‘Commercial property crisis’ hitting growth

The Cork region is “facing a commercial property crisis” which could hamper employment growth, Cork Chamber president John Mullins has warned.

“The success of John Cleary’s development in Mahon Point is testament to a demand for quality office locations by newcomers and expanding existing businesses.

“The Government, through NAMA and other agencies, must provide the financing so that this deficit can be met,” Mr Mullins told the Cork Chamber Business Breakfast, held in association with the Irish Examiner.

Mr Mullins also noted that recent weeks have been dominated by union conferences and consideration of the Croke Park II discussions.

“Much of what we have seen and heard has been difficult for a business community that continues to struggle to make ends meet; a business community that has not been able to show red cards wantonly to ministers when they are invited to events. We have as a chamber tried to reason with ministers about how important it is to reduce taxes and charges on the creation of jobs.

“It is all the more despairing to have seen the immaturity shown over the last few weeks. This chamber is supportive of the Government applying legislative changes in the event that Croke Park II fails; why? because this country cannot afford any longer an unwillingness to reform,” he added.

Mr Mullins also said he read with interest the commentary from Sean O’Driscoll of Glen Dimplex about our social welfare system over the last while.

“This is a system that is not linked in 2013 to the taxation system. It is a system being abused, defrauded by some, a system that is being paid for by hard-working citizens and by this business community. As a business community, we expect to have checks and balances in place to ensure that fraud is stamped out and situations where prisoners continue to receive social welfare because of an oversight must not be tolerated. This money is our money and not the State’s money,” he said.