Business
Jobs target for BMW region
The Irish Association for Supported Employment has revealed details of its ‘Open 50’ project, which aims to see over 50 businesses throughout Ireland employ a person with a disability by April.
It’s part of the Open Door initiative and follows on from the success of Job Shadow Day, which sees hundreds of individuals with a disability shadow a workplace mentor each April.
Now the IASE is encouraging Irish employers to commit to offering one job in their organization to a person with a disability.
“Open 50 is an exciting project that aims to support employers to take the first step to employing a person with a disability. Open 50 gives employers the opportunity to become champions among their peers removing barriers to inclusion and creating diversity in the work place,” said IASE Chairperson Greg Barry.
The Open Door initiative works with employers, disability services and jobseekers to promote equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Initially the project will operate across the Border, Midlands, Western (BMW) region, with plans to extend nationwide in 2015.
That BMW region includes Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.
A series of employer events have taken place highlighting the business benefits of hiring and retaining employees with disabilities using the supported employment model. The Open Door team is now meeting individually with interested employers to work through the process with them.
The initiative is open to businesses of all sizes and within all industries.
IrishJobs.ie, Ireland’s number one recruitment website, is supporting the Open 50 project.
Jane Lorigan, CEO Europe of Saongroup.com and MD of IrishJobs.ie said: “This is a very positive initiative that highlights the valuable contribution a person with a disability can bring to a business or organization. We would encourage all our companies to check out the IASE website for more information and join us in promoting equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workplace.”
IASE is a national voluntary organisation which was established in February 1994 with the aim of promoting and developing supported employment at a national level. IASE is the representative voice of almost 900 members in Ireland.
Employers and job seekers interested in participating in Open 50 are invited to register their interest at www.iase.ie.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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