yesterday that the company would use the money raised from the venture fund to increase its 22-strong workforce and boost sales and marketing activity in Europe, the US and Asia. “We’ll also be undertaking continued product development and are confident we can further grow our international customer base, as airlines increasingly look for fast and effective solutions to reduce the cost of their business operations,” Mr Byrne added. Leo Hamill, partner with NCB Ventures, said the market in which Rainmaker operates is “substantial and growing” and provides good opportunities for the business over the coming years. Mr Hamill will represent the company’s new investor on its board. NCB Ventures manages the €75 million Ulster Bank Diageo Venture Fund, which was established in 2008 under the Enterprise Ireland Seed and Venture Capital Programme. The fund invests between €1 million and €5 million in Irish companies across a range of sectors and all stages of development. At this stage, it has backed 11 companies, AMCS, Britebill, Epub Direct, Ferfics, Gridstore, Helix Health, Heystaks, Rainmaker, Terminal Four Solutions, Xtra-vision and Zamano. Reported by Barry O'Halloran, Irish Times Rainmaker was advised by John A. Sinnott & Co

The Irish Economy - On the Road to Recovery

(08 Apr 2011)
According to the latest national accounts date released in mid December, the Irish economy expanded by 0.5% on a GDP basis and 1.1% on a GNP basis in the third quarter of last year compared to second quarter, which is very encouraging news.. ...

Civil Partnerships

(24 Jan 2011)
On the 23rd December 2010, Minister for Justice & Law Reform Dermot Ahern signed the commencement orders for the Civil Partnership and certain rights of co-habitants act 2010.

Changes to Capital Acquisitions Tax - Budget 2010

(24 Jan 2011)
The area of Capital Acquisitions Tax, which incorporates Gift Tax and Inheritance Tax, did not go unchanged in the recent Budget. With effect from the 8th December 2010 there is a 20%...

Dentists v HSE

(19 Aug 2010)
June 2010 two dentists are granted and injunction by the High Court preventing the HSE from changing the Free Dental Care Rules.

More Than One P60!

(12 Jul 2010)
During the High Court Sittings at Waterford in June an interesting point arose in relation to a claimant having more than one P60 in the same year.....

'Special feature on Wills for Farmers Journal by John G. Murphy and Jason Dunne' read more

(07 Jan 2010)
John G Murphy and Jason Dunne, solicitors of John A. Sinnott & Co., wrote this special feature on Wills, which appeared in the Farmers Journal, December 2009.

Repossession

(04 Mar 2009)
Due to the economic downturn, we are unfortunately going to see more repossessions, but new rules are being introduced to give some breathing space to hard-pressed borrowers. Sean Cryan reports

Wexford Book Launch - 'Inheritance and Succession'

(19 Nov 2008)
The Wexford launch of 'Inheritance and Succession: The Complete Irish Guide' written by our own John G. Murphy and Jason Dunne took place on 21st October in Enniscorthy at The Riverside Hotel, was very well attended & received. See www.myinheritance.ie for more information

Inheritance and Succession - The Complete Irish Guide

(08 Jan 2008)
In "Inheritance and Succession - The Complete Irish Guide", authors John G. Murphy and Jason Dunne, both solictors with J.A. Sinnott & Co., tell you about the issues that matter and advise you how to take the right decisions at the right time.