Waterford Chamber Chief Executive Nick Donnelly.

Irish businesses are feeling more exposed to the impact of Brexit than businesses in the rest of Europe, claimed Waterford Chamber Chief Executive Nick Donnelly.

Speaking following the publication of a new survey on European businesses, Mr. Donnelly said according to Irish firms, Brexit will be the second most difficult challenge for them come 2017 with firms only identifying labour costs as a greater threat.

“While it is not surprising that Brexit is a priority for Irish business given our proximity to the UK and the importance of our trading relationship, it is alarming that businesses across Europe are not more concerned by the potential impact of the loss of the EU’s second biggest market.”

He added that the chamber believed that this perspective would have implications for the approach adopted by member states to any future negotiations on the UK’s exit. “If European businesses do not see the importance of maintaining close trade relationships with the UK, they are far less likely to support a pragmatic approach to negotiations.”

Mr Donnelly went on to say that from the chamber’s engagement with their European partners they had anticipated this response.

“Other European countries are far more preoccupied with issues like the migrant crisis, climate change, Russia’s expansion into Crimea, and long term youth unemployment. We believe there is a role to play for Ireland’s business community to help our counterparts in Europe to understand that unless a practical approach to Brexit negotiations is adopted, we all stand to lose out in terms of reduced economic growth, investment and jobs.”

New REA Chairman, Eamonn Spratt of REA Spratt, Dungarvan, pictured with NAMA Chairman and Abbeyside native Frank Daly.

A Waterford Chartered Surveyor has been appointed Chairman of the Real Estate Alliance (REA) national estate agency group.

Eamonn Spratt of REA Spratt, Dungarvan was appointed at REA’s AGM in Dungarvan last week where NAMA Chairman Frank Daly addressed the meeting on the future direction of NAMA and the current housing supply shortage.

At the AGM, REA members reported a marked increase in sales activity across the country and not just in the major cities but also in provincial towns, the AGM was told.

This increase was also underlined by the €970,000 sale on Wednesday last of a 41,000-square foot commercial unit in Tinvane, Carrick-on-Suir, under the auspices of John Stokes (REA Stokes & Quirke, Clonmel).

While Dublin and the commuter areas are starting to recover from the stagnation caused by the Central Bank’s mortgage deposit restrictions, the biggest rise in activity is being seen in Ireland’s smaller urban towns where the deposit requirement is not as significant.

“Throughout the country, our agents are seeing a definite rise in enquiries, with demand increasing further in quarter four,” said Mr Spratt.

“Our REA Average House Price survey saw the average three-bed semi rise above €200,000 in our Quarter Three survey – this level of return is now providing as a catalyst to get dormant developers returning to the market with much-needed supply.

“Time taken to sell has reduced by two weeks to five weeks in country areas in the three months to the end of September and our agents are reporting a definite increase in mortgage approvals. The Central Bank mortgage deposit rules did not hit the country market as hard as the larger cities as the amount of the deposit required is less.”

For the first time in eight years, the majority of REA offices are seeing builders looking for development land across Ireland, Mr Spratt added.

“As well as available finance having a major impact on housing supply, a second hurdle is the provision of serviced land.

“Although buyers are now more plentiful on the ground, the problem of supply remains.
“Interestingly, our agents are now reporting that development land is returning to the market for sale, with builders showing much greater appreciation for the modern buyer’s needs.

“REA agents are actively engaging with developers to advise as the requirements of new home buyers.
“We welcome the latest announcement by The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to fast-track the delivery of 30,000 new homes in urban centres across the country. In particular we are in favour of the fast-tracking of residential housing schemes and the identification of significant land holdings for potential development.”

Eamonn Spratt concluded: “Overall, we expect that the market outside Dublin will appreciate by circa 10 per cent over the next year – greatly influenced by the lack of supply.”

We are now gearing up to 2017 and are taking entries already for our first public auction event of the New Year on February 23rd, in addition to our public auction events we will sell a large volume of properties through our online auction website www.munsterpropertyauction.ie between now and the next public auction event”.

At last Thursday’s auction event, the auction team offered a wide range of properties from across the province including residential properties, commercial properties, land, tenanted investments and a unique offering of an old Church building at Rathcormac, Co. Cork.
Patrick Convey went on to say; “the success of our auctions is down to the large marketing campaigns we undertake in Ireland and abroad while also working in close partnership with local auctioneers.

This combination of both access to the local buying pool and the broader reach of the auction ensures we have the best chance of finding buyers for the properties we offer for sale. We are the only auction company in Ireland who do not have any entry or marketing fees to enter a property into auction, so the pressure is on us to ensure we get results for our clients.”

To discuss selling your property or to arrange a free valuation, call the auction team on 021 234 386 or visit their website www.munsterpropertyauction.ie

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Two Waterford academics have described Ireland’s welfare system as operating a cruel to be kind policy by forcing jobseekers to take up internships and accept work under threat of continuous sanctions.

In a report published by Doctors Tom Boland and Ray Griffin from Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), it was claimed that the unemployed, or jobseekers, are forced to take up training or internships, apply for and accept any work whatsoever, all under the continuous threat of sanctions for non-compliance, a cut to entitlements of €44 which, they maintain puts citizens below the breadline.

The report also claimed that despite the decrease in the numbers unemployed, the amount of sanctions per year has increased steadily, and will exceed 8,000 this year.

These sanctions, they maintained, are mentioned in all communication with all claimants and are explicitly used to ensure claimants take the earliest offer of work, of any sort, and accept all suggestions by Intreo officers, and form part of a phony ‘Contract of Mutual Responsibilities.’

According to Dr Tom Boland: “Jobseekers are not allowed discretion in their economic choices, they are forced to take a pathway, rather than find their own.”

He continued that International research demonstrated that while sanctioning regimes have an immediate impact in reducing the Live Register, they were also associated with negative health and well-being impacts on claimants and on their future earnings.

Dr Boland explained that harsher welfare systems also tended to re-shape the economy around low-pay, flexible, part-time, insecure work – known among critics as ‘precarious work’. By contrast, he said investment in training and education options for the unemployed would have greater long-term benefits.

The authors conducted the research with jobseekers over five years and according to Dr Ray Griffin, co-author of the report, their research demonstrated clearly that the new activation policies were having an increasingly negative impact on Irish citizens.

Speaking to The Munster Express, Dr. Griffin, who lectures in Strategy and Organisation, said that the system was now micro managing poor people like never before.

“We need to have more transparency in who is being sanctioned. We are all in agreement that people who shouldn’t be getting social welfare, shouldn’t get it but we have to make sure the system is fair. Sometimes people are sanctioned because they haven’t turned up for a job interview. But with the best will in the world. Cars break down, kids get sick. We have to put more trust in our citizens. The reality is there is very little unjustified claiming going on. It exists more in people’s minds.”

Pictured from left: Ann Marie McGrath (CIPD), Robert Jacob (Advokat), Mary Connaughton (CIPD) and Fergal Hartley (Hartley People).

There was a full house last week as employers and HR professionals from across the South East gathered for the CIPD Employment Law Update breakfast in The Woodlands Hotel.

The event – sponsored by the South East’s leading recruitment provider Hartley People – featured guest speaker Robert Jacob who provided a clear concise overview of the challenges facing employers under Irish Employment Law.

Mary Connaughton (Director of CIPD Ireland) opened the event and welcomed the attendees from all corners of the South East. Mary spoke on the changing landscape for HR professionals and the workplace in 2016.

Robert discussed the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 along with the challenges of zero hour contracts and social media use in the work place.

CIPD South East gives businesses in the region the opportunity to work together to champion work and employment through providing networking opportunities and informative events to support its members and the business community.

If you wish to get involved or hear more about future CIPD events email Anne Marie McGrath ammcgrath@wit.ie

The award winning Viking Triangle in Waterford.

The Viking Triangle development in Waterford was led by Colliers International Destination Consulting service, which spearheaded the project’s planning during the 2010/11 period.

Colliers undertook market research, concept development, market positioning, place branding, business planning, delivery and management strategy for Waterford City Council, which led to the project securing significant funding from Fáilte Ireland.

And the end product has been named among the ‘Great Place’ Academy of Urbanism award winners at a ceremony held in London last week.

Colliers International developed a vision for the Viking Triangle as “the distinctive heritage and cultural district of Waterford city centre” that will provide a vibrant experience that will attract more visitors and encourage them to make repeat visits, stay for longer and spend more money.

This is the third Colliers Destination Consulting Ireland project to have won an Academy of Urbanism award, as the Viking Triangle came out on top in the face of competition from Greenwich Market, London and Leicester Market.

The award is one of five given out annually by The Academy of Urbanism to recognise the best, most enduring or most improved cities, towns, neighbourhoods, streets and places. Voted on by Academicians, who include leading architects, planners and developers, each award looks at a number of social, economic and environmental factors, including good governance and commercial success.

Said Roger Hobkinson, Director Destination Consulting in Ireland: “This was a great project to work on and provides an excellent case study as to how a city undergoing challenging times, took control and through proactive local leadership did the hard yards of detailed project planning to deliver a fresh story that has helped to reboot Waterford City Centre.”

Regatta sports clothing are due to open their new shop at the old Elverys premises on Michael Street early in the new year whilst another well-known retailer, yet to be revealed has just completed a deal to take over the former Old Stand building also on Michael Street.

Meanwhile there has been significant interest in the former National Irish Bank building on Arundel Lane from another leading retailer. Speaking to The Munster Express this week, Guy Palmer of Palmer Auctioneers said the local retail sector is finally getting back on its feet.

“Things are starting to move in the retail sector. There has been lots of interest in various premises and we should see a few new businesses open their doors in the new year. The deal has been done on the Old Stand but it will remain under wraps for the time being. They hope to be open by late January, early February,” he concluded.

The stunning WIT Arena is set to become a major conference and concert venue

Trade shows, conferences and concert promoters are actively exploring the WIT Arena as a potential venue for future events.
WIT President Willie Donnelly told The Munster Express that a range of parties had already expressed “major interest” in holding events at Carriganore, which carry the potential to draw thousands of delegates/members of the public to Waterford.
“We’re absolutely delighted to have the Arena open to our students, first and foremost, and for the general public,” he said.
“It’s certainly been a long road, five to six years long, in fact, to get us to this point but to see it open now, especially at night time when there are matches being played out there and the Arena building is fully lit, and buzzing with activity, it’s just been great to see how quickly it has embedded itself into the life of the Institute and the wider community in turn.”
A function held to honour 35 WIT students who won GAA All-Ireland medals has already been held in the Arena and Portlaw GAA Club is to hold its ‘Strictly Dance’ night there on Saturday, April 15th.
And when one considers a similar event held for to raise funds for Piltown Community Enterprise attracted an 1100-strong audience to Kilkenny’s Lyrath House Hotel Convention Centre last year, it’s clear that the Arena’s appeal will be multi-faceted. “It is a fantastic building, and we know that the main hall shall prove a tremendous asset in the years ahead,” said Professor Donnelly. [DK]