Cllr. Jenny McHugh addresses Trim Chamber of Commerce
Issued : Thursday 3 February, 2011
Sustaining the retail sector.
The retail sector in Ireland employs over 250,000 people, and is Irelands largest industry.
This sector has suffered two-fold from the property bias of Fianna Fails economic policy. First, it has seen its revenues plunge after the dramatic collapse of the property bubble; and secondly, it finds itself in upward boom-time leases, with recession levels of consumer demand.
This toxic combination has resulted in the loss of 37,000 retail jobs over the past two years, and the closure of long standing businesses.
There is a need for all share holders to engage with each other if there is to be a job stimulus created.
The chamber has to bring on board all retailers and leaders, regardless if they are affiliated to the chamber of commerce. Rents of vacant properties is preventing progress, they have to be reviewed. We can’t expect would-be tenants to pay rents that applied during the celtic tiger years.
The estate agents/auctioneers have to come on board, as they are the ‘’gate keepers’’ who guide the landlords of the vacant premises and the premises that are struggling to survive in the present climate.
The penguins in the Falklands know that Trim is a town that is crying out for assistance to survive. Trim needs jobs, and it can be achieved if everyone plays their part.
Specifically, Trim needs its town centre. A few technical difficulties have to be solved and then the new supermarket can be built, creating valuable construction jobs for Trim and the surrounding areas.
Labour will implement the following strategy for sustaining viable jobs and businesses in the retail industry:
- Enact the Labour Party’s legislation to abolish upward-only rent reviews for all commercial leases, as a matter of urgent priority for the Dail.
- In the interim, appoint a Commercial Rent Ombudsman with some powers currently only granted to an examiner. This Ombudsman would have the power to adjudicate on rents that have the potential to force a business to fail, and would be a much cheaper medium of arbitration than the current examinership process.
- Retain the existing Retail Planning Guidelines and maintain the retail planning cap. This will sustain existing retail jobs; create the conditions for new innovative small businesses to develop; and which enhance both the economic and environmental sustainability of local communities.
- Encourage local authorities to introduce differentiated, time-limited rates to facilitate new business start-ups.
We will be confronting challenges on our way to achieve these aims. But we are a great country and Trim is a great town, and as the seanfhocal says, ‘Ni neart go chur le cheile.’
Cllr. Jenny Mchugh
Cllr 
