Limerick Chamber business luncheon celebrates decades of work by IDA and regional stakeholders

Limerick Chamber and AIB welcome Michael Lohan, IDA for our January Luncheon in the Strand Hotel on the 30th. From left to right: Will Corcoran – IDA, Margaret O’Connor – AIB / Sponsor, Miriam O’Connor – President Limerick Chamber, Michael Lohan – CEO/ IDA, Dee Ryan – CEO Limerick Chamber

Limerick Chamber held its first business luncheon of 2024, celebrating the decades of work by IDA and regional stakeholders to support Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the Mid-West

Limerick Chamber hosted its first business luncheon of the new year on 30th January at the Limerick Strand Hotel, with guests travelling from across the Mid-West to network with their peers and hear the keynote address by CEO of IDA Ireland, Michael Lohan.

The event, attended by 190 members, celebrated the decades of work by IDA and regional stakeholders to support Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the Mid-West and the transformative effect this has had on the region.

In his engaging presentation, Michael Lohan spoke about the international challenges facing FDI markets, recent developments and priorities for Limerick and finally transformation and research, development and innovation (RD&I).

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“Last year was a record-breaking year for FDI employment in the Mid-West with 159 IDA clients and more than 27,000 employed. But there can be no standing still.  The last few years have taught us the value of resilience, of agility and continued innovation.”

Continuing Mr Lohan said, “Ireland has to do more to remain attractive in an extremely competitive global environment for FDI. IDA clients are embracing a green and digital recovery, and we must continue to focus on making Ireland an attractive place for talent and provide the necessary infrastructure and utilities that companies need to make it easy to establish and build their business in Ireland.”

He also outlined exciting opportunities for further growth, particularly emphasising the incredible natural assets of the Shannon Estuary and the potential for the region to become a renewable energy hub.

Limerick Chamber President, Miriam O’Connor, set the tone for the luncheon with a warm welcome and thought-provoking address.  She underscored the importance of winning investments into the Estuary region, particularly in light of recent announcement of wind down from Wyeth in Askeaton.

She said, “We at Limerick Chamber are proud to lead in advocating for the Mid-West, leveraging unique regional strengths like Shannon Airport and Foynes Port. Despite significant achievements, we face challenges such as the decline of the Shannon Estuary, impacting our community and economy.

“We call on the government for urgent action to support our recommendations for the region’s development, emphasizing the importance of projects like West Coast DEMAP and offshore wind targets. Our commitment to these initiatives underscores our role as a leading voice for businesses in IrelandLorum Ipsum”

The luncheon was made possible through the generous sponsorship of AIB whose representative, Margaret O’Connor, took the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to all attendees.

She thanked Michael Lohan for sharing his time and valuable insights, acknowledging the importance of such events in fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among key stakeholders in the business community.

The event concluded with a vibrant networking session, providing attendees with the opportunity to connect, share ideas, and explore potential collaborations. Limerick Chamber looks forward to building on the momentum generated by this successful business luncheon and continuing its commitment to be a pro-active driver of economic growth in the Mid-West.

Read more about the luncheon here
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