The Chamber has welcomed the decision by Aer Lingus to reinstate its direct route to San Francisco from Dublin in April 2014 but has called for the reintroduction of connecting flights between Cork and Dublin to facilitate onward connectivity for Cork-based businesses.  The Cork region has an already well developed cluster of ICT companies and the region continues to strengthen its linkages and successful partnerships with San Francisco and Silicon Valley.  Cork’s hosting of the Silicon Valley Comes to Ireland Summit earlier this year, its strong track record in attracting FDI from Silicon Valley and the number of Cork-based indigenous companies who have operations in Silicon Valley are just some examples of the strong business linkages between Cork and San Francisco.

However, the Chamber has stressed the importance of a Cork/Dublin air service to encourage and facilitate business usage of the new route and to enable Cork and its surrounding regions to fully capitalise on the business and inward investment opportunities that strong US air connectivity provides.  While there are challenges involved in securing this route, the Chamber is very committed to engaging with and lobbying on behalf of our members to try to bring about direct air connectivity between Cork and Dublin. 

Chambers Ireland: A National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement for Ireland:

Chambers Ireland has made a submission to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on ‘A National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement for Ireland.’  Research from the Central Bank shows that newer companies are responsible for the greatest levels of job creation and accordingly, the Chamber Networks believes that Government needs to send a strong and consistent message of support to potential entrepreneurs.  The creation of a policy statement on entrepreneurship is an opportunity for the Government to show its commitment to the potential business leaders of the future and can help to focus thoughts and actions on long term economic aims.

In the submission Chambers Ireland calls on the Government to:

1. Restore consumer confidence and domestic demand to the Irish economy. Without this, people with entrepreneurial spirit and innovative ideas will remain unwilling to take the risks involved in starting a new business
2. Promote a rationalised and joined-up approach to support for entrepreneurs
3. Collaborate with local Chambers of Commerce to facilitate the dissemination of information and the provision of expert knowledge
4. Encourage entrepreneurial activity by improving the business environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises e.g. ensuring that local businesses are not excluded from the public tendering processes
5. Ensure guidelines on insolvency mean that individuals who have previously failed in business, but have credible new ideas, are not prohibited from taking further risks
6. Recognise the work done by business support organisations in the areas of business networking and mentoring and utilize this to grow entrepreneurial networks
7. Promote the European Network of Mentors for Women Entrepreneurs to encourage and support new female entrepreneurs
8. Establish a Youth Entrepreneurship Fund as a positive means to address youth unemployment
9. Encourage a focused and coordinated approach to the teaching and development of entrepreneurship through secondary and third-level education.

For further information on this submission click HERE.

Restaurant Association of Ireland: Keep Vat at 9% campaign:


The Restaurant Association of Ireland is running a ‘Keep VAT at 9%’ campaign urging Government to retain the 9% VAT rate introduced in July 2011 for the hospitality and tourism sector.  Since the reduced VAT rate was introduced in 2011 it has had a positive effect creating 6,500 jobs in the tourism and restaurant industry.  The RAI is currently holding a number of events as part of its campaign highlighting the impact of the reduced VAT rate.

Cork Chamber fully supports the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector and has consistently highlighted its importance for the sector and the wider domestic economy in all communications with the relevant stakeholders and policy decision makers.  We have also incorporated calls for the extension of the reduced VAT rate into our Pre-Budget submissions.

For more information on the ‘Keep VAT at 9%’ campaign please visit www.keepvat9.ie

Influencing & Negotiating Skills

Course Date: 23^rd & 24^th July

Member Rate: €225.00

The programme aims to enable participants to influence the thinking and behaviour of others through the effective use of communication skills. This programme is designed to help participants enhance their ability to communicate in a confident and professional manner. It will enable participants to acquire the skills to prepare and plan effectively for negotiations, to understand the roles and functions people play within the customer’s organisation with whom they are negotiating, to develop an awareness of strategies to deal with people in the customer organisation, to cultivate the persuasive style of conducting a professional sales negotiation, to understand how customer behaviour can influence the negotiation strategy, to explore ways to identify and deal with common barriers to achieving goals.

This is a key skill that once learned has applicability across both business and life situations.

Learners who successfully complete this module will:

• Obtain practical techniques, strategies and skills for influencing others
• Be more confident in building rapport effortlessly with clients
• Discover their persuasion style and how to make a positive impact in using it
• Learn the skills to negotiate to lower overhead and maintain profit margins
• Understand the know-how of a negotiation process
• Be able to conduct the negotiation using persuasion and influencing skills
• Use the different negotiation approaches depending on the situation
• Be able to develop consensus in a negotiation process
• Identify the barriers in achieving a negotiation deal and learn how to deal with objections

This course is only €225.00 for Chamber members so don’t delay, BOOK TODAY!!

See our full range of courses at www.corkchamber.ie/training

Bookings can be completed through the website and enquiries should be directed to Aoife@corkchamber.ie  (Training Services Administrator)

BUSINESS SCHOOL CALENDAR

July

• Project Management Professional                                         23^rd July
• Influencing & Negotiating Skills                                             23^rd July

• August

• Project Management Professional                                         13^th August

• September
• MS PowerPoint ‘Beyond the Basics’                                                   3^rd September
• Microsoft Access 2003                                                                        4^th September

• Conflict Management                                                                         5^th September
• MS Excel Intermediate                                                                       5^th September
• Microsoft Project 2010                                                                       10^th September
• Certificate in Business & Executive Coaching Leadership                 10^Th September
• Chinese Language, Culture & Etiquette for Business (Beginners)     10^th September
• PMI Exam Preparation Course                                                           10^th September
• E-Mail & Business Writing                                                                  11^th September
• Certificate in Supervisory Management (FETAC Level 6)                  11^th September
• Chinese Language, Culture & Etiquette for Business (Advanced)     12^th September
• Present & Express with Confidence                                                    12^th September
• Business Finance for Managers & Entrepreneurs                              12^th September
• Personal Productivity using MS Outlook                                            26^th September

• October
• Introduction to Technical Writing                                                      2^nd October
• MS Excel Advanced                                                                             8^th October

• Certificate in Business & Executive Coaching Leadership                 15^th October
• MS Visio Professional 2010                                                                24^th October

• November
• PMI Exam Preparation Course                                                           5^th November

Cork innovates launches INBusiness INCork 2013 ShowcaseThe leading showcase for entrepreneurs, innovators, startups and small business, INBusiness INCork will take place on 14 November 2013 at City Hall, Cork.  Hosted by Cork innovates, this event promises to be a ‘must-attend’ for anyone interested in business and entrepreneurship. 

“Cork has all the ingredients to foster innovation and entrepreneurship from people with new ideas to the support agencies and organisations. Sometimes it is necessary to shine a bright light to help people on that business journey. At this year’s INBusiness INCork showcase, we want to help and encourage people to take real steps on the journey to creating and maintaining a business”, says Anthony O’Mara, Chair of Cork innovates. 

“The event is unique in Ireland and thanks to the support of the Cork City and County Councils, we plan to create an experience for entrepreneurs that charts the journey of a business, startup or existing, delivering real insights through a variety of speakers, while sharing success stories along the way, to demonstrate that Cork is the place in which to run your company”, says Anthony O’Mara, Chair of Cork innovates.

Attracting a large audience last year, Cork innovates flagship event has ambitions to further develop the event this year, to drive the culture of entrepreneurship that exists in the Cork Region.  The organisers are committed to an entirely new format and have already begun planning an event that will simulate the setting up and running a business including important elements such as access to capital funding, legislation, marketing and financial advice among others.

“The journey of a business begins with a number of critical steps,” explains Siobhan Finn, Cork innovates co-ordinator.  “The INBusiness INCork showcase event will enable attendees to take those steps, meeting with potential partners, funding organisations and support agencies as well as hearing from case studies and successful entrepreneurs across every sector including technology, services, food and the craft industry,” explains Siobhán Finn.

Cork innovates is funded by Cork City Council and Cork County Council and is hosted by Cork Chamber of Commerce. 

The steering group comprises representatives from Cork City Council and Cork County Council, the four Enterprise Boards in the region, Enterprise Ireland, UCC, CIT, Cork Chamber, Cork BIC and the South West Regional Authority (SWRA) as well as a number of entrepreneurs in the Region.  These stakeholders have come together to identify and support key projects and activities to promote Cork as a location of choice for regional, national and international entrpreneurs.  Meeting regularly and working closely together, the committee members are all equally committed to the success of entrepreneurship in Cork.

Key motivational and entrepreneurial speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.  For now, please add 14 November 2013 to your diary for ‘The’ business event of the year in Cork.  For more information, visit www.corkinnovates.com

Women Entrepreneurs in Progress - Brokerage Event

27^th September 2013, Niš, Serbia

 This brokerage event is the first to be organised under the umbrella of the “Women entrepreneurship working group”of the Enterprise Europe Network and Mihajlio Pupin Institute. The event is primarily aimed at SMEs from several industrial sectors that are owned or managed by a woman (however participation will not be restricted to female-only business). The event aims to facilitate SMEs in finding business partnerships in South-East Europe, to promote business cooperation and to break through regional barriers in Europe. It includes an international conference and a brokerage event. Represented sectors will include agriculture and food production, ICT, textile and education.  Participation is free of charge. Click here for more information or email katherine@corkchamber.ie.

European Commission seeks public input on European approach to business failure and insolvency

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on a European approach to business failure and insolvency, which focuses on helping sound businesses to survive and honest entrepreneurs to get a second chance while protecting creditors' right to get their money back. Key issues are: the time required to discharge a debt, the conditions for opening proceedings, the filing of claims and the rules for restructuring plans. The proposed modernisation of the EU’s Insolvency Regulation is a key first step to bringing EU insolvency law into the 21st century.  The consultation also addresses the rules governing the exercise of the profession of liquidators and directors' duties and liability in case of insolvency.

This consultation is open until 11 October 2013 and can be accessed here.

Luxury for Less in Lanzarote

Period of the offer:  27 July to 17 August

Stay at the beach front 4* Los Fariones Hotel in Puerto del Carmen, with a free upgrade from a twin room to a junior suite or book a single room with no single supplement. Total per person is € 799, includes return flights, bags, return transfers and B&B accommodation

Period of offer: 07 September – 20 October

Stay at this luxury 5*+ Princesa Yaiza Hotel in the fishing village of Playa Blanca, with a free upgrade from a twin relax room to a one bed standard suite with relax service (daily entrance to the thalssothermal pool & sauna, aromatherapy turndown service, a la carte gourmet breakfast with sea view. Total per person is € 979 (Sep dates) includes return flights, bags, return transfers and B&B accommodation. ( €999 for Oct dates)

Sail direct from Cobh

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ex Cobh 09 September 2013

Departing direct from Cobh on the fabulous ‘Independence of the Seas’ this 12 night cruise is visiting the magical Norwegian Fjords. With great ports of call and a variety of entertainment and activities available on board its great for both families and couples of all ages. Inside cabins available at € 1759 pp, only a few cabins left, don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to cruise from Cork.

Great value getaway in Turkey

Period of offer: 01 September

Take a break in Kusadasi, Turkey in this Irish owned 4* hotel The Sea Pearl, located 5 minutes walk from the beach and a short bus ride to the city centre with a beautiful marina, great shopping and good restaurants and nightlife on offer. Total cost per person is € 459, includes return flights, bags, return transfers and B&B accommodation.