‘Reviving city’s competitiveness’ among challenges facing region

ONE of the biggest challenges facing business in the mid-west is reviving the flagging competitiveness of Limerick city centre. A number of major developments including the Opera Centre are on hold due to the recession.

Kieran Mac Sweeney, who yesterday took up office as president of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, said: “Vibrant and attractive cities act as drivers for investment and are catalysts for economic growth throughout the region. This will be one of our key priorities for the year and we have been busy engaging with city traders, the city council and key stakeholders in the city to come up with short and medium term measures that focus specifically on reviving the city centre. Our primary focus is on the short term measures around litter, parking, rates and security but we are also focusing on ways to bring fresh investment into the city.”

In addition to bringing in big name retailers to increase, business, he said the city centre needs to encourage more grass roots, bottom up, artistic/creative kinds of development as the way forward.

Mr Mac Sweeney said: “Limerick has fantastic locally owned boutiques, high quality restaurants and coffee shops and it is this uniqueness that we need to focus on and develop as this will make our city stand out. The Chamber is also intent on identifying a high-profile international scale festival that will put us on the world map and will showcase the wealth of creative and artistic talent we have.”

“Shannon Airport, as a key driver of investment to the region will always be high on our list and while customs pre-clearance has opened up some very significant opportunities and advantages we are very concerned about the reduction in services and passenger numbers at the airport. If we are to attract investment into the region and retain existing jobs we must have an international airport with strong transatlantic and European connections. Other issues such as job creation, training and upskilling our people, helping to develop strategic partnerships for our city and region, improving our infrastructure and developing the full potential of deep sea facilities in the Shannon Estuary will always be on the Chamber agenda.”

As part of the Chamber of Commerce’s effort to improve communication with members and the wider business community, Mr Mac Sweeney said they will issue write a blog outlining progress on initiatives.

He said: “This blog will also create a platform for additional input and debate. We encourage people to log on to www.limerickchamber.ie and click on president’s blog to track our progress and also give us their views on the work we are doing.”

Mc Mac Sweeney is consulting partner with the Discovery Partnership (www.thediscoverypartnership.com) where he advises and works in partnership with owners and executives of small to medium sized companies.