Lobbying and Representation

As a Corporate member of the Chamber we will ensure the issues that affect your business are championed by our experienced and knowledgeable staff. This can be done through working with your company on a single issue that matters to you or by addressing the issue as part of our wider lobbying and influencing agenda. South Dublin Chamber is a registered lobbying organization under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.

Chamber priorities for 2023 include;

• Taxation local and National
• Housing
• Water costs
• Transport
• Talent Retention

As part of the Chamber’s remit we lobby and seek to influence those who are charged with developing our economy locally and nationally.  With the recent elections for Local and European Parliament places the Chamber’s produced a Manifesto for both.  Our Chamber works with all the other Chambers affiliated to Chambers Ireland to ensure the voice of our collective membership of over 9,000 businesses is heard.

Locally we have a strong relationship with all the main political parties and some of the issues we highlighted were:

• Create more stable revenue models by ending the over reliance on business rates and increasing the proportion of the Local Authority income that comes from local property taxes (LPT).
• Implement a widespread and accessible charging infrastructure for electric vehicles to accelerate the decarbonisation of our economy.
• Create local skills censuses and develop complementary training programme which address local skill gaps.
• Implement a programme of export training for SMEs.
• Reduce the bureaucracy in engagement with the Council.

On a European level we see the EU as essential to the growth and stability of our business community.  As you will see from our Manifesto, we see greater engagement with the EU as essential.  Some of the points we have highlighted include:

Financial aid for communities and businesses who may be detrimentally impacted in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Increased resources to communicate the funding opportunities available to SMEs and entrepreneurs under programmes like the European Investment Fund and Horizon 2020.
Maintain the status quo of EU Council unanimity on issues of taxation.
Prioritise the “Think Small First” principle across all new regulation so that red tape for SMEs is minimised.
Ensure there are financial supports available that encourage businesses to invest in energy efficiency.

If you have an issue you would like the Chamber to assist you with or add to our priority list, please let me know.

Brexit

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD met with our Chamber members in February (2019) and shared insights into how the Brexit situation was evolving and the challenges the country faced as a result of same. The Q&A session was very interesting with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade taking over an hour to converse with members.

In April (2019) we ran a Trade Mission to Scotland. This was a good opportunity to assess what changes are needed to import / export to the UK. The programme provided direct contacts for those taking part with Scottish businesses of interest to them and provided insights from the Scottish agencies and Chambers supporting the trade mission. South Dublin was the lead Chamber on this mission which had businesses from Fingal Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and Kildare Chambers attending.

Throughout 2023 the Chamber will be supporting members dealing with Brexit through specialist training and ongoing relevant and specific information.

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