Tallon highlights Dundrum’s “love local” campaign at Labour Conference

Issued : Monday 17 February, 2014

I’m in politics to make a difference. And I’m in local politics because I think there’s an awful lot we can do locally to make the places we live better. As a councillor my work every day is with the routine County Council business. But I also want to work with people and businesses to make our localities work for everyone.

In my own area, I’ve started a “Love Local” campaign to get people to think local and to use local businesses. It’s good for the area, it’s good for the businesses, and it’s good for our pockets. By spending your money locally, everyone wins. I’ve worked with local entrepreneurs, held public meetings, and circulated information sheets on the benefits of the local economy.

When you use a local business, a shop, a tradesman, a hairdresser, a solicitor, a service of some kind, the euro you spend recirculates through the local economy many times over. More of the money stays in our local economy than if it’s spent outside. The more euros we keep here, the more it recirculates. Understanding how and where we spend our hard-earned money can stimulate our economy and benefit our community. For example, every extra euro spent in a locally own shop results in an injection of €2.50 into the local economy. That’s compared to €1.40 if the same euro was spent in a large multiple.

The recent economic downturn has made it very difficult for people locally – we have seen a lot of businesses close and shutters coming down and it has saddened us all -  none of us are untouched. We want to see these doors opening again and to ensure our community remains vibrant. The economic downturn has forced us all to think differently.

Lets think jobs – Most jobs in Ireland are with small and medium sized businesses. It is estimated that the independent retail sector alone contributes over 93,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Local businesses are more likely to employ local staff.

Lets think community – our sense of where we live is important. Local shops, pubs and businesses are landmarks that define our localities. Local businesses are more likely to help out and sponsor local charities, clubs who in turn are working to make our communities better places to live.

And that what I want to do as a councillor in my area – working with businesses, communities – and making local government work with business and communities to make the places where we live better for everyone.

Watch Cllr Grace Tallon speaking on the importance of thinking local

Download her Shop Local Campaign leaflet here