CHAMBER BALL
MARY MITCHELL O’CONNOR GUEST OF HONOUR AT CHAMBER’S ANNUAL DINNER
‘ LET’S give Sligo the future it deserves’. That was the message from Des Faul, President of Sligo Chamber of Commerce, as he addressed the large crowd at the annual dinner on Saturday night in Castle Dargan.
Hundreds of local Sligo businesses and business people gathered got their glad rags on to attend the prestigious annual event.
The Chamber’s special guest for the night was Minister for Jobs, Mary Mitchell O’Connor.
In his address to the crowd, Mr. Faul said that there are plenty of positive things happening in Sligo at present.
“There are many good things happening, because in Sligo we have a community of highly- skilled, creative, driven women and men,people who see challenges and overcome them, who see opportunities, and realise them.”
Pointing out projects such as O’Connell Street and improvement works to Finisklin Business Park, the Chamber President says that we, in Sligo, are “finally pressing forward”.
“Our manufacturing sector remains solid and many firms have their own good news stories for the year. Improvements in Finisklin Business Park and the upgrade of Finisklin Road have made our key industrial site more attractive to new industry. The roll- out of SIRO broadband is nearing completion and pushes us towards the connectivity we so badly need.
“With the appointment of Dr. Brendan McCormack to the position of President of IT Sligo, we continue to have a strong supporter `– and driver — of establishing a Technological University in
the North West of Ireland linking IT Sligo, GMIT and Letterkenny IT.
“With work underway in O’Connell Street and work commencing on the promised N4 improvements, we are indeed finally ‘ pressing forward’. The pace may not be fast enough, but we will get there.”
Tourism in Sligo, he says, continues to grow, and he now wants 2017 to be the year in which the county’s improvements begins to attract even more visitors.
“Our reputation as a tourism centre continues to grow and the estimated € 100m per year industry in County Sligo is a testament to the many hard- working businesses who continue to promote their wares on the Wild Atlantic Way – which we hope will incorporate even more of what Sligo has to offer.
“Let’s make 2017 a year to kick- start real delivery of these improvements which will increase our sense of pride and community and which will help tourism and economic life. Let’s help Sligo realise its potential by capitalising on its talents and assets and showing them to the world.”