Thursday last saw the launch by Cork Chamber of its General Election 2024 manifesto, outlining the key priorities for businesses and the wider economy across Cork city and county as the election approaches.
Accelerating the delivery of critical infrastructure projects for the Cork region is amongst the items being called for, including those that promote active travel, such as the Cork Light Rail, BusConnects and commuter rail, alongside key transport corridors like the Northern Distributor Road, the N25, the M20 and M28.
Also, the inclusion of the Cork Events Centre in the next programme for Government, prioritising its delivery in the coming government term.
Candidates in this year’s general election are also being called on to prioritise the delivery of housing and infrastructure to support the city and county’s growing population by providing multi-annual funding plans for providers of critical utilities and infrastructure, and encouraging greater alignment among delivery stakeholders. Also, to pursue pro-business policies, streamlining the increased regulatory burden affecting SMEs in particular and providing appropriate supports to SMEs when implementing new regulations.
Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, said that “while Cork already has much to offer in terms of cultural, social and economic amenities and opportunities, we must ensure that the region continues to thrive in the years to come as its population expands considerably. The representatives we elect to Dáil Éireann now will be presiding over the direction of national policy at a time of immense change for the Cork region, but also a time of considerable opportunity.”
In total, Cork Chamber’s members have highlighted eight key priorities for progress over the next five years, namely: Housing; Urban Evolution; Talent and Skills; Renewables and Energy System Integration; Sustainability and Climate Neutral City; Infrastructure and Connectivity; Supporting SMEs, local businesses and start-ups; and Planning Reform and Speed of Delivery.
