State-owned enterprise sector, 2020

While the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the overall Irish economy, the severity of the impact on individual firms very much depends on the sector in which they operate. State owned enterprises (SOEs) in the aviation and public transport sectors have therefore experienced the most severe impact in 2020, with companies operating in the energy and communications sectors not affected to the same extent. The true extent of the impact of the pandemic on the financial performance of the SOE sector will not become apparent until annual reports are published next year, and the degree to which government support may be required for some companies will depend on how quickly Covid-19-related restrictions can be eased in 2021.