The Cork Chamber Dublin Dinner, held on Tuesday evening at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road in association with EY, showcased the vital collaboration between Cork and Dublin and its significance to the prosperity of Ireland as a whole. The event was attended by over 600 leaders from Ireland’s business, political and diplomatic sectors.
The keynote address was delivered by the former Tánaiste, Simon Coveney TD, who is stepping away from politics after 25 years of public service. Drawing on his experience as a former MEP and Minster for Foreign Affairs, Mr Coveney shared his insights into the changing geo-political environment.
Bridging these perspectives, Cork Chamber President Rob Horgan, expanded on the challenges facing Ireland’s business community, particularly for smaller enterprises, and emphasised the importance of addressing these issues to sustain the broader economic ecosystem.
While acknowledging the thriving business community, and Cork’s ability to ‘out-perform in terms of economic output’, Mr Horgan said, “today’s climate for business is not without its challenges. In particular, for smaller organisations. We must ease the regulatory burden on this sector and provide the supports they need. A thriving SME sector is also the bedrock for our FDI companies which we place great value in.”
Building on the themes of adaptability and resilience building, Cork Chamber President, Rob Horgan, outlined a compelling vision for Cork’s future. Speaking on future rejuvenation and the need for a focus on our urban centres, Mr Horgan referenced Cork’s industrial docklands as presenting “a huge opportunity to bring new life to the city, with a mix modern living options and office spaces, giving rise to a whole new district. We cannot under-estimate the impact of infrastructure deficiencies in delivering on this ambition.”
