Cork business representatives and ambassador Edward S Walsh met on Friday to discuss priorities for Cork’s business community in the context of the current international trading environment.

At this year’s competition, Cork Chamber won in the Best Collaboration of Chambers, Business and Government category, marking the first-ever Irish win at the awards.

Conor Healy has been chief executive of the Cork Chamber for the past two decades. He tells Rachel Lysaght he has overseen the growth and evolution of the more than 200-year-old organisation at a time when Cork has become the fastest-growing city region in Ireland

Cork Chamber will present its project at the upcoming 14th World Chambers Congress in Melbourne in September, where winners will be announced.

Mr Horgan emphasised how housing was identified as the most immediate challenge facing Cork, and called for systemic reform to unlock supply across the city and county.

The business body urged the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to consider the potential impact on economic competitiveness before introducing any water tariff increases for business customers.

Mr Mullins, who passed away suddenly, was in his mid 50s.

On the jobs front, 89% of respondents said their workforce would either increase (45%) or stay the same (44%) during the year, with only 11% predicting a decrease.

During Wednesday’s announcement, Mr Trump said his administration was being “very kind” by implementing tariffs for most trading partners that were essentially half the rate of measures it had calculated was imposed on the US.

At the Cork Chamber Annual Dinner, which was hosted last night in City Hall, Rob Horgan called for further measures to be taken to tackle issues across Cork, including housing, water infrastructure, childcare, and transport, and touched on the importance of funding efforts for off-shore energy projects.

Cork Chamber board members this week met with peers and counterparts from Dublin and Belfast.

Priorities for its members include housing; infrastructure and connectivity; supporting SMEs, local businesses and startups; sustainability and climate; reform and speed of delivery.

The survey measuring business sentiment for the final quarter of last year also asked local firms about their experience of improving energy efficiency in their businesses and the challenges they faced in doing so.

Rob Horgan, President of Cork Chamber says Cork is on the cusp of a transformative period and we need to adopt a long-term vision for Cork's future. 

Conor Healy, CEO, Cork Chamber looks back on 2024 and says Cork stands on the cusp of a bright future. 

Chief executive of Cork Chamber Conor Healy tells Amy Campbell about his hopes for Cork in 2025 and the likely return of a Cork-based Taoiseach.

However, Cork Chamber president Rob Horgan told the organisation’s annual Dublin dinner last night that the impact of “infrastructure inefficiencies on this ambition” could not be underestimated.

The awards ceremony, which is organised by Cork Chamber, was held at the Oriel House Hotel in Ballincollig on Friday night.

European Commissioner-Designate for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, Michael McGrath made the comments at the opening of Workvivo by Zoom's new flagship engagement hub in Cork. 

Cork Chamber made the statement in its pre-budget submission, highlighting suburban and light rail, intercity rail, BusConnects Cork, key road projects, such as the M28 Cork-to-Ringaskiddy project, the N/M20 Cork-to-Limerick scheme, the Northern Distributor Road, the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme, and the long-awaited events centre as examples.

Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy, said Cork Chamber has raised issues regarding the funding difficulties faced by universities and third-level institutions in its pre-budget submission.

Anne Graham made the comments yesterday at Cork Chamber’s latest Business Breakfast event.

Members were asked for their views on the provision of childcare services in Cork and the impact childcare has on their employees.

At the 2024 Cork Chamber annualdinner at Cork City Hall were:1. John O’Connell, West Cork Distillers, receiving the award for Large Cork Company of the Year, from Conor Healy, CEO, Cork Chamber, and Sinead Scully, Vodafone Ireland. {element}2.

More than 1,000 people were in attendance at the Chamber's annual dinner at City Hall last night

Cork Chamber’s Conor Healy speaks to Breda Graham about a year of great progress and great promise for Cork and highlights some of the projects he hopes to see delivered in the city over the coming years

The minister said the “main way to tackle homelessness was to increase housing supply” and challenged Sinn Féin and others to stop objecting to proposed housing developments.

Cork City Council said the visit presents an opportunity for Cork to reignite long-running partnerships in Shanghai and Wuxi, particularly in the areas of health and education.

Chief Executive of Cork City Council Ann Doherty said Cork’s public transport system would be one of the things she would fast forward as “transport leads to everything”.

Cork Chamber also called for additional and specific investment to establish a dedicated fund to enable Cork’s 2030 climate neutrality journey.

“This continued focus on key infrastructure delivery will provide a catalyst, to ensure our city is poised to capitalise on the growth opportunities that exist in the years ahead.”

"Further routes to key business locations will be required to support continued economic growth in the Cork region." 

The Cork-based VP of Operations for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa was recognised for her outstanding contribution to business.

92% of businesses are concerned or very concerned about energy costs; 24% have identified energy efficiency as a priority business action to combat rising prices, while 20% will prioritise reducing overheads.

The Chamber also said it is “critical” An Garda Síochána “are resourced to police cities such as Cork in a safe manner and are enabled to increase visual presence on streets to deter and detect crime”.

Newly elected Cork Chamber president Ronan Murray speaks to Amy Nolan about what employers should focus on to retain staff and how important the 15-minute city concept will be for Cork

The Government is being urged to remain highly focused on supporting commercial ambition to address the pent-up demand in the city region.

Members of the Cork business community are being urged to donate to a newly established GoFundMe page which hopes to raise €10,000 for the cause.

Half of the businesses surveyed expect an increase in employee numbers in the next 12 months.

The award was presented to the Port of Cork company through a live video link in Philadelphia at a dinner in Cork Chamber.

The native of Limerick has worked for Dairygold for over 40 years, as well as contributing to other business, state, and educational institutions through his board representation.

President of Cork Chamber Paula Cogan looks ahead to 2022, outlining opportunities for Cork to excel

Over €90m is to be invested in making improvements to the Cork-Dublin railway line, speeding up the journey between Ireland’s first and second city.

It is all in our power to support the recovery of our economy, says Paula Cogan, President of the Cork Chamber, as she encourages people to shop local, do business local and enjoy hospitality locally too this Christmas

CORK Chamber is calling for investment in education, skills and apprenticeships to help the economy to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CORK Chamber has called on the Government to fully support the possibility of the Amerca's Cup being hosted in Cork and said it is an opportunity "not to be missed".

MICHELLE O’SULLIVAN, Senior Public Affairs Executive and Sustainable Cork Programme Lead with Cork Chamber, shares some of the reasons for positivity for a greener, cleaner, more sustainable and healthier future for all

Businesses the length and breadth of Cork received recognition for their digital marketing strategies this afternoon, as Cork Chamber awarded the winners of the hotly contested Cork Digital Marketing Awards 2020.

CONNECTED public transport, cycleways and green spaces are the top three priorities for Cork’s future, according to an open survey carried out by Cork Chamber.

Entries for the seventh annual Cork Digital Marketing Awards (CDMAs) hosted by Cork Chamber are now open.  The theme for this year’s CDMAs is Digital Titans.