The Irish Exporters Association (IEA), the voice of Irish exporters, has released results of its most recent survey, the ‘IEA Export Eye,’ conducted with members regarding Irish exporters’ sentiments on critical issues that have both direct and indirect impacts on business. The areas members were surveyed on include: ‘Brexit’ and its impact on business; entrepreneurship […]
Ibec has met with political representatives in the North West to set out the key investment and planning priorities for the region, as well as the measures required in the upcoming budget to support the region’s future growth.
Ibec North West Regional Director Terry MacNamara said, “Business will play a critical role in the future economic […]
60 companies from across the construction sector attended the Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways Innovation in Construction conference in Dublin this week. The event focused on the importance of innovation in this pre-Brexit era.
The conference brought together two clusters of Technology Gateways – A-IoT* and EMD Ireland**, providing specialised presentations and industry case studies from Technology Gateways involved […]
A survey of Enterprise Ireland client companies attending International Markets Week shows that the Eurozone is the key region where they see the greatest opportunity for their business, with almost two out of three of those who are not currently exporting to the Eurozone (65%) planning to do so in the next 12 months.
According to […]
The addition of direct flights between Dublin and Hong Kong opens up a whole world of new opportunities for Irish business, according to Dublin Chamber. The Chamber was responding to the news that Cathay Pacific is to start direct flights from Dublin to Hong Kong from June 2018.
Dublin Chamber, which has acted as secretariat for […]
Food Drink Ireland (FDI), the Ibec group that represents the food sector, has launched its Budget 2018 submission which calls on Government to introduce a series of measures so that the sector can maintain its competitiveness and achieve its growth potential against the backdrop of Brexit and a significant weakening of sterling.
In order to support […]
Ibec has welcomed a High Court ruling in favour of An Bord Pleanála which should pave the way for the commencement of work on the long delayed but vital North-South Electricity Interconnector. It is time now for all TDs, political parties and other stakeholders to get behind this project and ensure its delivery as a […]
Following a meeting between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and senior bank executives in Toronto this week, TD Securities confirmed that it will be expanding its operations in Ireland and subject to regulatory approval, plans to establish a bond trading business there. The Dublin expansion is part of its growth strategy in Europe and will afford TD […]
Responding to the British Government’s policy papers on future customs arrangements and the future of the Irish Border, ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association has stated that some of the aspirations are contradictory.
The Association has stated that while third party reaction to the Customs paper has been negative, we should remember that this represents an […]
Ibec has welcomed the aim of the UK government to avoid customs checks on the island of Ireland and develop streamlined or new customs arrangements with the EU in two new Brexit position papers. However, the group cautioned that a UK departure from the EU customs union would present very serious challenges to achieving these […]
In a recent visit to London, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin met with the Tourism Ireland team, where he was briefed on the organisation’s 2017 promotional programme and the possible implications on travel of the decision by the UK to leave the EU.
Great Britain is a vital market for tourism to […]
Ibec has published its latest Quarterly Economic Outlook, which forecasts growth of 4.2% for 2017 and 3.2% in 2018. A strong labour market, in particular, will underpin the buoyancy of the domestic economy, but Brexit related trading challenges will remain for exporters. This will be a particular challenge for the regions, with Ibec analysis showing […]
Official CSO figures for the first half of 2017 confirm growth of +4.2% in overseas visitors to Ireland, 182,000 arrivals more than the record first half of 2016. At the recent mid-year review of overseas tourism, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross and Tourism Ireland CEO, Niall Gibbons, confirmed that this growth has […]
The latest quarterly (April – June 2017) InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Report, shows that, despite the UK voting to leave the EU 12 months ago, the proportion of companies with a plan in place to deal with the potential outcomes of Brexit has remained static at 2 per cent. Alarmingly, this figure only increases to three […]
Commenting on figures published by the CSO for overseas visitors to Ireland for January to June, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “I am pleased to see growth of +4.2% for the period January-June, coming on the back of a record performance in 2016 and years of solid growth in overseas tourism. It is encouraging […]
Ibec has called on the Government to show further ambition in meeting Ireland’s critical infrastructure and demographic needs. Launching the group’s Budget 2018 submission, Ibec said that the Government has more within its power to spend on investment in much needed infrastructure, education and training, if it so chooses.
Speaking at the launch of the submission, […]
IDA Ireland has welcomed Bank of America confirmation that it has chosen Dublin as the preferred location for its principal EU legal entities following the UK’s departure from the EU. Bank of America celebrates 50 years of operation next year in Ireland and Dublin is the home of more of its employees than any other […]
Address by Martin D. Shanahan CEO, IDA Ireland at the MacGill Summer School
Uncertainty is the “mot du jour” or more accurately the “mot de l’année”. It pervades the global, the political, the economic, and the business environments and it is to the forefront of the minds of investors. This uncertainty is driven by geo-political developments, […]
Barclays has announced that it plans to use its licensed EU subsidiary to allow it to continue passported activity post-Brexit. Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “This announcement by Barclays to extend activities at their Dublin base is a further endorsement of Ireland’s strong offering to the International Financial Services Sector.
“Ireland’s access to the […]
Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, welcomed the publication of new national accounts published today by the CSO which show that the economy continues to grow strongly despite the challenges of Brexit. GDP in Q1 2017 grew by 6.1% annually, reflecting strong leading indicators. There are some worrying elements to the figures, however, with […]
New data released to mark the end of the second quarter of 2017 has shown a sharp increase in jobs protected in examinership cases as businesses in Ireland face increasing uncertainty. The latest Baker Tilly Hughes Blake Examinership Index revealed that 112 jobs were saved through the examinership corporate recovery mechanism in the second quarter […]
According to ICC Ireland, Ireland is currently ranked fifth in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Open Markets Index highlighting the importance of international trade for the Irish economy.
Commenting on the ICC Open Markets Index, Ian Talbot ICC Ireland Secretary General said: “Ireland ranks fifth globally, an improvement of one place since the last publication of this […]
One month on from the General Election, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has published a post-election survey of over 2,400 companies, which shows that while businesses have a range of views on their preferred objectives for the UK in Brexit negotiations, there is almost no support to conclude UK-EU talks without a trade deal.
Asked […]
IDA Ireland, the inward investment agency of the Irish Government, has reported a very strong first half of 2017. Investments approved by IDA in the first half will lead to the creation of over 11,000 (9,100 in 2016) jobs as companies roll out their plans over the coming months and years. Ireland won 114 projects […]
Musgrave has announced its results for the financial year 2016. The Group reported sales of €3.7 billion and profit before tax of €73 million. Net cash was €121 million and shareholder funds were €249 million at year end.
Commenting, Chris Martin, Musgrave Chief Executive said: “2016 saw a strong performance by Musgrave benefitting from investment in […]
Sky News is opening a bureau in Dublin to strengthen its presence in Ireland. UK Political Correspondent at Sky News Darren McCaffrey will become Dublin Correspondent and will be permanently based in the capital alongside a dedicated crew to cover Irish breaking news stories as they unfold.
John Ryley, Head of News at Sky, commented: “With […]
Retail Ireland, the Ibec group that represents the sector, has joined forces with the British Retail Consortium and the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium to explore the implications for the sector arising from Brexit. They will meet in Dublin with a number of Government Departments, consumer advocates and individual retailers to seek solutions to mitigate the […]
Ibec has launched a comprehensive set of proposals to progress EU-UK negotiations and limit the negative impact of Brexit on business and the wider economy. In advance of the launch of “Brexit: Challenges with solutions” in Ibec Head Office, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said the surprise UK election result offered a fresh opportunity for the […]
Commenting on recent CSO figures for the first quarter of 2017, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “Despite strong growth in visitor numbers from North America (+13%) and from long-haul markets including Australia (+16%), a decline of -7% in British visitors has led to an overall drop of -1% in overseas visitors to Ireland […]
The Small Firms Association (SFA) today released new data on the finance and investment priorities of small firms. Launching the new data, SFA Chair, Sue O’Neill, stated: “It is very positive to see that 51% of SFA members are growing and 72% intend to invest in their business over the coming year. This is up […]
A new survey by KPMG has found that the majority of Irish CEOs (90%) see disruption as an opportunity, not a threat, to their business. While just four in 10 Irish CEOs are confident about growth in the global economy, 84% say they are confident about growth in the domestic economy and 93% are confident […]
Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, welcomed today’s exceptionally strong jobs numbers published by the CSO as a sign of the strength and substance behind our business model and that the economy was weathering Brexit uncertainty very well. Worries that weaker than expected income tax receipts signalled a slowdown in employment growth will be […]
As part of a nationwide Brexit roadshow, Enterprise Ireland hosted a ‘Prepare for Brexit’ forum at Studio 1 of the WIT Arena in Waterford. Part of Enterprise Ireland’s #PrepareforBrexit campaign, the Waterford event features speakers from SMEs, large companies and innovative start-ups, including Joe Connolly, CEO, Connolly Red Mills, Robert Byrne, Sales Director, Burnside Eurocyl […]
Enterprise Ireland has announced that its clients recorded export sales of €21.6 billion in 2016, representing a 6% increase on 2015. Export growth to the UK, however, which accounted for €7.5 billion of exports, slowed from 12% in 2015 to 2% in 2016. The slowdown was largely due to a decline in food exports.
Speaking at […]
A dedicated InterTradeIreland advice service aimed at helping SMEs navigate the challenges of Brexit has been launched. Businesses will be able to access a raft of supports from the Brexit Advisory Service including Brexit Readiness Vouchers which they can use to fund bespoke advice up to the value of €1000; free Brexit briefing events; information […]
Following a meeting with EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Dublin, Ibec CEO Danny McCoy welcomed the awareness of Ireland’s unique Brexit exposure and said Irish concerns now need to be directly and explicitly addressed in negotiations and in the terms of a future EU-UK trade deal.
“Brexit is not only likely to disrupt trade […]
InterTradeIreland is calling all start-ups and early stage companies across the island to enter the Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition before the deadline on 26 May 2017. In addition to being in with the chance to win a share of the €280,000 total cash prize fund with no equity stake taken, shortlisted firms will also benefit […]
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor has published the findings of a survey of 1,045 SME business owners which was conducted in January by Behaviour & Attitudes and has set out a number of actions being developed to support SMEs in responding to the challenges of Brexit.
Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “While […]
A recently-held conference in Limerick for local business leaders, hosted by Financial Services Ireland (FSI), explored how the Mid-West can become a finance hub, if the objectives of the Government’s International Financial Services (IFS2020) strategy are realised and if regions get their fair share of economic growth post-Brexit.
Speakers at the conference, Making the Mid-West a […]
Ibec has said new EU Brexit negotiating guidelines reinforce the need for an early agreement on UK exit terms to allow substantial trade talks begin. Ibec welcomed the significant achievement in the explicit recognition of the unique risks that Brexit poses to Ireland. For business, however, massive uncertainty remains. The government must work closely with […]
FoodDrinkEurope, the EU organisation of the food and drink industry, met in Dublin recently to call for a comprehensive free trade agreement between the EU27 and the UK post Brexit. The group met with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Michael […]
Cork Chamber’s first quarterly economic trends survey of 2017 reviewed activity over the closing months of January, February and March. The survey, which was conducted by Cork Chamber during April 2017, highlights the confidence and practicality underpinning the Cork business community.
Cork Chamber CEO, Mr. Conor Healy, in commenting on the survey findings, stated: “It is […]
The results of the ISME Quarterly Business Trends Survey for the first quarter of 2017 show a decline in the exports sector and an overall decline in profitability expectations for the SME sector. However, there are improvements in the overall confidence indicator index with positives in five of 12 areas. The Trends report also looks […]
Last month, ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association identified that billions of euro in tendering opportunities would open in the years ahead for Irish business as a result of Brexit. As a consequence of Brexit, British companies are being frozen out of the EU tendering process because they will not be EU members […]
Pat Breen, Minister for Employment and Small Business is leading an Enterprise Ireland trade visit to Antwerp in Belgium. The aim of the trade visit is to promote Ireland’s extensive experience and capability within the high-tech construction and engineering sectors. The programme provides four key networking opportunities for the 25 participating Irish companies to make […]
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan intends to seek money for a ‘rapid rail link’ between Dublin and Belfast as part of the Brexit negotiations. He added that a special fund may also be needed to help improve our ports as the country looks to diversify trading partners. “I’d like to be able to see rail […]
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