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Casey Business Consulting is pleased to announce that Denis has been appointed as On the Ground Consultant for the IntertradeIreland Acumen Programme, covering counties Tipperary, Waterford and Clare.

This is a great addition to the existing consulting services that we provide. Our role is to guide and assist clients through the application process.

The Acumen programme provides financial assistance to business in the Republic of Ireland to help them develop or increase their export sales North of the border. It is aimed at small businesses with an annual turnover of less than £40 million (or euro equivalent) and which employs less than 250 people.

When applying for Acumen support there are three options to choose from as follows;

1. Full Time Sales Person - Many businesses face the challenge of funding and recruiting a dedicated professional to win sales in the cross-border market – Acumen can help.  Acumen will fund up to 50% of the cost of a Sales Person’s salary in the first year. The maximum cost covered can be up to €37,500/£30,000 with Acumen paying up to €18,750/£15,000.
2. Part Time Sales Person - As an alternative to hiring a full-time person in the target cross-border market, the Acumen programme can also offer you support towards employing a part-time sales person. The maximum cost covered can be €20,000/£16,000 with Acumen paying 50% and you paying the balance.
3. Market Research - If you are not ready to consider specific recruitment, Acumen can provide your company with specialist consultancy support to research cross-border opportunities and implement a cross-border strategy. The maximum cost covered can be up to €10,000/£8,000 with Acumen paying up to €5,000/£4,000.

The application and approval process is simply and fast. Approval is typically received within a few weeks of submitting the application.

To find out more about the Acumen programme contact Denis on

086 222 9517. 

FREE STAND FOR MEMBERS!

Jamie Lawlor Crash Repairs has been short-listed in

the category “Bodyshop of the Year” for the

SIMI Irish Motor Industry Awards

in association with Bank of Ireland Finance. 

The overall Award winner will be announced in each of the categories at a special ceremony to be held in conjunction with the SIMI Annual Dinner in the Clayton Hotel – Burlington Road on Thursday 15th of February.   

“We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestige award I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for their continued support and our staff for their dedication” Jamie Lawlor.

Jamie Lawlor Crash repairs has been in business since 2002 in Killenaule, Jamie Expanded his business in 2006 by open a bodyshop in Clonmel,  where business has gone from strength to strength. Being accredited approved repairer with all major Irish Insurers and closing out 2017 Jamie Lawlor Crash Repairs added to their already impressive list of Manufacturers approved body repairer awards from BMW, MINI, Mercedes – Benz, Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat, FORD, and KIA they became the first Irish Body shop to achieve the innovative ‘Volkswagen Group Aluminium Cosmetic Repair Standard’.

In doing so they have also become the first bodyshop in Europe to be awarded approval. This award places Jamie Lawlor Crash Repairs in a small elite group of leading – edge body shop repair centres in Europe.

“Winning the SIMI Irish Motor Industry Awards would just be the icing on the cake “.

As Personal Finance Experts, Eolas Money have spent the past 8 years advising clients on how to improve their Personal Financial Wellbeing, through our work with individuals and through the roll-out of our Financial Wellbeing Programmes to employers and their employees throughout Ireland.

Now for the first time we are delighted to announce that we are providing an opportunity for the general public to enrol in our

Personal Finances Boot Camp,

which will be held over 5 nights commencing on Monday 19^th February at the Clonmel Park Hotel. Enrolment is open to anybody who wants to become more financially literate and wants to re-take control of their personal finances. Places are limited and will be offered strictly on a first come, first served basis.

Arising from our extensive experience Eolas Money have devised a series of interactive workshops, with plenty of time for questions and participant engagement, designed to educate clients on everyday financial topics and help them take control of their personal finances. The 5 areas covered during the course are as follows: 

Tax, Banking & Budgeting, Planning for Your Retirement, Planning for Old Age, Jargon Busting.

UP COMING TRAINING/ EVENTS

Fundamentals & Business Accountability of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Venue: Clonmel 
Date:  29th March 2018
Time: 9:30am to 1pm

Please contact Sabrina or Karen to discuss your training needs:

​

[email protected]
052 6191103

Karen:

[email protected]
052 6191105

Four Months Free Home Insurance.

Want some?

Saving money on your Home Insurance can be great fun.

Okay – it’s not exactly bungee-jumping or sky-diving. But it can be the sort of fun that comes with 36% savings savings in year 1. That’s a big trip to IKEA sort-of-fun. A meal in your local restaurant and more nights out with your pals.

This is the sort of craic that comes with four months free home insurance. Yep - that’s 36% off your first year’s home insurance bill when you pay by direct debit or with your EBS mortgage.

CSR for SMEs Guide

Chambers Ireland is delighted to have published a CSR for SMEs Guide, which we will be distributing free of charge to the network this week. The guide outlines the benefits of CSR and ways that SMEs can engage, including the offer of one-on-one meetings with CSR experts from Chambers Ireland's Policy Council at a location convenient to them, and free of charge. This is an excellent opportunity for an SME to develop a plan for CSR in their company with the help of an expert.  

We have posted 10 of these guides to each Chamber and a PDF version is also available on this website:

GPP4Growth Project – Business Survey on Participation in Green Tenders

Green Public Procurement for Resource-Efficient Regional Growth (GPP4Growth) is a public procurement project aimed at utilising the opportunities related to the adoption of the new EU public procurement system. GPP4Growth aims to support the creation of new opportunities for public authorities to stimulate eco-innovation and green growth.

The Department of Communications, Climate Action & Resource Efficiency has informed us of a new survey to examine the factors that influence businesses to participate in green tenders, services and works. The survey is ideal for input from stakeholders who are directly involved in procuring for their organisation or suppliers.

BUSINESS RATES UPDATE:

Summary of the Valuation System and National Revaluation Programme

Working with the Valuation Office, Chambers Ireland has put together a summary which aims to assist Chambers and their members in the understanding of the Valuation System and National Revaluation Programme which is currently undertaking a revaluation of all rateable properties in Ireland. The attached summary provides brief information including the role of the Valuation Office, reasons why rates increase and how to appeal a valuation. 

The purpose of a revaluation is to bring more equity, uniformity, fairness and transparency into the local authority rating system resulting in a more equitable distribution of commercial rates among ratepayers. Following revaluation there will be a much closer relationship between the rental value or valuation of a property and its commercial rates liability.

Neither residential property nor agricultural lands are rateable and consequently are not affected by the revaluation.

The programme has already been completed in the Carlow, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin and Westmeath County Councils and in Dublin City Council, Waterford City and County Council and Limerick City and County Council rating authority areas. A second revaluation of the South Dublin county council rating authority area was completed in 2017.

Revaluation 2019 will result in the revaluation of commercial and industrial properties in Cavan, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow County Councils. The Fingal County Council Rating Authority area will undergo a second Revaluation having initially been the subject of a Revaluation in 2009.

If you have any related queries please contact Leona Murphy via her email address [email protected] or call on +353 1 4004308.

Please find attached a summary providing brief information including the role of the Valuation Office, reasons why rates increase and how to appeal a valuation. 

 IDA South East Region, in partnership with Collins McNicholas, is seeking support from Companies (and organisations) within the Region in relation to a relocation survey that we are carrying out to showcase the Region as a vibrant location for employees.

This survey is for anyone that has relocated to the South East Region from abroad or indeed other parts of Ireland. 

The survey is being conducted by Collins McNicholas in partnership with IDA Ireland, and with the support of the County Councils of Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Carlow and Kilkenny as well as support from the Chambers of Commerce from the five counties. 

The purpose of the survey is to find out how people who have relocated to the South East Region have found living in the region since they relocated and how it has impacted both their career and quality of life. We are also looking to understand what the experience of moving to the region was like. 

It will only take 5 minutes to complete and you will be automatically entered into a draw for a brand new iPad Mini. The individual survey results will be kept strictly confidential and the general findings will be used to inform the marketing and promotion of the South East Region in order to gather relevant information for other individuals and organisations hoping to relocate.

**** Individuals contact information is requested at the beginning of the survey - this is used solely in the event that you win the draw for the iPad Mini and not for any other purpose. Please note they only have to give personal info if you want to enter the draw.