Minister for Finance attends County Kildare Chamber events which had Kildare under 20 heroes as guests

Minister Michael McGrath with members of the victorious Kildare Under 20 team and management (PHOTOS: TONY GAVIN)

placeholder image — Minister Michael McGrath with members of the victorious Kildare Under 20 team and management (PHOTOS: TONY GAVIN)

Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath attended a County Kildare Chamber Policy Advisory Council meeting yesterday, followed by the annual Chamber President's Lunch.

During the productive sessions, Minister McGrath engaged with local business leaders and discussed crucial matters related to Kildare with a primary focus on Budget 2024.

President Mairead Hennessy (pictured above) during the luncheon, praised the Chamber's increased efforts in providing opportunities for its members locally, nationally, and internationally, as evidenced by the growing membership and successful lobbying activities. She highlighted the significance of the earlier meeting with Minister McGrath, stating, "Today, our Policy Advisory Council had an extremely productive meeting with Minister McGrath focused on supports for business and our key asks for Budget 2024”.

Sinéad Ronan, the Public Affairs Manager, stated: "It was great to have the opportunity to welcome Minister McGrath to today’s Policy Advisory Council meeting’. She emphasized the wide-ranging discussions held during the meeting, which covered key challenges and opportunities facing the business community in Kildare and the mid-eastern region. Topics such as housing, skills gaps, government funding initiatives, infrastructure difficulties and Budget 2024 were thoroughly addressed."

Allan Shine, CEO County Kildare Chamber expressed his gratitude for Minister McGrath's visit to Naas, emphasizing the timeliness and importance of the meeting. He stressed the significance of direct engagement between Minister McGrath and the Chamber, the Local Enterprise Office, and the Council to address issues directly impacting Kildare businesses. CEO Shine stated, "This was a positive and useful engagement with Minister McGrath, and we hope to have ongoing engagements with Government Ministers, especially at this crucial time for many of our members with regard to Budget 2024."

Minister McGrath, acknowledging the strength of the economy highlighted the positive state of employment in Ireland, surpassing pre-pandemic levels with an increase of 220,000 working individuals, representing a historic milestone for the county. With 2.6 million people now employed in the Irish economy, Minister McGrath commended the businesses present at the luncheon for their contributions to investment, innovation, risk-taking, and job creation.

The Minister also made specific mention of the equine industry within Kildare and the contribution it makes to the county, with 3 racecourses and over 15,000 people employed either directly or indirectly through the sector. He reassured industry leaders that the Government stood foursquare behind the sector which makes a huge economic contribution not just to Kildare but to the country.

Minister McGrath also addressed economic matters, emphasising the Government's commitment to addressing the inflationary pressures caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. While acknowledging the recent decline in inflation, he warned that the necessary monetary policy response would significantly impact the country's economic development in the coming years, including the potential consequences associated with high interest rates.

Minister McGrath expressed satisfaction with the current state of public finances, highlighting the budget surpluses that enable policy choices for the benefit of the economy. County Kildare Chamber extends its appreciation to Minister McGrath for his valuable insights and looks forward to continued collaboration with the government, especially as Budget 2024 approaches.

The Chambers Policy Advisory Council is composed of 17 members, interested in actively contributing to the success of our lobbying. The Council meets throughout the year, agreeing priorities and formalising working groups to develop specific topics for advocacy work. The focus of the Council's work can be seen through the Chambers representative work to Local Authority and Government Departments.