Ms Mary Rose Burke:

I thank the Chair. I wish to focus on the three key areas of infrastructure, regulatory burden and social infrastructure.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce represents about 1,000 members that drive Ireland’s economy through its capital city, from start-ups and scaling and growing businesses to multinationals. About one million people work in Dublin, with about one fifth of these commuting from outside of Dublin. The overwhelming issue for all our members is the persistent delays in the delivery of infrastructure which acts as a drag on the economy as a whole. Many of these issues have been identified by the interim report of the accelerating infrastructure taskforce and include the need for a review of the barriers in the planning system, barriers in the judicial system and the need for multi-annual funding. Housing is the most important issue. As we survey our members on a quarterly basis, more than five-in-six businesses now say that the cost and availability of housing is the single biggest factor undermining Dublin’s competitiveness. Six-in-ten of our members report losing staff, or failing to hire, because people simply cannot afford to live in the city. We would like to see faster and more predictable planning decisions, activation of public and brownfield land, delivery of higher-density urban projects, expansion of affordable and cost-rental schemes, and above all, matching new housing with the utilities and transport connections that make it viable. Housing and transport are inseparable. We know Dublin is now the third most congested city in Europe. The average commuter spends over 200 hours a year in traffic. Nearly 70% of employers say commuting problems are damaging morale and retention and that for workers, reliable transport is now a condition of employment. Projects such as MetroLink, the Luas extensions, DART+ and BusConnects have been discussed for too long they need to be accelerated in their delivery. We welcome the new Infrastructure unit in the Department of public expenditure and the progress made by the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers in this space, but our message is clear that Dublin needs a decisive shift to a high-capacity, reliable public transport, supplemented by safe walking and cycling routes.

As an open, island economy Dublin Airport is an important piece of national infrastructure and the current 32 million passenger cap in constraining that connectivity. We welcome the Minister's move to legislate for its removal to allow the airport to grow at its natural pace.

Energy and water infrastructure are other critical weak points. Energy grid capacity is holding back both businesses and housing. Water and wastewater systems are stretched to breaking point, with over 85% of the capital’s water still coming from one source, the River Liffey. This is unsustainable. The powering up Dublin programme, the greater Dublin drainage scheme and the eastern and midlands water supply project are vital to growth. The national development plan must be delivered with certainty and pace. We need a predictable pipeline of infrastructure so that investors and developers know what to expect. Renewable energy and grid upgrades must be accelerated, or growth will stall. Ireland is one of the slowest places in the EU for consenting, particularly for wind energy.

A second common concern for firms is they feel that the regulatory burden is rising too quickly. Our members fully support fair regulation, but when rules pile up without regard for their combined effect, competitiveness suffers. Recent measures from higher minimum wages to statutory sick pay and auto-enrolment have merit, but together they create a heavy load, especially for our smaller businesses. Almost 60% of our members have had to hire extra staff or outsource compliance just to keep up. That is time and money diverted from growth. We are asking for a balanced approach and that all new regulation must be accompanied by a proper impact assessment, with a test for small and medium enterprises, realistic lead-in times, and a focus on simplicity. Businesses should be innovating, not drowning in paperwork and processes. Finally, I would also like to comment on the lack of adequate “social” infrastructure and makes some comments on education and training, and on childcare.

Skills and talent are the backbone of Ireland’s competitiveness. However, employers across sectors report critical shortages in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation and sustainability. Training is still too supply-driven rather than demand-led, leaving businesses struggling to adapt. Businesses lack access to flexible, targeted supports. The National Training Fund surplus must be fully and permanently unlocked to deliver real investment in our people and businesses. This funding should be used to expand apprenticeships in vital sectors such as construction and engineering, and to provide SMEs with access to training that delivers the right skills at the right time. However, skills are not the only barrier. The prohibitively high cost of childcare continues to keep many talented people out of the workforce. One-in-five Dublin businesses report losing staff or difficulty recruiting because of the cost and lack of childcare. If we want to unlock our full economic potential, childcare must be treated as a core economic issue, not just a social one.

Ireland’s competitiveness depends on strong foundations: housing, transport, infrastructure, access to skills and talent and smart regulation. Right now, those foundations are under serious pressure. Housing shortages are driving wage inflation. Congestion is costing billions of euro. Infrastructure gaps are delaying investment and skills shortages are limiting growth. Childcare barriers are a roadblock to employment. Regulation is pushing up costs. Without urgent action, doing business in Ireland will get more expensive, and our competitive edge will weaken. If Government deliver solutions with pace and ambition, Ireland can remain one of the most attractive countries in the world to live, work and invest in. Dublin Chamber of Commerce and our members will continue to be a constructive and challenging partner with Government and the Oireachtas to make that happen.