The Irish Exporters Association (IEA), and Ulster Bank, this morning held the first in a series of six regional business seminars in The Maryborough Hotel, Cork titled: the Importance of Cork to the Irish Export Industry. Over 80 exporters and service providers attended this event from all over Munster to hear from our Export Industry Panel and Industry Speakers. One key issue which started a lively discussion, was the upcoming UK Referendum on the 23rdJune and how a potential Brexit might affect Cork exports.
Expert Advisory Panellists:
- Michael Ashe, Sales Manager, Ulster Bank
- Jennifer Cashman, Partner, Ronan Daly Jermyn
- Joe Cleary, Customs Division, Revenue Commissioners
Industry Speakers:
- Alan Kingston, Founder, Glenilen Farm
- Des O’Sullivan, VP of Customer Solutions & Qualification Labs, EMC Information Systems International
- Sean Sheehan, CEO, Wisetek
Simon McKeever, Chief Executive, Irish Exporters Association commented: “The Irish Exporters Association is delighted to team up with Ulster Bank on our regional seminar series. This series, each of which will focus on a key international market, provides a platform for driving the IEA’s regional growth and development strategy and marks the establishment of a number of IEA Regional Boards. The first of these will be established in Cork, and will be Chaired by Alan Fehily of DePuySynthes, and made up of representatives from exporting businesses from the region. Its purpose is: to increase our presence on the ground, enhance our ability to understand and develop solutions to the local issues that are affecting our members, and to ensure we strengthen the regional input into the main IEA National Council.
Given the uncertainty of Ireland’s future trade relationship with the UK, its single biggest trading partner, and current wider global uncertainty, it is imperative that we support export-oriented businesses, a major source of economic development and job creation. Cork is an extremely important export location for the country with many indigenous Irish companies exporting together with a very strong input from the Life Science, ICT and Food and Drink sectors. Cork has 26,000 British born citizens who may be eligible to vote in the upcoming referendum.”
Speaking after the event, the first in the Ulster Bank Business Roadshow series, Pat Horgan, Ulster Bank’s head of SME Banking in the South Midlands and West said: “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to host this event in conjunction with the Irish Exporters Association. From our activity in the area, we know Cork has exciting and innovative businesses and it was a great opportunity for the Ulster Bank team to hear more about what matters to them, as part of our drive to become number one for customer service, trust and advocacy. Ulster Bank has a dedicated fund of €1.5bn available to lend to businesses in 2016, a 31 per cent increase on last year. We’re here to talk to customers about how we can provide meaningful help so they can turn their ideas into a reality.”
Alan Fehily, Chairman, Irish Exporters Association’s Cork Regional Council said: “I am delighted to be announced as the Chairman of the IEA Cork Regional Council. Part of the mandate for the Irish Exporters Association in 2016 is to reach out to exporters nationally and establish a Regional Council backed by the National Council. We aim to accurately represent IEA membership in terms of size, sector and location across the country and through this representation, support the growth and development of all exporting businesses based throughout Ireland.”
