Webinar highlighted Kildare business concerns for post-Covid future

Though there was widespread support for the Government's response to the coronavirus situation expressed at this morning's County Kildare Chamber Webinar, guest speaker Deputy Martin Heydon was left in no doubt from those participating about their concerns for the future, writes Brian Byrne.

Almost 30 representatives of a wide range of Kildare-based businesses took part in the streamed event, which lasted well beyond the allotted hour.

At the outset, Deputy Heydon said that 'we didn't get everything right' when putting in place the supports and Covid-19 payments schemes for businesses and workers, but it was more important that the Government 'acted quickly'.

"The initial phase was to try and maintain the link between employer and employee," he noted. "The scheme was probably devised over 72 hours, and we didn't have the luxury of testing one for six months. We put grants and other supports in place, and we provided payments so that no one would go hungry. But just like business is evolving, the Government response is evolving too."

Commenting on the 'next phase' which is aimed at rebooting the economy, Deputy Heydon re-emphasised that the five key health parameters outlined in the Dail yesterday will 'determine and guide us' on the next steps.

In reference to the statement expected from the Taoiseach later today, he said the Government would love to be in a position to give a full roadmap to the public about the lifting of restrictions. "But we can't give every certainty and clarity on key points. When changes are being made they will be done so on a 2-4 week basis, so people will have some idea where they are going."

He suggested that the sectors of the economy which will be reopened first are likely to be those doing business to business, where protocols such as social distancing can be managed. "When you bring the public into the equation, that makes things more difficult."

But he urged all businesses to contact the National Standards Authority to find out in advance what they each can be doing before they get the go-ahead to reopen. "They can advise on what you need to do now to be ready, to safeguard your staff and your customers."

He told the participants that the Government is well aware that most of the challenges facing business are around liquidity. "We have to make sure that they don't lead to solvency problems."

Following his talk, the Deputy addressed questions which ranged through concerns in rural Ireland on a new Government involving the Greens, the need to plan for future pandemics by investing in the health services, how the recent weeks with so many people working from home had shown the weaknesses in rural broadband, and perceived difficulties SMEs were having with the banks.

The Webinar was managed by Niall Reck of website designers Graphedia.Com on behalf of the Chamber. In advance of the main speaker, participants had time for 60-second 'pitches' about their business and how they were individually being affected by the current situation.

The enterprises represented included media, PR, IT, print management, marketing, retail, hospitality, logistics management, financial advice, and legal.

Participant observations from the event:

There will be tough decisions ahead once the politicians become again responsible for policy rather than the medical advisors. 

A 'blanket' cessation of commercial rates in Kildare is not a viable option, when 40pc of such rates in the county are paid by large multinational companies.

An €800,000 capital investment plan by a leisure company is now on hold while they are trying to put together a continuity plan for a sustainable business with social distancing requirements. 

The racing industry is hoping to be back in some form by the end of May to 'oil the wheels' of an industry that employs 30,000 people.

Businesses are trying to change, to become leaner, "I think there will be a new way of business when this is over ... and some will come out stronger." 

"Loan finance is not going to be the answer, there will have to be some kind of ongoing support for SMEs for months, even years, until we get back to some kind of normality." 

County Kildare Chamber has been working on a new website which will go live next week, with facilities for members to have their own profile and promote their own news.

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