Overwatch Report

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Local Government] Town Centre first is complex and further incentives are needed to bring buildings back into use, too many are aimed at owner occupier

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Local Government] Town Centre vacancy is an issue and with a considerable need for housing in terms of both short and long term, we need to do more to bring vacant lstock back into use.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Local Government] The CEO of Carlow LA retired in October, and the CEO of Kilkenny LA finished last April, both are now under actong CEO control, the process is very slow and the Public Appointments Service needs to get theeir act together in relation to appointments and filling roles in a more timely manner

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Tourism] The River Barrow is a vital resource and it is vital that it is presented and maintained in the best way possible to attract tourists and support the local and regional economic development

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Economic Development and Industry] Carlow 2040 plans are moving very slow and there is considerable red tape to be processed, it is vital that we see the process move forward.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Economic Development and Industry] Carlow has high levels of local indigenous business and limited FDI

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Economic Development and Industry] Carlow Business Awards 2022

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': "Brian O'Donoghue", 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Pender', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

September–December

[Economic Development and Industry] Celebrating Excellence

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Doran', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Development and Zoning] Project Carlow 2040, funding application towards regeneration of Carlow and a catalyst for the future direction

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Banking and Financial Institutions] Issues in relation to the Credit Guarantee Scheme and SBCI loans. Businesses are getting SBCI approval and then having issues accessing the finance

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Local Government] Changes are needed in the current model used to determine/calculate subvention funding

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Development and Zoning] Project Carlow 2040, funding application towards regeneration of Carlow and a catalyst for the future direction

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Stay and spend tax break has not been a success as it stands. The measure was introduced to support and has not worked

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Development and Zoning] Planning system is too bureaucratic adding excessive costs to projects making them unviable. The impacts of this are wide and affect ability to attract funding, expansion projects and also most notably the possibility of returning many above shop units in towns to a viable use

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Supports for Business, the delivery of same and also it is vital that the supports are there to assist businesses even once we start to reopen the economy as that will be a key measure of the success of working with businesses

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] CRSS has been too restrictive and it needs to be more accessible to a wider cohort of businesses.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Transport] Carlow town bus service. The NTA has advised that this project has been once again delayed/postponed/parked due to lack of funding to take the project forward

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Communications] Broadband across Carlow, NBI rollout and connection of businesses. Considering the govt have invested heavily in helping businesses to develop online presence over the last 14 months, we need to ensure they are able to connect

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Holohan', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 1 more

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Communications] Broadband across Carlow, NBI rollout and connection of businesses. Considering the govt have invested heavily in helping businesses to develop online presence over the last 14 months, we need to ensure they are able to connect

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Holohan', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 1 more

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Outdoor Dining Scheme as launched by Failte Ireland, the details released are consistently talking about town centres and the focus seems to be on these areas

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Education and Training] IT Carlow and WIT application for the establishment of Technological University of the South East

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Communications] The communications from Government are very poor. There needs to be changes as messages can be confusing, programmes are being released without information and further clarity is needed in many areas

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] The property located opposite Shamrock Plaza in Carlow town is an issue and concern to the Chamber. The building is in bad repair and poses a health and safety risk. In addition as an arrival point to the town the state of the building needs to be improved

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Holohan', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Murrays Shop on Dublin street was demolished in the last few years and as yet there has been no progress in restoring the property despite the orders by the High Court

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Local Government] Commercial rates demands were issued to businesses in Q1 of 2021. While the businesses have never had issue with paying rates, the matter raised a number of concerns.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Local Government] Commercial rates cannot be relied upon to fund Local Government and this model needs to change. In the past we saw where Carlow rates were the third highest in the country as the demand for financing was placed on busienss

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John McGuinness', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jennifer Murnane O'Connor", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'John Paul Phelan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Local Government] Culture, Libraries and Digital Development, Tourism, Enterprise and Economic Development SPC

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Murphy', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Andrea Dalton', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John McDonald', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': "Tom O'Neill", 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Pender', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Pat Delaney', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'} + 1 more

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Planning, Environment, Climate and Bio-diversity Action, Energy and Agriculture SPC

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Fergal Browne', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': "Brian O'Donoghue", 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Fintan Phelan', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Adrienne Wallace', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Michael Rainey', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Charlie Murphy', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} + 2 more

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Transport] Transportation and Infrastructural SPC

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Brian O'Donoghue", 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Cassin', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Michael Doran', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John McDonald', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Ken Murnane', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'William Quinn', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} + 1 more

County Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism CLG

January–April

[Housing] Housing, Community and Wellbeing SPC

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Arthur McDonald', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'John Cassin', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Andrea Dalton', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Andy Gladney', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': 'Ken Murnane', 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} {'name': "Tom O'Neill", 'role': 'Councillor (Carlow County Council)'} + 2 more

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs