Successful AIWA Networking Luncheon address by EU Minister Creighton

Apr 04, 2012 Warehousing Ireland News 0

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With over 40 repesentatives from the Irish logistics sector attended the 3rd annual AIWA Irish Logistics Networking Lunch at the Carlton Hotel, Dublin Aiport on 3 April.

Attending the event was Lucinda Creighton TD, Minister of State for European Affairs as the Principal Guest Speaker as well as leading Logistics Directors and CEOs together with suppliers from Ireland and leading UK companies with business links in Ireland. The event is organised jointly by the All Ireland Warehousing Association (AIWA) and the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) on behalf of the International Federation of Warehousing Logistics Associations (IFWLA) and the Confederation Europeene de l’Entreposage et de la Logistique (CEEL).  It is supported by CILT (Ireland) and Fleet Transport Magazine. Roger Williams CEO UKWA/AIWA (pictured below) acted as MC.

Minister Creighton Remarks 

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• I have been asked to talk a little about the recovery prospects for the Irish economy and the central role of business and exporters in that recovery.

• The economy expanded last year by 0.7 per cent, the first year of expansion since 2007. Notwithstanding considerable uncertainty, the outlook is for continued growth this year (the Government expects GDP to increase by 1.3 per cent; the Central Bank expects growth of 0.5 per cent)

• Exports are leading the way. This reflects substantial improvements in competitiveness in recent years, testament to the flexibility of the Irish economy.

• The cost of doing business in Ireland has fallen and we have seen an increase in Foreign Direct Investment.This is translating into strong export growth.

• Exports are very large in relation to the size of the economy – this means that even in an environment of fiscal consolidation we can achieve economic growth.

• The labour market has borne the brunt of the adjustment with unemployment now at over 14 per cent, though signs of stabilisation are becoming evident.The Government has responded to this by introducing a Jobs Initiative involving, amongst others things, lower VAT for labour-intensive services (e.g. tourism), as well as publishing a detailed Action Plan for Jobs and a targeted scheme of activation measures called Pathways to Work.Indeed, figures on employment showed the first quarterly increase in four years in Q4 2011.

• There are, of course, risks to the outlook. The euro area sovereign debt crisis is obviously a key factor, though there is less pessimism now than was the case a few months ago and in that regard, the actions of the ECB have helped (provision of unlimited three-year money at low rates). The concerted policy action we have agreed to at European level will also help stabilise and restore confidence in the euro area as we go through this year.
• So we are ‘trading our way’ to recovery – the only sustainable way in the long run

      Cross Border Trade

• I understand you have a particular interest in cross-border trade and the potential in that area.
• As you will be aware InterTradeIreland was established under the Good Friday Agreement to ‘exchange information and co-ordinate work on trade, business development and related matters in areas where the two administrations specifically agree it would be in their mutual interest’.
• Enterprise policy co-ordination and practical all-island business co-operation in the areas of Trade, Innovation and Business and Economic Research are already a reality through InterTradeIreland’s work, which is underpinned by joint funding from the Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland.
• North South economic co-operation is and will remain a priority for the Government. This is evidenced by the fact that despite the enormous pressures on our budgets, Minister Bruton has secured an allocation for 2012 for InterTradeIreland which will be maintained at 2011 levels.
• The enterprise development agencies North and South of the border have for many years co-operated where this has added value to their activities, and this collaboration has greatly increased in recent years.
• Enterprise Ireland, which stimulates the development of indigenous enterprise, has extensive contact with its Northern counterparts and works with them on a range of programmes.
• The IDA Ireland collaborates with Invest Northern Ireland, for example, in the Northwest Now initiative. More recently, there have been very positive developments where a wide range of agencies and institutions now co-operate on science and technology issues, including participation in the EU Research Framework Programme.
• The Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation also provides funding support for Interreg projects, which are supported by the EU and the Northern Ireland Executive.
• Through Interreg, we have supported a number of North South enterprise projects, including enterprise networking for the border counties and Northern Ireland, for example, for renewable energy and sustainable development.
• The Government, along with the enterprise development agencies, will work diligently with the Northern Ireland Executive and its agencies to increase the economic benefits accruing fromcross-borderco-operation and the work of the North South Bodies.

 Winners of the Prizes of the Prize Draws sponsored by Ashling Skelton – Aisling Skelton Hospitality – Tel:  00 353 86 8773196
E: aisling@aislingskelton.com & Fleet Transport magazine were Saffron Stoney, Proteus Software and Ronan Kelly, Close Commercial Finance, presented by Deirdre Sinnott, HSA.

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