Continued focus on competitiveness needed as Cost of Business Advisory Forum Report published

Cork Chamber, the voice of business in Cork, has welcomed the publication of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum’s Final Report. The report sets out a number of practical recommendations to address the increased cost burden on businesses, and promote greater regulatory and administrative simplification, particularly for SMEs.

Cork Chamber Director of Public and International Affairs, Cathal McSweeney, commented, “Cork Chamber was pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the Cost of Business Advisory Forum over the past year, ensuring the voice of Cork businesses was heard at national level, helping to shape the forum’s recommendations.

“Ireland’s economic fundamentals remain strong, yet many firms continue to face increasing cost and administrative burdens. This, in turn, puts Ireland’s economic competitiveness at risk, impacting the State’s ability to attract investment and talent. Supporting firms of all sizes to grow and scale here in Ireland, and prioritising the development of a more supportive enterprise ecosystem for start-ups and SMEs is absolutely essential to Ireland’s future competitiveness.

“The Cost of Business Advisory Forum’s Final Report charts a course to a more competitive, streamlined and future-proof ecosystem for businesses operating in Ireland. However, it is vital that the report’s 63 recommendations are implemented swiftly and in a structured, accountable manner to drive meaningful change in the areas that businesses find most challenging, including energy and legal costs, regulatory complexity, and the administrative burdens that continue to stifle growth.

“The upcoming Budget presents an important opportunity to translate many of these recommendations into action. In order to strengthen economic competitiveness into the future, Government must prioritise implementation of the report’s recommendations and provide regular progress updates, alongside continued engagement with the business community. Plans to reconvene the forum to review implementation in six months’ time are welcome, however consideration should also be given to the continuation of the forum in an advisory capacity to support effective delivery of all recommendations.”