Micheál Martin to attend major North-South business conference

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will meet business leaders from across the island of Ireland at a conference taking place against the backdrop of economic uncertainty driven by US trade and tariff policies.

Mr Martin will address the Joint Business Council All-island Business Conference in Dundalk on Thursday.

The conference is centred around protecting all-island businesses in a new global environment, with heightened geopolitical disruption.

The event will bring together more than 150 business leaders, stakeholders and public policymakers to focus on the “interconnected and cost-effective ways that businesses operate on an all-island basis”.

The conference is jointly held by business representative groups, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec).

They said businesses across the island are eager to see aligned policy support from both the Irish and UK governments that unlocks economic opportunities and broadens the benefits of cross-border cooperation.

According to Ibec and the CBI, more must be done to strengthen and future-proof the all-island economy by enhancing collaboration around trade, infrastructure, sustainability, workforce integration, private investment and long-term resilience.

Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, said: “The restoration of the North-South Ministerial Council has cleared the way for improved cooperation across the island.

“However, the rise in global uncertainty stemming from US trade and tariff policies and growing geopolitical disruption means the all-island economy must focus on building resilience and deepening collaboration.”

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the CBI, said the conference comes at a critical time for businesses across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the EU.

She added: “The disruptive impact of tariffs, tax retaliation, and a changing global order has only reinforced the urgent need to strengthen cross-border economic ties on the island of Ireland.

“In the current climate, policy stability and certainty are not optional but are prerequisites for investment in sectors that matter most to both of our economies, from manufacturing and agri-food to life sciences.