This month, Dublin Chamber met with Senator, and MEP candidate, Regina Doherty to reaffirm Dublin businesses priorities as well as outline the importance of the Greater Dublin Area while advocating for better European fund draw down for projects such as Project Ireland 2024 and the National Planning Framework. Dublin Chamber will be continuing the European debate on Wednesday the 8^th of May, as the Chamber will be hosting a hustings event which will see MEP candidates for Dublin; Barry Andrews MEP, Ciarán Cuffee MEP, Senator Regina Doherty and Aodhán O’ Ríordáin TD pitch their message outlining their vision for a successful Dublin in a successful Europe.

This week, Dublin Chamber met with Dermot Coates and Pádraig Sullivan from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in a pre-Budget consultation which facilitated a discussion in which Dublin Chamber outlined the key asks for Budget 2025 related to enterprise and employment. Also key to this discussion, was the emphasis on increased capital investment for housing and infrastructure in Dublin, as these are the two most prominent priorities outlined by Dublin businesses in Business Outlook Surveys when it comes to budgetary asks. This meeting was the first in a series of consultations that will take place in the lead up to Dublin Chamber’s Pre-Budget submission, with consultations with both the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, as well as the Department of Finance set to take place in advance of the Dáil breaking for Summer.

Also, in light of Budget 2025, Dublin Chamber participated in a pre-Budget discussion with Chamber’s Ireland to further inform the wider Chamber’s Ireland submission and provide the perspectives of Dublin businesses, while also drawing from the Chamber’s Ireland network to add to Dublin Chamber’s own submission.

This month Dermot Coates, Chief Economist from DETE, presented the departments recently published report evaluating the cumulative impact of recent labour legislation on businesses to Dublin Chamber members. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session which facilitated insightful discussions on auto-enrolment in pension schemes, the continued expansion of statutory sick pay entitlements, the right to request remote work, ongoing gender pay gap reporting, and increases in the national minimum wage.

Following this month’s cabinet reshuffle, Dublin Chamber acknowledged the changes made in ministerial positions, alongside those that remained unchanged. Dublin Chamber reached out to key figures including Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Daragh O’ Brien, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Neale Richmond, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Emer Higgins and Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Alan Dillon congratulating them all on their appointments, as well as highlighting the lobbying priorities agreed in the council plenary session. Dublin Chamber looks forward to engaging with these key policymakers throughout their terms to address the pressing concerns of Dublin’s business community.