Significant flooding has had a major and devastating impact on businesses in Cork City since 2009. Cork Chamber has led the way in identifying the importance of implementing an appropriate flood defence scheme for the benefit of not just the business community but all those who live and work in this region. We have actively engaged with public representatives at Ministerial, Oireachtas and Council levels on this critical issue. We are facilitating ongoing dialogue with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to ensure feedback is provided from the business community on the emerging preferred solution.

We have made submissions orally and in writing to the OPW on our member’s behalf including a call for a proper public consultation period.  A key element for the success of the flood defence project will be consultation with the local business community to afford them an adequate opportunity to engage fully with the process and prepare for potential impacts from the works.

Cork Chamber acts as the voice of Cork Businesses. The Cork Chamber Policy Team reflect members opinion through their timely and informative Press Releases and Opinion Pieces.


So far this year Cork Chamber has issued 32 press releases and has published 9 opinion pieces. We have provided weekly and monthly policy updates through Cork Chamber's weekly business update and Chamberlink magazine. In addition we have published two Quarterly Economic Bulletins following members feedback obtained through our Quarterly Economic Trends Survey.

To read press releases issued to date please click here.

To read published opinion pieces please click here.

• Agrifood & Drinks Strategy 
• ‘Cork to the World’ an Economic Assessment of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Scheme
• Cork Chamber Local Election Manifesto

On 12^th May 2014, the Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine Simon Coveney launched the Chamber’s Agrifood & Drinks Strategy for the Cork region took place in the Triskel Christchurch and was attended by over 150 stakeholders from the Agrifood and Drinks industry, relevant organisations and the wider business community. 

The Strategy presents the findings and recommendations from Cork Chamber's extensive research and consultations with regional and national stakeholders. Strategic recommendations are made across five major opportunity areas that best align with Cork’s natural and developed strengths to:

• Embed Cork’s Positioning as a Competitive Knowledge Economy & Leading Global Innovator in agri R & D;
• Ensure Cork’s Positioning as a Leading Provider of Cutting-Edge Talent;
• Position Cork as the Optimum Environment for Growing Agri-Businesses to incentivise agri-entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups;
• Globally market Cork as a food region through co-ordinated marketing campaigns;
• Prime the region for long-term agri-growth by ensuring quality foundations and prime conditions through consensual regional strategic plans.

There has been extensive interest in the report’s recommendations from state agencies, education bodies and relevant local and regional organizations. Cork Chamber has sought feedback regarding an action plan to implement the strategy’s recommendations.

Copies of the strategy are available to view and download here.

Cork Chamber launched an economic assessment prepared by Indecon International Economic Consultants in June. This assessment conclusively demonstrates that the proposed upgrade of the N28 road scheme from Cork to Ringaskiddy is a key catalyst project for wider regional development.

The report identifies the following key benefits that would arise from completion of the N28 upgrade:

• Direct transport benefits in the form of reduced journey times and costs;
• Enhanced capacity to serve the external trading and connectivity requirements of the region  through facilitating the development of Port of Cork’s operations at Ringaskiddy;
• Improved capacity to serve and enhance the Pharmaceutical and Maritime clusters operating in the Ringaskiddy/Carrigaline area;
• The scheme’s catalytic and influencing role in supporting wider regional development.

Cork Chamber has presented the findings of this report to the Department of Transport, National Roads Authority and other relevant government departments. Cork Chamber will continue to engage with this ongoing campaign to progress the upgrade of the N28 at regional and national level.

 
To view and download this report please click here

Cork Chamber launched its Local Election Manifesto on the 7^th May in the English Market, Cork City. The Manifesto informed local election candidates of the business perspective regarding important issues that will impact the development of the Cork Region. Focussing on three key areas; local government reform, transport and infrastructure and delivering with Cork INC, the Chamber’s Manifesto set out a number of recommendations and expectations that if adopted could deliver continued growth and job creation across the wider Cork region.  

To view the Cork Chamber Local Election Manifesto please click here

The results of the second quarterly economic trends survey of 2014 reveal a continued positive business outlook amongst Cork-based businesses. Businesses in the region are enjoying high levels of business confidence and positive increases in turnover, net profit and employment figures amongst the main findings. However working capital still continues to pose an ongoing issue where improved interventions and careful monitoring are required to ensure business confidence is sustained.

The respondents to Chamber’s Q2 Economic Trends Survey represent a wide range of businesses. Over a quarter of businesses are micro-enterprises (29.0%), a further 28.3% employ between 11 and 50 people and 27.7% employ in excess of 100. The remaining businesses included sole traders (10.0%) and those employing between 51 and 100 (5.0%).

Your input is extremely valuable in informing our policy development work and guiding the business issues we prioritise in our policy advocacy, research and development work. The Chamber's weekly business update (ebulletin), Chamberlink and website provide regular updates on our policy submissions and development.

We encourage all members to contribute to our consultations on key business issues and partake in our surveys during 2014 to ensure your voice guides our policy calls.