This morning, Chambers Ireland launches our second Covid-19 Business Community Survey.

This survey is targeted at business owners and operators, both those who are members of their local chambers of commerce and those that are not.

With it we seek to chart out the effects of the Covid-19 restrictions on the Irish Business community, and through creating an evidence base assist policy makers and business owners guide our economy through the Covid-19 challenges.

Our last survey, which was published on the 24^th of March, having reached 1110 business owners, found that 94% of businesses were expecting their revenues to decline, with 73% of businesses expecting a 3-month decline in revenues that would exceed 73%.

Fears about cashflow and liquidity were the greatest concerns of micro-enterprises (<10 employees) with closures and staffing being a concern for larger businesses across many sectors.

This will be the first national survey carried out since the emergency legislation was enacted which provided for the introduction of the wage subsidy, and since the latest Covid-19 restrictions were imposed.

The Chambers Ireland Business Community Survey focuses on how businesses have reacted to Covid-19, their interactions with their creditors, and the staffing changes which have been made.

If your business [and we know that media outlets have been particularly affected by this economic shock] has been affected by Covid-19 please let us know your experiences here: Chambers Ireland Business Community Survey

Speaking this morning Chambers Ireland’s Chief Executive, Ian Talbot, said,

“It is critical that we learn the details of how this crisis is affecting the Irish business community. With legislation, and policy, reacting to the crisis with ever greater pace and urgency it is vital that there is evidence to base these policy innovations on.

If we do not know precisely which businesses are most affected by the Covid-19 related closures and restrictions, if we don’t know which sectors, and the scale of businesses which are most damaged by our current circumstances, then we risk focusing the recovery efforts on the wrong areas, or leaving unattended sectors which require particular attention before it is too late.

An accurate picture of how this crisis is affecting the business community is the first step in creating a national recovery plan – please make sure you speak for your business.”

Gerry Luskin President of Ballina Chamber of Commerce urges business throughout the county to participate in the survey, stating;

“In oder to have a clear and accurate picture of where the business community is at the moment, especially those operating in the west of Ireland, it is very important that we complete the survey so that results can then be used to form a specific recovery plan for our region. And while a natioanl recovery plan is important, businesses based in the west of Ireland, will have specific additional challenges.

Businesses along the atlantic economic corridor need a colloborative strategic blueprint for recovery, in the immediate post Covid-19 period and further twelve to eighteen months.

By identifying the issues businesses are experiencing now (through the survey) Ballina Chamber and the Chamber network will colloborate with local and national Government and work in partnership with local public representatives in planning for the future of our local and regional economy, post Covid-19.”

Further details contct Ballina Chamber of Commerce [email protected] | 096 72800