Chamber call on Election candidates to ensure they deliver for the region

Limerick is strategically located mid-way along the Atlantic Corridor. There are almost half a million people within a 60 minute drive. Limerick is recognised as a top ten cities in which to invest in Europe and is the most affordable city in the world in which to buy a home. We have a student population in excess of 20,000 across three Higher Education Institutes producing 6,000 graduates per year.  We have an urban population of 100,000 people and almost 50% of our population is under 35 years of age. This is the message from Limerick Chamber CEO Dr. James Ring as the business representative body launch their Election Manifesto.

“Limerick is proving itself as an attractive location for globally mobile investments with over 6,000 jobs created by multinational, indigenous firms and start-ups in the past 36 months.

“We are leading a period of transformation with capital investment projects valued in excess of €1bn currently being undertaken by public and private entities across the City and County; our newly amalgamated local authority is delivering vision and direction for our region; the newly formed Shannon Group continues to post growth; Shannon Foynes Port company have announced a series of capital investment projects; while our third level institutions continue to prove their flexibility and adaptability in meeting emerging industry skills needs and investing in innovative research” continued Dr. Ring.

Dr. Ring says that businesses are playing their part in driving and supporting the attractiveness of the region as a great location to invest, live and work. He’s calling on the next government to ensure they put policies in place policies which compliment this work to deliver a globally competitive fiscal environment with the necessary social infrastructures in place.

“We are calling on all our election candidates to commit to deliver national policies which support the growth of our great region to ensure there are jobs for everybody, and a stable economy where exchequer returns are invested back into providing the necessary social and physical infrastructures to facilitate future growth” concluded Dr. Ring.

Ends

For more information contact Dr. Órlaith Borthwick, Director of Policy on 086-4136161 or e| oborthwick@limerickchamber.ie

Notes for Editor

In their Election Manifesto 2016 (a full copy is available here) Limerick Chamber are calling on the next government to commit to:

• maintaining Ireland’s 12.5% Corporate Tax Rate
• showing leadership by exercising restraint on policies which increase employment costs and erode competitiveness; particularly in relation to pay increases
• Introduce a suite of measures which support an increase in the supply of housing
• Investment into the healthcare facility at University Hospital Limerick to create a regional Centre of Excellence in medical care
• Support for the development of a private hospital facility in Limerick
• Increase the number of Gardaí