Buoyant business mood turns to crisis management in pandemic

AIB and Tralee Chamber Alliance’s joint seminar on the tourism and retail sector was held amid a cautiously optimistic mood at the Ballygarry House Hotel a fortnight ago.

Within hours all changed utterly of course as coronavirus onslaught came into even sharper relief.

But both the AIB and Chamber Alliance have flagged their unstinting support for all customers and members in the face of this unthinkable health and economic crisis upon us now.

One of the organisers of the seminar, AIB Tralee manager Stephen Stack said the bank’s focus was now all about supporting its business customers at their hour of need.

“The big thing now is that people affected by Covid are getting the chance to avail of three-month moratoriums on payments amid other measures.

“The timing of the event, which went great with a huge turnout, was more by accident than design in co-inciding in the end with such an extreme set of circumstances. But we are there for all our business customers now, as we all get through this together.”

Tralee Chamber Alliance is meanwhile calling for all commercial rates to be waived for an extended period of time, rather than a temporary deferral. It has also been working around the clock to help all members complete and process vital documentation to access support, CE Ken Tobin said: “We acted when called upon by Intreo in Kerry to support them in ensuring employees and self-employed had their claims processed quickly, and we worked around the clock to develop a system with Intreo to fast-track claim forms for all businesses in Kerry.”

Photo by Domnick Walsh At the AIB/Tralee Alliance Tourism seminar in the Ballygarry House Hotel were, back from left, Feargus Dunne IT Tralee, Kevin McCarthy MD Garvey Group, Ken Tobin CEO Tralee Chamber Alliance, Anthony O’Gara, CEO Rose of Tralee, Padraig McGillicuddy, Ballygarry House Hotel, Joan O Dell, AIB, David McCarthy, Head of Tourism AIB, Paul O Neill, O’Donoghue/Ring Group, Conor O Sullivan, AIB, Pat O’Leary, Killarney, Tina O’ Dwyer, Director The Tourism Space. Front, from left, Josephine O Driscoll, Fáilte Ireland, Sandra Ruske, Weardrobe, Stephen Stack, Manager AIB Tralee, David Fitzsimons, Head of Retail Excellence Ireland, Sean Healy, Head of SME AIB and Mary Mackin AIB.

Photos by Domnick Walsh Sean Healy, AIB, Tina O’Dwyer, Josephine O’Driscoll and Tralee AIB branch manager Stephen Stack.

David and Robert Pierse from Listowel at the seminar.

Mike McDonnell of Woodlands Caravan Park and Anthony O’Gara CEO of The Rose of Tralee.

Photo by Domnick Walsh Mike McCarthy, Larkin’s, Milltown, and CEO of the Tralee Chamber Alliance Ken Tobin.

Tomas Griffin, AIB Tralee, David Fitzsimons, Group Chief Executive Retail Excellence Ireland and Sean Collum, AIB Dingle

Retail Excellence Ireland CE David Fitzsimons, Sean Healy Head of AIB SME and MD Garvey Group Kevin McCarthy.

The IT Tralee’s Fiona Tobin, Feargus Dunne and Mary Rose Stafford

Tina O’Dwyer of The Tourism Space with Sandra Rusk of Weardrobe at the tourism and retail seminar.