Galway Independent Column - 2 February 2011

In this column last week we urged all members of the business community in Galway to question each candidate in the forthcoming election as to their views on matters pertaining to business in Galway ie Galway Airport; Commercial Rates; Supports for SMEs; Access to Credit; the Galway City Outer Bypass; Access to the Region; The Dockland Development; Traffic; Rent Reviews and Corporation Tax. It is in the spirit of Galway Chamber’s mission statement ‘to make Galway the leading location for business, investment and people’ that we initiate this process and to encourage members to make their voices heard and to make their vote count.

As part of our ongoing lobbying efforts on behalf of our members we have been consistent in what we have said over the years regarding the issues which affect our members. For example we have never wavered in our belief that Galway needs the Galway City Outer Bypass as part of the solution to our traffic problems. We have never said that the Bypass on its own is a solution, we have said that it is part of the solution. That’s why we are very pleased that election candidate Labour’s Councillor Derek Nolan has clarified (his words) the Labour Party’s position as regards the Galway region’s transport and traffic problems, particularly in relation to the outer bypass…’the outer bypass therefore has become central and will form part of Labour’s transport plan for Galway.’ This is great news albeit unfortunately somewhat tardy.

Likewise Galway Chamber has lobbied each year for a significant reduction in Commercial Rates because it is a stealth tax that impacts severely on business. As part of this campaign we have pointed to efficiencies that can be brought into Local Government as part of local government reform. These efficiencies will cut costs which can then positively impact on commercial rates. One of these efficiencies is the amalgamation of much of the back office functions of city and county councils. We have long said that two local authorities within a stone’s throw of each other could share some functions. Election candidate Senator Niall O’Brolcháin agrees. He has said that there are many services provided by Galway City Council that are also provided by the County Council based in an office only a few hundred metres away. He says that we cannot afford this luxury any more…and he is right.

The following is quoted from the Galway Chamber Commercial Rates lobby document sent to Mayor Niall O’Brolcháin and all city councillors in 2006
‘If Govt. believe that the country does not need 13 Health Boards to deliver services to 4.5m people is there not merit in considering generating efficiencies by rationalising the ‘back-office’ ( IT, HR, Finance) functions of the 30+ Local Authorities. At Galway level does it make sense to have two Finance Depts, two HR Depts and two IT Depts of Local Authorities less than 1kilometre apart in Galway City?

These are the sort of things that impact on business. It is our right to ask all candidates their views on what’s important to business.