CEO Update: Ibec's latest international engagements & upcoming events

The latest CEO Update to Ibec membership from Danny McCoy

Dear member,

As we enter the final phase of what has been another difficult year for many organisations, Ibec is continuing to give voice to the key issues facing business and acting on your behalf. While Covid may be once again dominating the headlines, and we remain in ongoing contact with Government on the implications for business, including advocating for necessary business supports, it is important we do not lose sight of the other emerging challenges for Irish business.

This week, Ibec President Frank Gleeson and I represented Irish business at the BusinessEurope Council of Presidents meeting in Paris, which saw contributions from President Emmanuel Macron and Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire. In advance of the very influential French EU Presidency in the first half of next year, Ibec advocated strongly for policies that support the development of dynamic, open economies and continued ease of access to global markets that have been so critical for the success of our business model in recent decades. We also engaged with stakeholders to ensure that the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ climate legislation reflects the unique issues of Irish business and helps deliver a cost-effective transition to carbon neutrality. A detailed summary of these engagements will be available on the Ibec website in the coming days.

I want to bring to your attention some events that Ibec is hosting over the coming weeks that I hope will be of interest to you and your organisation.

On Tuesday, 30 November, Ibec will host a special briefing session for members to share their views on proposals for our submission to Government’s new Commission on Taxation and Welfare. This is an important process that will consider how best the taxation and welfare systems can support economic activity and promote increased employment and prosperity in Ireland. You can register for the event here.

The following Tuesday, 7 December, we are hosting a briefing event with our colleagues in CBI Northern Ireland, that will bring together a wide range of stakeholders from business, research and education to examine the skills challenge in an all island context and to discuss possible all island coordination and resourcing solutions. It will discuss how the higher education sector can effectively align with the needs of business and the role for all island initiatives in tackling the skills and labour market challenges faced by businesses in both jurisdictions. You can register to attend here.

Finally, I leave you with a link to the latest episode of Ibec Voices, our podcast series about the people and priorities behind Irish business. This week’s episode features highlights from my recent lecture at Áras an Uachtaráin titled "Sustainable Development- "Still" The Opportunity for Irish Economic Policymakers", delivered in my capacity as President of the Statistical & Social Inquiry Society of Ireland.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Ibec Voices series and if there is any policy item that you would like to see discussed on it, please do get in touch. It is always good to hear from you.

Regards,

Danny McCoy

CEO

Ibec