Ennis Chamber Up date on Supports
Welcome to our weekly update
It’s frightening to think how much our economic and social landscape has changed over the past week. We can’t say it often enough, we are living in unprecedented times.
I’d like to congratulate and sincerely thank Ennis Chamber members who are on the frontline, including our pharmacy members, grocery retailers and those businesses that still fall under the ‘essential’ banner including newsagents. Also our manufacturing and services providers, including the team at TTM Healthcare, our bank members AIB and Bank of Ireland and St Francis Credit Union. Well done to all of you and our thanks to your incredible staff.
I’d also like to acknowledge staff at Ennis Chamber who continue the essential work of issuing ‘Certs of Origin’ . Local manufacturers throughout Co Clare can’t export without that service, and Ennis Chamber is the only official facilitator of Certs of Origin in Clare. So, well done to my colleagues!
Supports News
The big news this week in the area of supports was the increase in payment from €203 to €350 for those on the Emergency Pandemic Scheme.
We also had the introduction of the Temporary Wages Subsidy Scheme, operated by Revenue. This scheme, while initially welcomed has raised a lot of questions, please see link to a post on our website which includes a further link to a Q&A based Guidelines Booklet. Worth a read.
https://www.ennischamber.ie/revenue-notice-to-employers-on-temporary-wage-subsidy-scheme/
Banks stepping up
Speaking of unprecedented times, it’s not often a local bank manager makes his mobile number available to all, but that’s what Colin Ryan, Branch Manage, Bank of Ireland and key members of his team have done. Read here for more information on updated resources and supports from Bank of Ireland: https://www.ennischamber.ie/local-update-from-bank-of-ireland-to-ennis-chamber-members/
The value of being part of a network
While Ennis Chamber is doing what it can to support its members locally, it’s at times like this that we see the value of being part of a network organisation that spans Ireland with 41 active branches. Ennis Chamber plugs in three times weekly to conference calls to share experiences and ideas and to raise queries on behalf of our members, together with all other members of the network.
For its part Chambers Ireland is also organising a biweekly survey amongst members to keep tabs on the sentiment and experiences of member businesses across all sectors. See here the results of this week’s survey: https://www.ennischamber.ie/chambers-ireland-call-for-unprecedented-economic-response-as-90-of-member-businesses-surveyed-experience-decline-in-revenue/
Finally, I’d like to bring you news of an initiative by one of our newest members BrandAmp, who are giving some salient advice to Ennis Chamber members on what steps you can take to keep customers informed.
https://www.ennischamber.ie/what-can-you-do-to-keep-your-customers-informed/
I wish you all a pleasant weekend.
Stay Safe
Margaret O’Brien
CEO
Ennis Chamber
