Bluebird Care is crowned Business Group of the Year
BLUEBIRD Care has been named Ireland’s Business Group of the Year at the National Q Mark Awards.
The company, which provides accessible, quality safe care for individuals of all ages in the home and community setting, operates in 23 locations throughout Ireland, including from their base at Broomhall Business Park in Rathnew.
It has 1,500 care staff around the country and delivers over 25,000 care visits per week.
Greg Darcy, Director of Bluebird Care in Wicklow said that ‘ being recognised on a national stage for quality homecare reinforces our commitment to delivering the highest standards of care in Ireland to our customers.’
Irene Collins, MD of the National Q Mark Awards, said: ‘when the homecare sector is finally state regulated in Ireland, Bluebird Care will be more than ready because they have been advocates for quality standards and external audit procedures for four years.’ THE Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has welcomed the retention of the nine per cent tourism VAT rate announced by Minister Noonan as part of Budget 2017.
Gerard O’Brien of the Woodenbridge Hotel, who is the Wicklow branch chair of the IHF, said that the rate has been instrumental in the recovery of the tourism industry, which has created some 50,000 new jobs since the measure was introduced in 2011.
‘ This measure has been the single most important fiscal initiative for Irish tourism in the last decade and we are pleased the Government has retained the rate,’ said Mr O’Brien.
‘It demonstrates that it has been highly effective in job creation and also acknowledges that we have a pro-tourism Government who see the value the industry brings to every part of our country, located on the periphery of Europe.
‘ The decision is a vote of confidence in the tourism industry at a time of uncertainty due to Brexit,’ he said.
Mr O’Brien also highlighted the benefit that tourism brings in terms of jobs.
‘ Tourism is one of Ireland’s largest employers. It currently supports some 220,000 jobs and is on track to create a further 40,000 new jobs by 2021. Direct actions by the government including the nine per cent VAT rate, and the zero rate travel tax have helped level the playing field for tourism businesses to compete for visitors with other European destinations and are vital in underpinning and sustaining that growth,’ he said.
‘ Tourism makes an important contribution to the economy of every town and village in Ireland. While the industry has returned to growth, with Brexit on the horizon, a weaker Sterling and an uncertain global outlook, there is no room for complacency.’
Mr O’Brien acknowledged the important support provided by Government, Ministers Michael Noonan and Paschal Donohoe and by Tourism Ministers Shane Ross and Patrick O’Donovan as well as those public representatives across the country who strive to ensure that tourism remains at the centre of Government economic policy and its important role in growing the Irish economy is recognised.