Chamber makes case for aid for Border towns
Dundalk Chamber of Commerce PRO Paddy Malone admitted that he felt a sense of de ju vu as he spoke to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Horseware Ireland headquarters at the Finnabair Industrial Estate on Thursday morning, less than twenty-four hours after he had addressed the All-Ireland civic dialogue conference in Dublin.
And, he says, the Taoiseach acknowledged that Dundalk Chamber of Commerce had also made the same case in its budget submission in the summer.
Mr Malone outlined how ‘ The exact impact that BREXIT will have is dependent on how the UK will try to define its relationship with the EU and how the EU responds to that.’
As the political gamesmanship over Brexit continues in the UK, he recalled that the Chamber had previously identified a number of possible outcomes and what the Government’s reaction to these should be.
A big factor is the uncertainly over whether there will be a ‘ hard’ or ‘soft’ border as the near 3,000 local commuters who cross the border daily have to know how long that journey will take in order to plan school and crèche deliveries and pick-ups plus other commitments. Delays at a ‘ hard’ border and currency variations could have implications for transport costs.
He called for special supports for the retail trade in towns along the Border, saying that ‘at the time of the budget we said we could compete as long as sterling was in the 80’s but not if it crossed 90p. We need specific targeted relief in this area and specifically.’
He urged that Central Government to subsidise retail rates for a limited period and that ‘soft loans’ or finance to be made available for all SME long the border and not just exporting or agri business.
Mr Malone also called for the Living City Initiative to be extended to Dundalk and to be targeted and amended for Dundalk’s special needs ‘I also pointed out that some of the problems caused by BREXIT were not new to us,’ Mr Malone said after the meeting. ‘We have been living with a border for nearly 100 years which has distorted trade, commercial and community life. What is new is that with the internet it is not just retail along the border but also Cork, Limerick and other places that will feel the impact.’
‘We had a very good year in Dundalk last year and if traders can hang on for 18 months or two years, I believe the situation will regularise itself but the problem is a lot of businesses will find it hard to hang on that long. Any help we have asked for is of a short term nature as inflation will drive prices up in the UK.’
Mr Malone was also asked to speak to the Oireachtas committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation today (Tuesday) as part of Chambers Ireland presentation on Brexit.