Business leaders lobby for state aid to protect jobs

Date Published: 16-Feb-2011

Business leaders across Galway and Mayo are working to form a united front in a desperate effort to not alone protect retail jobs but also campaign for funding for new enterprises to be established once a new Government is in place.

The initiative is being spearheaded by a small number of Chambers of Commerce at the moment but they are hoping that others will come on board in an effort to stimulate job creation.

And Galway publicans too are not being found wanting when it comes to trying to protect their businesses – they are demanding that rates be abolished for three years and a three pronged approach be put in place to drive the price of drink down.

While Fine Gael have been promising job creation initiatives in their election manifesto, they will face the full brunt of the business community from the West of Ireland who are terrified about their futures.

It is hoped that chambers of commerce in Galway and Mayo will form a strong alliance to lobby for funding for both job protection and job creation initiatives from the new Government.

Sarah Roarty, CEO of Tuam Chamber of Commerce, told The Connacht Tribune that she has been in discussions with other chambers in Galway and Mayo who will be demanding meetings with members of the next Government in order to copper fasten existing jobs.

“We have some of the best potential entrepreneurs in the country who have business plans but no funding to help them start up. While rates charged to existing businesses is a major issue, so too is job creation initiatives and that is where we will be coming from,” Ms Roarty explained.

In much the same vein Galway city’s business community has come up with five key demands which it plans to put before all candidates in the upcoming General Election.

And Galway Chamber wants politicians of all sides to commit to supporting their manifesto in order to support economic recovery and growth in the city and environs.

They want to see a strategy for job creation and the retention of existing jobs; the total reform of the commercial rates system; the establishment of a working capital fund by Government to support enterprise; the restoration of confidence and competitiveness – primarily by securing the 12.5 per cent Corporate Tax Rate – and a commitment from the incoming Government to regional development.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.