News

24th January 2018

Chambers Ireland Weekly Digest, 22 January 2018

Chambers Ireland Weekly Digest, 22 January 2018

CSR for SMEs Guide

Chambers Ireland is delighted to have published a CSR for SMEs Guide, which we will be distributing free of charge to the network this week. The guide outlines the benefits of CSR and ways that SMEs can engage, including the offer of one-on-one meetings with CSR experts from Chambers Ireland’s Policy Council at a location convenient to them, and free of charge. This is an excellent opportunity for an SME to develop a plan for CSR in their company with the help of an expert.

 We have posted 10 of these guides to each Chamber and a PDF version is also available on our website, which you can access through clicking this link.

We will be promoting this guide on social media and would greatly appreciate corresponding promotion by your Chamber when the guide is received.

Should you have any queries regarding this guide or CSR more broadly, you can contact Chambers Ireland Senior Policy & Public Affairs Executive, Elisha Collier O’Brien via her email address: elisha.collierobrien@chambers.ie

Understanding GDPR

 On the 25th May 2018, the EU will introduce a new legislation called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will replace the current structure on the handling of data. It will apply to all businesses who supply goods and/or services to EU citizens and therefore handle personal data.

 In addition, the GDPR contains the following changes:

  •  Enhanced documentation to be kept by data controllers.
  • Enhanced privacy notices.
  • More detailed rules regarding ‘consent’.
  • Mandatory data breach notification requirements.
  • Enhanced data subject rights.
  • New obligations on data processors.
  • Expanded territorial scope.
  • Appointment of Data Protection Officers

Many of the implications of the new GDPR will affect companies on a commercial level. However, it also has an impact on many areas from a HR/employment perspective and fines for non-compliance can go up to a maximum of  €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover (whichever is greater).

Peninsula have offered to support our members to separate fact from fiction on how the new legislation impacts them.

If you would like more information on GDPR and the supports that Peninsula can offer please email info@peninsula-ie.com or james.kiernan@chambers.ie.

Alternatively, you can call Peninsula on 01-8506025.

 Extended Deadline for the three Regional Economic & Spatial Strategies

 Please note that the Regional Economic & Spatial Strategies (RSES) Issues Papers consultation period deadline for the Northern & Western Regional Assembly, the Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly and the Southern Regional Assembly has been extended to5PM on Friday, 16 February 2018.

If you have any queries please contact elisha.collierobrien@chambers.ie.

InterTradeIreland Breakfast Briefings & Go2Tender

 InterTradeIreland, in partnership with the Office of Government Procurement, Ibec, SFA, ISME, CIF and Chambers Ireland are delivering a series of breakfast workshops to educate and engage businesses on the island around public procurement, a market worth in the region of €12 billion per annum.

 Please find attached schedule of Breakfast Briefings and Go2Tender workshops to be delivered by InterTradeIreland.

 The first Breakfast Briefing, which is taking place on Wednesday, 31 January 2018, will be opened by Minister of State O’Donovan and is now available to register for by following this link.

 Please find attached the schedule of upcoming Breakfast Briefings – please circulate this schedule and this notice providing an overview of the briefings with your members.

 RTÉ Program on Local Business Family for Papal Visit

RTÉ have contacted Chambers Ireland regarding the development of a documentary as part of the national broadcasters’ range of programming to coincide with the Papal visit to Ireland later this year.

RTÉ One are developing a documentary with the working title of “The Pope and Us”, due for broadcast on the channel this Summer.

The documentary will focus on the three Papal ‘encyclicals’ which Pope Francis has written since the beginning of his Papacy, outlining his radical views about capitalism, climate change and family.

With these views as context to the documentary, the programme aims to focus on a successful family of business people, with one of the family members holding a community leadership role and that same family member or another family member must also be a committed Roman Catholic.

The specific criteria is as follows:

  • A successful family of business people;
  • Ideally with an extended family
  • One or more family member(s) active in some kind of leadership role(s) in the community
  • One of whom is a committed Roman Catholic
  • Grandparents and adult children would also be ideal for the programme

 If you know any local businesses run by families within your Chamber or community or any family which fits this criteria who would be interested in this, please contact Gabriel.doran@chambers.ie for further information and to register your interest.

Innovation Cluster for Entrepreneurship Education (ICEE)

Two webinars will be taking place on 19th and 24th of January at 11.00 (CET) to present and discuss the final findings of a major multi-country research on the impact of entrepreneurship education to be published by the Eastern Norway Research Institute (ENRI) in January 2018.

 The Innovation Cluster for Entrepreneurship Education (ICEE) is an Erasmus+ policy experimentation project led by JA Europe in collaboration with Ministries of Education in Estonia, Finland, Italy and Latvia and Enterprise Flanders (under Belgium’s Flemish Ministry of Economy); three research institutes (Eastern Norway Research Institute, The Foundation for Entrepreneurship – Young Enterprise Denmark, JJ Strossmayer University in Croatia), and 5 national JA organizations (in Belgium, Finland, Italy, Estonia, and Latvia). The research on the impact of entrepreneurship education was led by the Eastern Norway Research Institute and it involved 25 academic and vocational schools in the 5 participating countries over two years. 12,000 people responded to pre and post surveys and 150 people were interviewed.

 REGISTER for the webinars through the following links:

HERE for 19th January

HERE for 24th January

 More information: http://icee-eu.eu/

 Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund for Start-Ups

 Enterprise Ireland have revealed their first start-up fund for this year, with the maximum support available worth €50,000 for a 10% ordinary equity stake for each applicant start-up company deemed eligible. The total fund is worth €750,000.

 The fund is open to early stage companies in manufacturing and internationally traded services, including the following subsectors: Internet, Games, Apps, Mobile, SaaS, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, Lifesciences, Food, Cleantech and Industrial Products.

 The call opens for applications on Tuesday, 23 January 2018 – all completed applications to the fund must be made via the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System and a video pitch must also be submitted additionally, on the Sonru.com platform.

The completed application form must be submitted by 3pm on Tuesday 6 February 2018.

The Video Pitch must be submitted by 11.59pm on Tuesday 6 February 2018.

To access the online application platforms and for more information on the fund, visit the webpage on the Enterprise Ireland website by clicking here.

 Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has announced a new round of the tariff suspension/quota schemes and is calling for applications from manufacturers in the chemicals, microelectronic and related sectors. The tariff suspension scheme offers the possibility for such companies to import raw materials, components or intermediate products from outside the European Union free from tariff duty, if the item cannot be sourced in the EU. The tariff quota scheme is designed to address shortages in the availability of required materials within the EU and can be applied for in the same way as suspensions.

 Closing date and time for the receipt of the next round of applications is 5.30p.m. on Friday, 26 January 2018. Applications should be sent by e-mail to tariffschemes@dbei.gov.ie and posted to the Department. Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

 The suspension of duties on these applications, if they are successful, will come into effect 12 months after the application is made. Further information on the Tariff Suspension or Quota Scheme may be found here: www.dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Trade-Investment/EU-Tariff-Suspension-and-Quota-Scheme/.

 The National Sustainability Summit 2018

 The 2018 National Sustainability Summit will be held on Wednesday, 31 January 2018 in the Citywest Hotel, Dublin.

Following the 2017 edition of the Summit which attracted over 1000 delegates to engage with 80 speakers and over 50 exhibitors of cutting edge technology and services, this year’s summit will expand in scope with a line up of 120 speakers from senior management from the largest and most influential Irish and international companies who have delivered quantifiable eco results. Additionally the summit will feature speakers across a diverse range of relevant areas including pharmaceutical, food, IT, energy and more.

Key topics at the summit will include water management, energy efficiency, sustainable energy, recycling, consumer engagement and more.

For further information and to register your attendance, click here.

European Movement Ireland – Citizens’ Dialogue on the Future of Europe, featuring Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee TD

 As part of the Future of Europe Dialogues series, European Movement Ireland, Ireland’s oldest European-affairs-focused organisation, will be organizing the latest Citizens’ Dialogue to take place on Thursday 8 February 2018 at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG).

The public dialogue is a unique opportunity to discuss the role of Ireland and its citizens in the Future of Europe. In attendance will be Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee TD, joined by Pat McDonagh, CEO of Supermac’s and Noelle O’Connell, Executive Director of European Movement Ireland.

 Attendance is free, however registration before the event is required.

To register and for further information, please click here.

 Supporting your H&S Requirements

 Many business owners and directors aren’t fully aware of their legal obligations and may be leaving their businesses exposed to serious consequences, including being found personally liable themselves. More than a third (35%) of businesses doesn’t have a suitable Safety Statement, even though all employers must legally have one in place.

 Peninsula is advising on H&S matters and have recently introduced a service called the SafeCheck Review identifying H&S matters that may need improvement providing. Following the visit they produce a user-friendly report to indicate the current compliance level with a series of practical recommendations and improvements to help achieve compliance.

 If you would like more information regarding the SafeCheck Review Peninsula can offer members please email  info@peninsula-ie.com or call our H&S Advice Service on 01 855 5050.

 Commission for Regulation of Utilities – Consultation on Water Connection Charging Policy

 The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has launched a consultation on the Connection Charging Policy proposed by Irish Water.

 Full details on the consultation including proposals, timelines and how to respond to the consultation are on the consultation’s webpage on the CRU website, www.cru.ie/document_group/water-connection-charging-policy/.

The response deadline is 23 March 2018.

Any submissions on the Irish Water Connection Charging Policy proposals must be sent to the CRU who will make the final determination on the enduring connection charges policy to be implemented by Irish Water.

 In parallel, Irish Water has uploaded the relevant ancillary documentation for review by stakeholders here: www.water.ie/connections/information/connection-charges/.

 Should you have any comments on the ancillary documentation only, please submit your comments to the following dedicated email ancillaryfeedback@water.ie.

Irish Water will acknowledge all submissions received in relation to these ancillary documents and at the end of the CRU consultation period will publish a consolidated response to the submissions received.

 Startup Weekend West (Ie): Future of Towns

 The ‘Startup Weekend West (Ire)’ is the latest event in the Techstarts Startup Weekend series and will take place over the weekend beginning Friday, 27 April 2018 on Achill Island, off of the coast of Counties Mayo and Galway.

 The weekend is an opportunity to network and engage with likeminded entrepreneurs and to develop ideas collaboratively and pitch these ideas to experienced entrepreneurs.

 Ticket purchases for attendance at the weekend event will include one-on-one time with mentors, seven full meals, discounts from global partners and more.

 For further information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Mental Health Ireland to launch Smiley Pancake campaign

The #SmileyPancake campaign with Mental Health Ireland will take place on Pancake Tuesday, 13th February 2018. The idea behind it is to get everyone having a pancake on Pancake Tuesday (and that’s pretty much everyone in Ireland!) to pop a smile on it with some toppings, share a photo of it on social media or an internal communications platform, and then donate to Mental Health Ireland. The donation can be via text to donate (€4) or cash donations into a collection bucket.

For further information, graphics for your own internal posters, collection buckets and much more please contact Jill O’Herlihy, Mental Health Ireland at jilloherlihy@mentalhealthireland.ie or 087 795 7717.

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