Strong Employment Figures Obscure Economic Threats

Chambers Ireland Chief Executive, Ian Talbot, welcomed today’s CSO employment figures which put our county in a solid position to face economic uncertainty in the coming months.

“Adding to the existing Brexit uncertainty, recent polls suggest that piecing together a coherent programme for government after Saturday’s vote will be an extended and difficult affair.

It is essential that all parties recognise the role that business plays in supporting the ambitions of their manifestos. The vast majority of businesses have fewer than ten employees and many of them are very exposed to economic disruption. Chambers Ireland urges all parties to “Think Small First” and consider how their policies will impact on employment and the households of Ireland.

In our GE2020 manifesto Chambers Ireland calls for our elected officials to support business with the national productivity challenge we face, through making training and childcare easier to access and introducing a legal framework that supports flexible working.

In every county of the country, SMEs, through the jobs they create, are the backbone of the domestic economy. We must ensure that they are supported, so that they in turn can support sustainable cities, towns and communities.

We have also challenged our politicians to take urgent action to address our climate change challenge which we cannot continue to ignore. Significant infrastructural investment will be needed over the coming decade if we are to meet our climate action goals. The viability of these projects is dependent on steady growth in the economy and in exchequer returns.

A reduction in growth that is caused by issues such as global tax changes, increasing congestion in our cities and unbalanced regional development are among the issues that make our country vulnerable to economic shocks.

All parties need to address these challenges, financing them in ways that are sustainable. This can be achieved by supporting appropriate investment and facilitating the delivery of alternatives to carbon to ensure a just transition.

Chambers Ireland is Ireland’s largest business community. Our forty member chambers are active in every major town, city, and constituency in the country. This geographic reach allows us a unique understanding of the real domestic economy, the challenges it faces and the opportunities that arise from appropriate, supportive Government policies.”

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For further information please contact Gabriel Doran, Communications & Media Executive on 01 400 4331, 086 608 1605 or email gabriel.doran@chambers.ie

 

Notes to Editors:

  • For General Election 2020, Chambers Ireland is calling for “Place Making” to be at the heart of a new Programme for Government. We have used five of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which Chambers Ireland and our Chamber Network are supporting together, as a framework for our Manifesto – to access our General Election 2020 Manifesto, click here
  • For more information on the Chamber Pledge to the UN SDGs, click here
  • Chambers Ireland is Ireland’s largest business organisation with a Network of 40 Chambers of Commerce in every major town and region in the country. For more information about Chambers Ireland, click here
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