Ibec Mid-West launches general election campaign today

Creating jobs and maintaining a positive business environment must be a priority for next government

Ibec Mid-West, the group that represents business in the region, will today (17 November)  launch its General Election campaign bringing together business leaders, policymakers and general election candidates to set out the key business priorities in the region for the next government.

At the launch, Ibec will outline how to attract more investment, create more jobs and make the Mid-West a better place to live, work and do business. The event will be chaired by Deputy Editor of the Sunday Business Post Pat Leahy and will be addressed by Ibec President and Janssen Global Vice President for manufacturing, Gerry Collins.

Ahead of the event, Ibec Acting Regional Director for Mid West and Kerry Sinead Mullins said: “Unemployment in the region is still above the national average at 11.2%. On top of this, employment growth has been struggling with growth of only 1.5% in the past three years which is the lowest in the country. A survey carried out on behalf of Ibec found that a quality infrastructure was the highest priority for promoting economic recovery outside Dublin and the East. Also, half of survey respondents felt the recovery is primarily being seen in Dublin. 59% of respondents agreed that grants should be available to help businesses relocate from Dublin to rural towns and cities.

“Massive strides still need to be made to ensure the region benefits fully from the wider economic recovery. Under investment in housing, the road network, education and health, along with a growing population means we are not prepared for the next phase of the recovery. We have a limited window to plan for these pressures and we urgently need to see a mind-set change from politicians and policymakers.

“Creating jobs and maintaining a positive business environment must be a priority for the next government and failure to do so will jeopardise the recovery in the Mid-West. Successful businesses are central to the Mid-West’s economic prospects and the creation of a truly dynamic, diverse economy. We are calling on political parties and candidates to set out a clear plan for the region over the coming years,” concluded Ms Mullins.