Message from the President

Our year was dominated by the uncertainty of Brexit and one thing none of our members like is uncertainty. Whilst our supply chains and export markets have certainly broadened in recent years the UK is still a very important market and component of many supply chains.

At our recent Chamber event Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney TD gave us good insight to how negotiations were progressing, and the preparation being undertaken by his own department and other government departments. We have been on a regular basis being sending out information to our members on specific aspects of regulation between the UK and EU as it becomes clear and where it is unclear, we have offered the best advice that is available to us.
Through our participation in many fora such as the ALL Island Civic Forum we have echoed your concerns to those that may have the opportunity to address them. We are now all challenged by a situation not of our making.

On the positive side we organised a trade mission to Scotland where we had the opportunity to meet with many business people who are keen and willing to pursue business opportunities with our members. We had the opportunity to meet Scottish Ministers and senior officials and discuss with them the situation as we see it and hear from them how they are and will be responding to Brexit. Our long-term relationship with West Lothian Chamber continues to offer their members and ours a connectivity that is based on trust and friendship.

Among the other issues we lobbied and worked on through the year were housing, now the number one driver of wage inflation, rates which increased by 1% this year, a success compared to the proposed 3% but still another cost to business. Infrastructure and public transport both essential for staff and services to be delivered along with product and materials.             

Galeforce Dublin a sports event we are pleased to support saw increased numbers showing up at Tallaght Stadium this year for the running, cycling and kayaking through some of the most beautiful countryside in our county. Tourism is import to many of our members and we continue to promote and champion this county as a great place to visit and to connect with the wider region.

In 2019 in partnership with South Dublin County Council we will be undertaking a campaign to promote our county as a great place to locate and to do business. We already have some great names here in the county such as Amazon and Google, but we need more, and we need diversification of these business to support employment growth.

An important supporter of employment growth is our Technological University Dublin which has educated many local graduates and responded to the changing needs of business and society. It was a great achievement by the Institute that as it transitioned from being an Institute of Technology to be Technical University Dublin it remained very much focused on our need to have a strong third level provider.

Our hospital too recognised its role as a teaching hospital and in 2018 changed its name to Tallaght University a teaching hospital of Trinity College.

Eamonn P. Egan        
President