Businesses outline the importance of predictability in the capital investment pipeline for the Western region

• Ibec opens new Western office on Eyre Square, Galway
• The new Western office will continue to provide expert HR and industrial relations advice, while ensuring the needs of businesses in the region are represented nationally

Ibec, the organisation representing Irish businesses, hosted its annual Budget Briefing on business priorities for the Western region in its new Western regional office at Hibernian House on Eyre Square, Galway.

The event, which followed the formal opening of the office, brought together local members and TDs, including Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD, Alan Dillon TD, Noel Grealish TD, and former Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, Catherine Connolly TD.

At the Budget Briefing, Ibec’s Western members highlighted how the region’s unique quality of life is being undermined by housing constraints and delays or uncertainty around key infrastructural projects such as the N6 Galway Ring Road, the N5 upgrade, and Atlantic Corridor projects. They also stressed the need for improved rail and bus connectivity. The meeting noted that Budget 2026 must balance global uncertainty with measures to boost agility, support productivity, futureproof capital projects, and strengthen fiscal resilience.

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said:

“We are thrilled to be marking a new chapter for Ibec in the Western region with the opening of our new office at Hibernian House. Ibec’s roots in the West stretch back over 45 years, even before the landmark merger of 1993 that created Ibec as we know it today.

Our members across the Western region are responsible for creating and developing thousands of high-quality roles and career opportunities. In supporting them, we want to ensure this region continues to thrive, both through the growth of Irish businesses and as an attractive hub for global investment.

Ibec’s investment in Galway underlines our longstanding commitment to the West. It ensures that businesses here will continue to benefit from strong local support while also being fully connected to Ibec’s national and international networks.

It is fitting that one of the first meetings hosted in our new office was with members of the Oireachtas and the business community in the context of Budget 2026. There are major opportunities ahead for the West, and while Budget 2026 must balance public finances against a backdrop of global uncertainty, it is important to see tangible progress on key infrastructural projects, where regions such as the West could benefit greatly.”

Regional Director for Ibec, Kevin Feighery, added:

“The Western office has always played a vital role, offering expert HR and industrial relations advice, and ensuring that the needs of businesses in our region are heard loud and clear on the issues that matter most.

Ibec’s legacy in the region speaks to decades of partnership, advocacy, and service to employers and communities across Connacht. The businesses we work with every day represent the diversity of sectors in our region, from large employers to smaller local enterprises, from Irish-owned companies to multinationals, spanning MedTech, technology, engineering, food and beverages, and many more.

Today is not just about a new premises; it is about renewed ambition and renewed confidence in the future of enterprise in the West of Ireland, and the vital role Ibec’s Western office plays within that.”