Confidence in the economy dips among Cork firms ahead of budget, as costs continue to bite

Cork Chamber president Ronan Murray urged the Government to invest more in further and higher education and research institutes to “bridge” the skills gap and aid business growth

Unemployment is currently at a record low of around 4% and the lack of skills available among the remaining talent pool is holding businesses back, according to Cork Chamber.

Confidence in the economy has dipped among Cork-based businesses as a tight labour market as well as operational costs continue to bite, according to a new survey.

Confidence dropped slightly to 80% for the last three months, from 84% in the previous quarter, ahead of the budget next week, Cork Chamber’s Economic Trends report supported by Permanent TSB shows.