County Kildare Chamber Chronicle Dec. 2022

Corporate Partners 2022

Welcome to our latest edition of our Chamber Chronicle.

I am honoured and delighted to have been recently elected as President of County Kildare Chamber for the year 2022 / 2023. I am very much looking forward to working with the Chamber team, Allan Shine CEO, Jennifer Forster and Sinéad Ronan, and the Chamber Committee over the coming year. I would like to warmly welcome the new members of the Committee Denise Brady and Ruth Murphy. I would like to acknowledge the contribution made by former President Luke Hanahoe during his term of office, in particular the establishment of the Chamber Policy Council. This initiative has proven to be a great addition to the Chamber’s services for members. 2023 will likely be another challenging year for many businesses. The ongoing war in the Ukraine, inflation and increased costs will present challenges for our members in the year ahead. However, I am confident that the resilience shown by our members during the challenges over the past couple of years in light of Brexit and Covid, will continue. I would encourage all members to maximise their

membership. Our team is always on hand to either provide

Association)

FANUC opens robotics facility in Kildare

FANUC has officially opened the doors to its first ever Irish facility, based in Maynooth Business Campus, Co. Kildare. The facility will consist of a 500 m2 training centre and a showroom which will be stocked with a range of robotics and automation solutions for demonstration, evaluation, and test purposes on a continuing basis.

With a large number of clients within Ireland already, FANUC will use this base for continued customer support and growth in the Irish market. The site will also host organised, in-house training for FANUC’s larger customers and scheduled courses catering for smaller groups. In addition, the company will continue to develop its strong ties with Ireland’s higher education network, including the Technical Universities.

Teamworx celebrate 20 years in business

This November, Teamworx Recruitment celebrate 20 years in business, and they couldn’t be prouder! Established in 2002 by Denise Brady MD, Teamworx have built an extremely impressive client base throughout Ireland & the UK in the Retail, Hospitality & FMCG Industry.

They have an amazing, dedicated team who are passionate about recruitment and believe in five-star customer service at all times. Beaming with pride Denise tells us “We want to thank everyone who has contributed to our success - our clients, candidates, industry colleagues and team. Thank you for being part of our journey, here’s to the next 20!”.

K Club to host 2023 Irish Open – September 7-10

Paul Heery, General Manager of The K Club, said: “The K Club has always had a strong reputation as a venue for hosting successful, international golf events. Now, with the guidance and fresh energy from new ownership, we are delighted to be back hosting tournaments of this calibre.

Supporting the golfing community in Ireland is an extremely important focus for us at The K Club. Our team is incredibly proud to be making this long-term commitment to Irish golf which will see us host six years of high-profile tournaments in Ireland.”

Minister Catherine Martin opens the newly refurbished and designed visitor centre at

attraction, the Irish National Stud & Gardens in County Kildare

A newly designed visitor centre is now open in the heart of the thoroughbred country, the Irish National Stud & Gardens in County Kildare. The new visitor centre combines a beautifully designed admissions space and a unique experiential gift shop supplying locally and internationally sourced products to its over 140,000 visitors. Visitors to the new gift shop have an opportunity to purchase that special momentum of their visit to the attraction as well as find that unique gift for their friends and family. The gift shop showcases locally designed and developed products as well as offering a unique line of Irish National Stud & Gardens product including honey created by the stud’s own bee apiary and a creatively designed children’s range.

the world-leading

Chambers Ireland Delegation to Brussels

County Kildare Chamber Public Affairs Manager, Sinéad Ronan participated in a 2 day visit to Brussels as part of a Chambers Ireland delegation. A number of meetings were held around the two day visit, including briefings with the Irish Embassy team in Brussels and the Northern Ireland Office. The delegation also held a breakfast briefing session with a number of Irelands MEP’s, hosted by Barry Andrews and held a full day briefing with a number of teams at the European Commission.

The Northern Ireland Protocol and Brexit featured highly on the agenda, as did the European wide issues of skills shortages and staff retention. These high level meetings gave the delegation an excellent insight into the activities in Brussels regarding per learnings, to legislation, EU directives and EU engagement with other member states.

FACE Credit Consultancy win award at the World Credit Congress

FACE Credit Consultancy are delighted to announce they have won the award for ‘Service Credit Team of the year 2022’ at the World Credit Congress. FACE Credit Consultancy gives a personal touch to credit control. They offer a broad range of credit solutions tailored to meet your business needs.

Killashee Hotel Officially Launches the New Chapter

The date 1861 above the door of the Original House at Killashee Hotel signals a long history for the estate outside Naas in County Kildare. Since taking over on April 1st this year, FBD Hotels & Resorts has stylishly refurbished this landmark hotel. As the first phase of this initial €3 million investment is now complete, the four-star Killashee Hotel unveiled The New Chapter at a reception on Wednesday 9th November 2022. Host Marty Whelan guided the 300 guests through a gourmet journey from the old to the new chapter of Killashee Hotel, with entertainment provided by the Celtic Drummers, a classical quartet, The Runaways, Havana Club Trio and magician Jack Wise.

Intel Ireland wins award at Chambers Ireland Sustainable Impact Awards

Intel Ireland won the ‘volunteering in our communities’ award at Chambers Ireland Sustainable Impact Awards. In 2021 Intel Ireland employees volunteered 182,900 hours in 23 different counties.

This category aimed to award a company for excellence in employee volunteering. Volunteering is a way for a business to give back to the local community by offering their time and skills free of charge. Volunteering enables employees to engage in meaningful activities which will enrich communities and benefit the participants too.

Naas awarded AIRO Racecourse 2022

Naas Racecourse were awarded the AIRO Racecourse Award 2022, voted for by Irish racehorse owners. The awards took place in the Cashel Palace with general manager Eamonn McEvoy and director David Cox accepting the award. “Great facilities” and “outstanding levels of service” were just some of the comments from voters.

Matheson The Future of Law

Kyle Gribben - Head of Digital Services Group

As our society and the business community continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic here in County Kildare, as well as at a national and global level, we can now take the opportunity to reflect on the changes which many of us either willingly or unwillingly embraced over the past two years, and to consider what these might mean for business and our society.

The pandemic and its broader global societal issues have led to many uncertainties, compounded by newer issues such as Brexit, international conflicts, market fluctuations, interest rate increases and a surge in cyber security risks. Despite these challenges, we are still living in a time of change and one that offers the opportunity for creativity and proactivity across all areas of society.

At Matheson, our focus is on serving the Irish legal needs of internationally-

focused companies and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland, and as Ireland’s largest law firm, we work with evolving businesses across all industry sectors, observing the many changes that impact not only the way we work, but also how our society works.

The legal sector is one that was already undergoing change before the pandemic and like many, this change was focused on emerging technologies, their adoption and

utilisation. Traditionally, the legal sector would not have been considered to be one of the most innovative, but the opportunities for our clients and the way we work are clear. We have for many years used technology for discovery and litigation and have adopted new technologies and methodologies into our client services.

Looking to the future there is an undoubted opportunity in AI and technologies that will enhance how we work. This integration and digital transformation approach are also aspects of our training, and earlier this year we launched a series of Virtual Experience Programmes. Working with National University of Ireland Galway, University of Limerick and Maynooth University, and with Forage as our technology partner, we provide students with integrated modules and coursework, offering them practical legal work experience. We also use AI software solutions to bring greater efficiency to the large-scale contract review process, particularly where timing is everything, such as in the days and weeks following a cyber-attack or in due diligence exercises.

While the benefits of new and emerging technologies are clear, there are undoubted challenges within the globalised society in which we now live. Cyber security and associated issues are one such area, and one where we work extensively. Affecting all sectors, organisations are more vulnerable than ever before to threats from home and abroad.

Such threats require ongoing vigilance, careful planning and investment of time and resources to safeguard against an incident that could prove costly for a business. We are actively working to navigate these known and emerging threats, supporting clients in the event of a breach or issue, and guiding their response to such incidents.

Another area of continued and growing importance is that of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Our ESG Advisory Group works exclusively in this domain and provides clients with an integrated approach. A topic of significant breadth - how businesses operate, with whom and their broader impact or contribution to society has never been more in focus. Its relevance cannot be underestimated across all sectors and industries, ensuring that Irish businesses need to look at how they sustainably operate today and in the future. With new reporting and legislative requirements that will come into effect, we understand the levance of ESG and while we are working with clients today, we are also preparing for the future. For example, we recently became the first Irish law firm to launch an Environmental, Social and Governance Virtual Experience Programme to upskill aspiring solicitors and give them experience as a commercial lawyer in an ESG practice.

For our own business and international network, the past few years have been significant in guiding how we are developing to meet the needs of our people and clients. At Matheson, we had already introduced an Agile work programme, whereby team members could work remotely. However, the pandemic ushered in a new perspective and approach to where and how we work. We quickly adjusted to the needs of our clients, and as restrictions lifted, we again worked to ensure we met the needs of our people and those

we serve by introducing a hybrid work model across our Irish offices and broader international network.

We also work hard to continue our commitment to diversity and inclusion, for our people and the benefit of our clients. Even while impacted by the pandemic and working remotely, inclusivity was a core focus at all levels for the firm. In 2020 we were the first Irish organisation, across all sectors and industries, to receive the ‘Investors in Diversity’ Gold Standard distinction and earlier this year we became the first organisation in Ireland to achieve re-accreditation of this prestigious standard, a commitment of which we are proud.

The last two years have been universally challenging, however for many businesses in Kildare it has afforded an opportunity for change and growth. At Matheson, we are focused on driving a culture of innovation, one that encompasses our people and clients, and it is this comprehensive approach that will underpin our future development and that of our clients.

Kyle Gribben Head of Digital Services Group Matheson LLP

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) questions are at the top of business agendas worldwide. Matheson’s ESG Advisory Group has the tools and legal expertise to help you navigate the implications for your business.

You

The Hub concept was designed and built by award winning property developers Ballymore Group to cater for the needs of local businesses and workers who require a co working space. Providing world class, flexible facilities, designed to meet the needs of today’s hybrid worker, start up businesses and those looking to cut the commute.

The internationally designed work space offers a bright, vibrant and creative work environment. with a variety of workspaces.

Hot desk: space of your own on our comfortable high desk , high stool combination. A cost effective way to access all the facilities of the Hub when you need to pop in for a few hours or the full day.

Co Working space: Our co working desks offer a traditional desk and chair option, but there is nothing traditional about the space ! A modern desk with a comfortable ergonomically designed chair that makes a days work in the hub very enjoyable.

Private Office: Our fully furnished suite of private offices offers a flexible , cost effective workspace solution. We take the headache out of the workspace for you , with a fully furnished office that includes all your utility bills. Access your office with you own private qr code.

Boardroom: Are you looking for your next exciting off site meeting venue? Why not try something different at The Hub. With state of the art conferencing facilities our bright and spacious boardroom can seat 8/10 people comfortably with plenty of room for extra seats if needed.

With several refreshment packages to suit your needs, you have everything you need for a successful and productive day.

With fewer distractions than working from home the Hub gives you the opportunity to interact with others, help generate ideas and build your network. Our memberships are designed to offer flexibility, pop in for the day when needed or stay for 6 months, you choose.

The Hub is a community , it builds bridges between start ups, creatives and corporates.

For more information please visit our website www.ballymorehub.com or contact the Hub at manager@ballymorehub.com or Tel 087 671 5261.

will find The Hub set in the Idyllic and well connected village of Ballymore Eustace with easy access from the Midlands and a mere 45 minutes from Dublin.

Helping Irish businesses decarbonise with the gas network

Kildare Chamber caught up with Lar Burke, Commercial and Residential Connections Manager for Gas Networks Ireland to learn more about the gas network in Kildare and the integral role it will play in decarbonising Ireland’s energy system.

Q1: Can you tell more about the scale and importance of Ireland’s gas network

Gas Networks Ireland operates and maintains Ireland’s €2.7bn, 14,664km national gas network, which is considered one of the safest and most modern renewables-ready gas networks in the world. Almost 720,000 Irish homes and businesses trust Ireland’s gas network to provide efficient and reliable energy to meet their heating, cooking, manufacturing and transport needs.

The gas network is the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy system, securely supplying more than 30% of Ireland’s total energy, including 40% of all heating and almost 50% of the country’s electricity generation.

Q2: Can you tell me a little bit about the gas network in County Kildare?

County Kildare is very important to Gas Networks Ireland. We have over 827 km of pipeline in Kildare alone, serving customers in Naas, Athy, Kildare Town, Clane, Straffan, Newbridge, Kilcock and Johnstown. There are a total of 36,659 customers connected to the gas network in Kildare and we play a vital role in providing a reliable energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The renewable gas, biomethane was also injected into the gas network for the first time at Ireland’s first purposebuilt injection facility in Cush, County Kildare. The amount of renewable gas injected at Cush continues to grow with six times the volume injected this year to date versus 2021. Once flowing at maximum capacity, Cush will have the capability to supply renewable gas to approximately 11,000 homes.

Q3: How do you see Gas Networks Ireland contributing to Ireland meeting its climate action targets?

We are beginning to see Irish businesses become more vocal

about Government supporting the development of biomethane and hydrogen projects to both enhance the country’s energy security and provide opportunities to create a renewable gas industry in rural Ireland

Biomethane is a carbon neutral renewable gas produced from farm and food waste through a process known as anaerobic digestion. It is largely identical to natural gas and is fully compatible with the existing gas network and the gas appliances used by homes and businesses.

In addition to helping decarbonise the home heating, transport and agriculture sectors, establishing a renewable gas industry in Ireland will also support additional jobs and income streams in local communities by creating sustainable circular economies.

We also believe that hydrogen will play a role in Ireland’s strategy to decarbonise the energy sector. Over the last year, Gas Networks Ireland has been working with University College Dublin’s Energy Institute (UCDEI) on a research project to investigate the potential use of hydrogen in Ireland

and find out if we can heat homes and cook dinners with this renewable gas. We are preparing the existing gas network to initially accept hydrogen blended with natural gas through the interconnectors from the UK; and ultimately 100% green hydrogen.

We believe that Ireland’s gas network will play a key role in Ireland’s future hydrogen economy by connecting hydrogen production, storage and end-users within hydrogen clusters as they emerge at port locations and at other sites around the country.

This will support Ireland secure energy system resilience through medium term and long-term interseasonal storage as well as give us the economic advantage of being able to import and export green hydrogen through the repurposing of one of the interconnectors with the UK.

By replacing natural gas with renewable gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen, the national gas network will continue to play an integral role in Ireland’s cleaner energy future and aims to deliver a net-zero carbon gas network by 2050.

Q4: How can SME’s decarbonise and how can connecting to the gas network support this?

The quickest ways for a business to reduce its carbon output is to reduce its usage, and switch to renewables, or lower carbon alternatives. Natural gas emits 40% less CO2 than coal, and 20% less than oil*, so if you switch your business to natural gas, you are immediately reducing your carbon emissions.

For example, the gas network is reasonably “dense” within the town of

Newbridge and connecting businesses currently using oil would immediately reduces CO2 emissions by up to 20%.

While Irish companies can realise immediate carbon emissions reductions by switching to natural gas today, I believe it is exciting that more significant savings will be realised over time through renewable gases such as

biomethane and green hydrogen. An added benefit is that as the proportion of renewable gases on the network increases, you won’t have to change anything in your system to benefit from these changes, so your carbon output will continue to decrease as the volumes of biomethane and green hydrogen flowing in our network increases.

Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home.

This offer is available for customers looking to move their principal Private Dwelling House (PDH) mortgage from their current lender to AIB without moving property. The payment will be made within 2 months of mortgage drawdown. We may contact you by SMS or phone to let you know when the payment has been made. Buy-to-let mortgages are excluded. Switching is available for all PDH mortgage holders in Ireland who have a mortgage with any other mortgage provider. We will require that your mortgage repayments are not in arrears and/or negative equity (when the balance of your current mortgage is greater than the current market value of your property). Over 18s only. Information correct as at 07.04.2022. Security may be required. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is an authorised agent and servicer of AIB Mortgage Bank u.c. in relation to origination and servicing of

Banks, p.l.c.

CHAMBER POLICY

Membership Sentiment Survey Report Q3&4

The Chamber conducted its bi-annual survey over a period of two weeks from the 6 September – 20 September 2022.

Of the total responses received, 42% where from businesses with 21 plus employees, while 58% came from businesses with staff ranging from 1 to 20 employees. Over 66% of the responses came from the Life Science and Manufacturing area, Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure, Retail, Education and Training and the service industry.

The survey concentrated on the key business challenges of competitiveness in Kildare, Energy Costs, Sustainable Development, Post-Covid employment and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. It particularly highlighted continuing challenges Kildare businesses are having with regards to skills & training availability within the county, housing availability and the cost of energy, all of which businesses see as substantial barriers to competitiveness within Kildare.

Maynooth- Clane Local Area Plan

Kildare County Council jointly with Meath County Council recently published an Issue Paper regarding the Maynooth Clane Local Area Plan 2024-2030.

The issue paper set out the scope of the LAP for the coming six years, with regard to strategic planning, infrastructure and housing demands and economic growth for the surrounding areas.

This is only the first step in a possible draft LAP for the Maynooth-Clane and surround areas. As part of the Chambers ongoing engagement with the Council on strategic planning and development, a submission was made.

Ongoing engagement with all our stakeholders will continue in the interim and the Chamber looks forward to submitting a full and detailed submission on behalf of our membership further into the process.

County Kildare HR Roundtables

Against the backdrop of economic challenges, Covid-19 and an ever-changing HR landscape, the time for HR to support and lead out in their organisations is now. To support the thinking, reflection, sharing of ideas and best practices and planning, County Kildare Chamber in partnership with Adare Human Resource Management are facilitating a number of HR Roundtable opportunities for Senior HR Leaders and HR Directors.

These interactive HR Roundtable meetings will enable peer to peer learning and sharing through a structured process designed to support the ability to pivot your organisations HR Strategic Planning journey each year. The Roundtables will be held at a frequency of 3-4 per year, with the first meeting of the new year scheduled for January 2023.

Policy Advisory Council

The Policy Advisory Council held its final meeting of 2022 in October.

Minister Damien English TD was present at the meeting, and a wide-ranging discussion was held with a number of points raised around work permits, security of supply with particular importance placed on energy supply for the County and Budget 2023 business supports.

The next meeting of the Policy Advisory Council will take place on the 17th January 2023, with Chief Executive of Kildare County Council, Sonya Kavanagh.

MIRIAM KEARNEY - Tax Manager at Taxkey

Miriam

a BA Hons degree in Legal Studies with Business and an ordinary degree in International Trade Law from the Southeast Technological University.

Prior to joining Taxkey, Miriam trained with Brian Hennery and Associates in Waterford and remained with the practice post qualification. She has also held tax consultancy roles with a medium size accountancy practice based in Waterford and a “Top 10” accounting firm.

Miriam is experienced in advising across all areas of taxation and provides efficient tax planning solutions to private individuals, sole traders, family companies and professional advisors. She has particular expertise in gift and inheritance tax planning, estate administration compliance, property conveyancing, VAT, personal taxation and in advising individuals moving to and out of Ireland.

SUE WALSH - Video Content Producer at Frame It Productions

Frame It Productions are delighted to appoint Sue Walsh to the role of Video Content Producer where she will work closely with the Frame It Production team to oversee production on the extensive video production services we offer. Sue is qualified in Digital Media Design and Screen Production Department Skills. Her experience includes working on commercial, corporate and creative based projects.

ANTHONY EGAN - Connections Team at Gas Networks Ireland

Anthony has recently joined

sector. He will be responsible for providing customers

a step by

their businesses to the national gas network. He has considerable experience

from dealing with commercial businesses and the service sector in the Leinster area over the past number of years. Anthony is passionate about Kildare businesses and community development and has a long history of involvement in local initiatives. He has lived in Naas for over 30 years and has played an active role in several local organisations.

ELAINE COEN BYRNE - Recruitment Consultant - Teamworx

Teamworx are delighted to announce the appointment of Elaine Coen Byrne as Recruitment Consultant for our Head Office & Executive Division.

Elaine has worked within the Corporate, Hospitality and Recruitment Sectors throughout her career and has over 15 years’ experience. She demonstrates excellent customer service and communication skills, which have been key to developing strong professional relationships & networks. Elaine has a sound work ethic and a positive, professional attitude and will be dealing with many high profile clients throughout Kildare and Dublin. We are delighted that she has joined our expanding Team and wish her well in 2023.

joined Taxkey as Tax Manager in November 2022. She is an Associate of the Irish Tax Institute and a Charter Tax Advisor. She holds

Gas Networks Ireland as a member of the New Connections team for the SME

with

step guide and advice on connecting

and local knowledge gained

Lufthansa Technick has officially opened the doors to its second Irish facility, based in Celbridge, Co. Kildare.

The state-of-the-art facility will cater to the servicing and repair of engines for airlines and aviation leasing companies in Ireland and across the EMEA region. The 3,500sqm facility in addition to repairing and servicing aircraft engines from its base in Celbridge, will also have a technical team which can be deployed to a customer site anywhere in the world to carry out the necessary work.

The facility curently employs 30 highly skilled jobs in the area and recruitment is ongoing to more than double this number to 65 over the next two years.

Speaking following today’s launch Chamber CEO, Allan Shine said “This significant announcement by Lufthansa Technick demonstrates the attractiveness of Kildare and the Mid East Region for growth and continued investment. The pool of talent here in Kildare was the primary reason

for Lufthansa choosing Celbridge, which is a real vote of confidence to the county and the region.

This latest new addition to Kildare will help shape the future of our local and regional economy and will support the company’s global operations. I wish Lufthansa every success with this opening. Kildare is a competitive, innovative driven manufacturing hub and is primed for technological advancement”.

Sinéad Ronan, Chamber Public Affairs Manager said “This announcement demonstrates just how attractive Kildare is to investment. Our highly skilled workforce is a major draw to any potential and existing employers. County Kildare Chamber welcomes this development and the continuing positive knock-on effects for Kildare communities. Our Chamber will continue to collaborate with stakeholders such as IDA, Enterprise Ireland, local government, Maynooth University and others to ensure we keep up this strong momentum”.

Chamber welcomes vote of confidence in Kildare as Lufthansa invests 28m in what will be the companies second facility in Ireland

Kildare Business Awards

O’Connor of Colourtrend honoured at Kildare Business Awards Overall Business of the Year awarded to T&I Fitouts

Over 400 business leaders from across Kildare attended the Kildare Business Awards, powered by Eirgrid, on the 24th November in The Killashee Hotel.

Allan Shine, CEO of the Chamber in his opening address paid tribute to all the finalists and noted that this year the Chamber received a record number of 174 application for the 15 category awards on offer.

He said, “The air of positivity can be felt in this room tonight. Business sentiment is challenging currently but here in Kildare we continue to survive and more importantly thrive. We are without doubt the most business resilient county in Ireland. Kildare is the location of choice for both existing and for potential business enterprise. We will continue to build and capitalise on this momentum for Kildare”.

Mairéad Hennessy, speaking at her first engagement since becoming Chamber President last month said, “Despite all the challenges over the past couple of years, business in Kildare is thriving. As a result, our Chamber has beaten the odds and membership has increased over the past 3 years by an incredible 24%. No other Chamber in the country has achieved this. This growth is down to you, the members, and your belief that our Chamber can continue to represent the voice of business in Kildare”.

Business of the Year for 2022 was won by T&I Fitouts. Kevin O’Connor of Colourtrend was this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Business Award.

Winners this year were>>

Kevin

Powered by

Employee of the Year John Mitchell Barretstown

Net Zero Achievement T&I Fitouts Ltd

Sponsored by: Maynooth University

Sustainable Development Barretstown

Sponsored by: AIB

Overall Business of the Years T&I Fitouts Ltd Sponsored by: The Queally Group

Health and Wellbeing Queally Group

Sponsored by: Permanent tsb

Outstanding Contribution to Business

Kevin O’Connor

The General Paints Group

Sponsored by: Clark

IN THE HOT SEAT

with Mairead Hennessy

1). Tell me a bit about yourself; I’m from Castleknock in Dublin and moved to Kildare in 2008 when my now husband, Padraig, and I decided to build our home in Moone in South Kildare. Padraig and I now have three children, Micheál is 9, Fionn is 8 and Alannah is 4. It’s a busy household but lots of fun.

I set up Taxkey in 2016 and I had been thinking about it for a number of years before that. I believed that there was an opportunity to provide an outsourced Tax Partner service to accountancy practices that do not have an inhouse Tax Partner. It’s a model that works very well in other countries such as New Zealand and the UK and from what I could see at the time, it wasn’t being done to nearly the same extent in Ireland.

Setting up the business was a big decision but I decided to go for it and thankfully I haven’t looked back. In Taxkey, we partner with accountancy practices throughout Ireland and some UK practices when they need

Irish tax advice. We also work closely with a number of financial advisors and solicitor firms.

I love running the business. I really enjoy the autonomy in terms of directing the type of work we do and the clients we work with. It’s a privilege to work with clients who are making very big business and life decisions. Every day is different, one day we might be working with parents deciding on when to pass a business to children and the next advising a business on how to structure a property purchase tax efficiently. The work is very varied so its always interesting.

2). What can we expect from Mairead Hennessy’s term as President?

I am really looking forward to my term as President. The Chamber has done so well over the past couple of years during the very challenging Covid period. Our membership has increased by about 24% during this time and we are the only Chamber

in the country to have achieved this. We currently represent more than 400 businesses with circa 42,000 employees.

Luke Hanahoe was extremely effective as President over the past 3 years. He championed the Chamber Policy Council and bringing Sinéad Ronan on board as Policy Affairs Manager. We’re the only Chamber outside the cities to have such a role and it enhances our ability to effectively lobby local and national government on behalf of our members. These developments have really added weight to the Chamber’s offering to its members.

It’s an exciting time for the Chamber. I’m very much looking forward to building on this momentum and expanding the international focus of the Chamber. The delegation coming to Kildare from the Boston Ireland Trade Association (BITA) at the end of November and the Kildare Chamber’s trade mission to Boston next March are good examples of

this. These visits provide channels to maximise the potential for trade opportunities for Kildare businesses, both inbound and outbound.

I’m also excited by new Business Owners’ Forums starting next year specifically focused on small and medium sized member businesses. This initiative will provide opportunities for businesses to connect and learn from each other through collaborative meetings. Further details on the Forums will be available in early 2023.

3). As Vice President of the Chamber for the last three years, what has been your standout moment in that time?

My standout moment over the past three years during my term as Vice President was undoubtedly going on the trade mission to Boston last June with Luke and Chamber CEO Allan Shine. Over the course of the trip, I saw first hand the hard work that the Kildare Chamber team have put into building relationships with Boston and the Quincy Chamber of Commerce. Quincy is a city on the outskirts of Boston and the membership profile of its Chamber is similar to that of the County Kildare Chamber. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the County Kildare Chamber and the Quincy Chamber creates a partnership between the two Chambers and ensures that Kildare business is well networked within Boston city and surrounding area.

We also met with the Irish Consulate in Boston and the IDA officials based in Boston. These meetings provided good insight for me in terms of Irish business connections in Boston.

4). What is your sense of the Chamber’s relationship with key stakeholders in Kildare?

Its very important that the Chamber has strong working relationships with key stakeholders in Kildare. At the end of the day, we are all working in the interests of the County so everyone benefits when we work together.

The team at County Kildare Chamber enjoy an excellent relationship with Government ministers and departments. As we continue to develop the Chamber’s lobbying

activities, I look forward to this interaction increasing to ensure that Kildare’s business voice is heard at both local and national policy levels. Similarly, the Chamber enjoys a strong and collaborative relationship the Kildare LEO and County Council officials. I am very much looking forward to working with the newly appointed CEO of Kildare County Council Sonya Kavanagh to ensure that Kildare is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities for business development in the county over the coming years.

During my term as Vice President, I was the Chamber’s representative on the County Council’s Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). I was also a member of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) within the LCDC and it was so interesting learning about the various Rural Development Programmes going on around the county. As I live in quite a rural part of the county in Moone, being part of the RDP was really interesting for me from a personal perspective also.

It is important that the Chamber inputs into these programmes and Sinéad Ronan currently represents the Chamber on the LCDC as part of her role as Policy Affairs Manager.

Districts and this is a very deliberate decision in terms of the Committee’s composition.

I would strongly encourage businesses in all parts of the County to actively engage with the Chamber. It is the largest business representative body in the Mid East region and our vision is to become a world leading Chamber. Our continued growth will ensure that we can achieve our ambition to deliver on a progressive economic and sustainability agenda at the heart of a vibrant business community. The Chamber wants to represent the voice of businesses throughout the county – north, south, east and west.

Next year all Chamber events will be fully in person and this provides us with the opportunity to host events at various locations throughout the county. In recent months, the Business After Hours evening networking events have been hosted in various locations around the county – the National Stud, Newbridge Silverware and Colourtrend’s Paint and Wallpaper Store in Celbridge. Events such as these provide members with unique opportunities to visit and learn about other businesses around the County.

6). Why would you say it is important for a business to join their Chamber?

Absolutely yes! Putting back on my business owner hat for a minute I can honestly say that joining the Chamber was one of the best things that I did when I started Taxkey in 2016.

I attended the weekly networking mornings regularly and went to as many Chamber events as I could. I really enjoyed meeting other business owners who had also recently set up their own business or where further along the journey.

5). With a company based in Moone, in the south of the county, is it important for you to have a business representative body representing the whole county?

The County Kildare Chamber is an all-county Chamber and this means that it must represent the interests of business located in all parts of the county. The Chamber’s Executive Committee is made up of members from each of the five Municipal

The support I got from other Chamber members was priceless. I found that even where businesses are quite different in terms of their product or service offering, the challenges and curveballs along the way for business owners are often very similar. We have clients today who came through Chamber referrals 5 or 6 years ago, so the tangible business benefits from actively participating in the Chamber are very real.

The Boston Irish Business Association (BIBA) visited Kildare in November. Our relationship with BIBA continues to flourish and following an invitation by our former President Luke Hanahoe in June this year, a delegation from BIBA enjoyed a day in Kildare where the Chamber organised visits to Pfizer, CarveOn, The Irish National Stud, Kildare Village and an overnight in Kilkea Castle.

Delegates from Boston included:

• Laura Hamilton Vice President of Health Beacon

• Steve Brackett: Shepherd Kaplan & Krochuk

• Kerrie Doyle: National Grid

• Paul Dwyer: Fidelity Investments

• Kathryn Ellis: UMass Innovation Institute

• Michael Fechter: Independent Advisor and Investor

• Kathleen Healy: Boston University Academy & New England Aquarium

• Paul Jennings: Silicon Valley Bank – Head of Foreign Exchange (retired)

• Noreen Kelly: Commonwealth of MassachusettsDivision of Licensure

• Brittany McDonough: Abu Dhabi Investment OfficeInnovation & Ecosystem Section Head

County Kildare Chamber are heavily invested in promoting business activity for our membership in Boston. Our relationships with Boston businesses continue to grow, and recently the Chamber signed a MOU with Quincy Chamber which has 4 commitments

• Encourage, promote and facilitate effective cooperation in relation to trade, economic, education and industrial activities

• The two Chamber’s will exchange visits of delegations for the purpose of activating relationships and expanding trade cooperation between their members, they will provide assistance to each other on trade meetings, project seminars and exhibitions

• The two Chamber’s will develop appropriate means to facilitate networking among their respective membership and to circulate information on business

BIBA (Boston Irish Business Association) visits Kildare

and economic opportunities available in the jurisdiction of their respective organisations

• The two Chamber’s will assist their members to overcome the difficulties that may arise from trade and exchange operation

In November we had a member of the Chamber engage with Quincy Chamber and in January another member will visit Quincy to avail of network opportunities and introductions that Quincy Chamber are organising for them.

Allan Shine, “Our ongoing efforts are to raise Kildare’s profile internationally, to improve the already-strong bilateral trade and investment linkages with Boston, and to provide a forum for Kildare companies active in the Boston area to develop their relationships with customers, partners, and other stakeholders. Our regular trade visits to Boston are also part of our business agenda to increase the export market penetration and diversification of Kildare companies post Brexit.”

“Our regular hosting of visiting delegations is extremely important and we are very thankful that companies such Pfizer, CarveOn, The Irish National Stud and Kildare Village are on hand to host and engage with the delegations. Kilkea Castle is always an excellent host as it is owned by the Cashman Family who are from Boston.”

Chamber’s Ireland

CEO Forum

Every 3 months, CEO’s of Chambers from across Ireland come together to meet and discuss the issues, challenges and of course the opportunities that our members face on a daily and weekly basis. The Chamber network has a membership of in excess of 10,000 businesses making it the largest business network in Ireland.

Our main agenda items include:

• Lobbying Government on policy to create a better environment for business

• Supporting SME’s

• Facilitating trade

• Strengthening the Chamber network

Our Chamber network reaches every county and town and village in Ireland. Our strength is that we are on the ground, we understand business and understand the challenges that business face. Our quarterly meetings give the CEOs of each Chamber the opportunity to meet with like-minded Chambers, allowing us the opportunity to learn from each other.

The forum advises the board of Chambers Ireland on the issues that are facing business. Recently, County Kildare Chamber CEO Allan Shine was re-elected onto the board of Chambers Ireland, an extremely important board, as Chambers Ireland is the most respected business organisation nationally.

County Kildare Chamber is affiliated to Chambers Ireland, EuroChambres and the International Chamber of Commerce. We are on hand to open the doors for you to other Chamber’s both nationally and internationally.

GETTING TO KNOW your Chamber Team

ALLAN SHINE CEO of County Kildare Chamber

Home place

Straffan. There is so much to do around the village and we are so close to Naas and Maynooth. Great local community and everything you could want is on our doorstep.

Hobbies & interests Golf, Politics and Horseracing in no particular order. Raising 3 kids ensures my golf is taking a back seat.

Favourite food Anything my wife Sinead cooks. I suffer through watching cooking programmes, knowing that dinner the next day will be top class.

Person you most admire Rory McIlroy – a leader in his field both on and off the course. Heart on his sleeve, driven and his charity work is amazing.

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you Good fun, crap golfer, dependable.

JENNIFER FORSTER

Marketing & Communications Manager at County Kildare Chamber

Home place

Home is Celbridge, I lived there before renting out in Dun Laoghaire, and recently buying a new house in Naas with my partner, Shane.

Hobbies & interests Like most, I enjoy a bit of retail therapy, lately it’s been more practical purchases though – like flooring, and blinds! At the weekends I enjoy going for walks with Shane & our puppy, Millie, and having friends and family over for dinner.

Favourite food This really depends on my mood, but I would probably say my favourite is a Thai Green Curry. I’ve already found my favourite in Naas.

Person you most admire My grandmother, or as I call her ‘Gran’ – She’s as lively and fun as she was 25 years ago, I don’t know how she does it. Fingers crossed for those genes!

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you Loyal, caring and trustworthy.

SINÉAD RONAN

Public Affairs Manager

Home place

Bishopstown, Cork. One of my favourite places is Garretstown Beach, I drive down at least once a week for a walk by the sea.

Hobbies & interests Current affairs and politics, outdoor walks and hikes, watching rugby and Cork GAA (I’m a long suffering supporter!)

Favourite food A really good Chicken Korma!

Person you most admire Mary Robinson, even before becoming Irelands first female President, paved the way for equality and expression of freedom within Ireland. She and others of her generation completely changed Ireland’s trajectory as a country. As a small child, watching her as President and even to this day she is still a huge inspiration to me and someone I most admire.

What 3 words would your friends use to describe you Reliable, driven and perceptive.

Barretstown Winter Wonderland

This year saw the return of Barretstown’s Winter Wonderland event. The weekend of the 26th & 27th of November was filled with festive cheer, as families from near and far travelled to visit Santa and support Barretstown. The campus was buzzing with Christmas market stalls, magical train rides, festive fun & games, plus lots more. Children also got to pay a visit to Santa in his magical Christmas grotto, the perfect way to kick start the festive season.

Barretstown wouldn’t be able to run this festive event without the support of our amazing volunteers, who so selflessly give up their time to support us. On behalf of the children and families we serve who are affected by serious illness, we would like to say a huge Thank You to the County Kildare Chamber and all of its members who so kindly volunteered at this event, your support is truly appreciated.

We wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and New year and hope it is filled with as much magic as you have helped us spread this Christmas.

Barretstown offers free therapeutic programmes at our unique specially designed campus in Co. Kildare and

through outreach programmes in hospitals and schools throughout Ireland, for children and their families living with a serious illness.

Barretstown empowers and encourages each child to step out of their comfort zone and re-build their confidence through our medically endorsed therapeutic programmes. They start to discover the magic of being a child again.

Childhood stops for seriously ill children. At Barretstown we Press Play.

We are always on the lookout for volunteers to support our programmes. If you would like to find out more about volunteering at camp please visit www.barretstown.org.

County Kildare Chamber Membership 2022

C

AAccountancy & Tax Services

Grant Thornton

KPMG

Price Waterhouse Coopers

Brennan & O Reilly Accountants Conway, Conway & Co

HTH Accountants

John P Greely & Company

Kealy Mehigan Accountants Malone & Co Accountants Mark Graham & Co.

My Debt Solution

O’KellySutton Chartered Accountants

O’Neill & Brennan Quinlan and Co Accountants S. C. Dunne & Co

Taxkey

The Leinster Partnership Wallace O’Donoghue

Agri Tech

Terra Nutritech

Agriculture Robinson Farms

Air Conditioning

Crystal Air Architecture Demesne Architects Dooley Cummins Architects & Engineers

Arts/ Theatre/ Cinema Odeon Cinema Moat Theatre Riverbank Arts Centre

Car/ Van Hire/ Lease/ Sales

Sheehy Motor Group Go Rentals

Joe Mallon Motors Toyota Naas

Catering Supplier Catering 365

Charity Barretstown KARE Teach Tearmainn

Cleaning and Hygiene Provider Caterclean Ecokem

Premiere Catering and Hygiene Products

Cold Storage Solutions Dawsongroup TCS Ireland Ltd

Conference and Accommodation Maynooth Campus Conference & Accommodation

Construction Ballymore Group Boston Access Limited Glenveagh Homes Homes By Design Killross Properties

Mick O’Shea Heating & Plumbing Ltd Quattuor Developments Limited Tradecraft Building Products Ltd

Consultancy

Amberley & Associates Auxilia Ltd

Bruce McCormack Consulting CiviQ

Enable Me Coaching En-Route Consulting

Galileo Energy Services IP Asset

JAH - Business Operations Specialist

Corporate Branding

CarveOn Limited Magma Design

Corporate Gifts Balloon HQ

NearlySisters Ltd

Credit Union

Croi Laighean Credit Union Life Credit Union People First Credit Union

CRM Systems Provider

DCloud Technology Limited t/a Cloudtech-HR & Cloudtech Monread CRM Distillery Powerscourt Distillery Limited

Bank

AIB

BBank of Ireland

Permanent TSB

Bookkeeping

Premier Accounts Assist Ltd

Jigsaw Better Business Organic Trust CLG

Paul Murtagh Business Consulting PsycReality SAR Consultancy Skillsvista

Sontai Data Solutions Vulcan Consulting Ltd WrxFlo

EE Commerce Otals Pangea Media Ltd

Education KWETB

Maynooth University St. Patricks College Maynooth Faculty of Capacity Development

Leah Moran Stage School and Productions LTD Leinster Senior College

Electrical Services

Schneider Electric Ireland Netherbrook Ltd

RGN Electrical & Communications Specialist

Engineering Endress+Hauser

Powercomm Engineering LTD

Enterprise Park

Kildare Innovation Campus Millennium Park Palm Logistics

Clane Project Centre Ladytown Business Park

EEquine

Godolphin Ireland

Irish Equine Centre BBA Ireland Ltd

Horse Racing Ireland Irish National Stud & Gardens

Equipment Supplier/ Hire

Haven Hire

Loading and Lifting Solutions Pumpwatch Superior Pipeline Products Ltd The Buggyman Ltd

Estate Agents

Brophy Farrell Real Estate Alliance

Coonan Property Jordan Auctioneers

O’Neill & Co

Remax Partners ¦ Bryan Little Remax Platinum Sherry Fitzgerald Brady O’Flaherty Sherry Fitzgerald O’Reilly - Naas

Events

52nd Street Band/ John Forde Piano Man

All Events Audiovisual Follow Fox Events (VEMS)

Mondello Park Mongey Communications

Food & Beverage

33 South Main

Bergin Family Butchers

Coghlans Artisan Bakery Grey Cuckoo Farm Indie Spice Grill Kavanagh’s Bar Lemongrass Lock 13 Brewpub Rustic Kitchen Urban Kitchen Wine Lab

Food Producer

O’Brien Fine Foods Queally Group

Funeral Directors

Murphy Brothers Funeral Directors Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors

Hotel

Barberstown Castle

Kilkea Castle

Osprey Hotel

The K Club

The Westgrove Hotel

Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort

Clanard Court Hotel Court Yard Hotel

Glenroyal Hotel & Leisure Club

Kildare House Hotel

Killashee Hotel

Lawlor’s of Naas

Maudlins House Hotel

Moyvalley Hotel & Golf Resort

The Keadeen Hotel

Human Resources

Adare Human Resource Management

Curran HR Consultancy Limited

Kala Management Solutions Limited

Peninsula

Garden/ Outdoor Area Supplier Sanctuary Synthetics

Gas Networks

Gas Networks Ireland

Government Agency Eirgrid Plc IDA Ireland LEO Kildare Cill Dara Le Gaeilge Local Employment Service Network

FFacilities Management

Advanced Workplace Solutions Elite Maintenance

Family Tree Design

ADOS Genealogy & Design

Finance

Bibby Financial Services

Close Brothers Commercial Finance Grenke

Tameric Investments

Financial Advice

Cleere Life House of Finance Lifegoals Financial SISgate Pro

Financial Services

Brink’s Cash Services (Ireland) Ltd

FACE Credit Consultacy

Traction Finance

Verity Financial Consultants Ltd

Fitness

Infinity Hot Yoga Ltd K Leisure

Health

H& Safety

EFAST EMS

Essential Health and Safety Training and Consultancy Ltd Zehnacker Ireland Healthcare Ltd

Health

& Wellbeing

Deep Health

Healthcare

UPMC Kildare Hospital

Elm Hall Nursing Home Homecare Solutions

Home/

Office Interiors

Gannon Office Solutions

Wall to Workstations

T&I Fitouts Ltd Vyvyan Byrne Interior Design

Hospitality

Palmerstown House Estate & Golf Club

G IInformation Technology

Intel

Kendlebell Naas

Bokfink

Equine MediRecord

Hereworks Technology Limited

INIT

iPing IT Services

ITM

VEI Global VM Group Zinon IT Solutions

Inspection

and Verification

SGS Ireland Limited

Insurance

Arachas Corporate Insurance Brokers

J F Dunne Insurances

Dooley Insurances

Murray Spelman Insurance & Finance

LLaw Firm

Matheson Logistics

Oman-BeverlySmyth Elsatrans Ltd Tansey Transport

Maintenance

Action Chimney Escalator and Lift Services

Manufacturing

American Fruits and Flavors Ireland DAC Etex Group

KDP Ireland

MGS MFG Group Ash Technologies Atlantic Bitumen Labplan Minch Malt Profile Systems Rampower Ventac and Company Limited

Marketing

Elevate Marketing Salt Marketing

Mediation

Browne and Co Mediation

Medical Blackberry Hearing International Medical Information Limited Magnet Medical Solutions

Mortgage Provider

EBS - Drumcondra

Gerry Cuffe Financial Services Ltd

Property Management

Naas Property Management

Public Relations

Big Picture Communications

Solicitors

Moloney & Co. Solicitors Osbornes Solicitors

Patrick J Farrell and Company Solicitors

Stephen Walsh & Co. Solicitors Whitethorn Legal Sport Kildare GAA

Klub Kildare/KDUL Millicent Members Golf Club Naas Driving Range

Quantity Surveyor

Lambert Surveyors Limited

StartUp Support

MERITS

Steel Stockholders

Racecourse

Punchestown Racecourse

The Curragh Racecourse Naas Racecourse

Recruitment Services

Clark Recruitment Flexsource Solutions/ CPL ISS Recruitment

Osborne Recruitment Sparktel Teamworx

Renewable Energy Green Generation Ltd Off Your Grid

Retail

Aldi Colourtrend Kildare Village Newbridge Silverware Cross Retail Group Dalys Pharmacy Diamonds & Pearls E&G Cutting Blades Ltd Monread Fare (Lidon Group) Powell Precision Coatings Vodafone

RFL Steel Taste and Nutrition Solutions

Kerry Telecomms

LogMeIn Ireland Ltd

National Broadband Ireland Ltd (Deployment)

Tourism Celtic Horizon Tours Fairways and FunDays

Training/ Coaching/ Mentoring ActionCOACH

Babogue Ltd Cenit Group

Clever Little Handies

Discovery Playtime Edel Walsh Coaching and Consulting Ladybird Driving School Martinstown Lodge Soft Skill Success

The Dennison Training Academy Turas Nua Veterinary Practice MyVet

Annalee

Tadhg

Print

EMS

Security/ Security Systems Manguard Plus

Signage Provider

Element Creative

Solicitors

Blasco Solicitors and Notary Public Coonan Cawley Solicitors Coonan Morgan Solicitors Hanahoe & Hanahoe Solicitors

Voluntary group Naas Tidy Town Warehouse Solutions Jungheinrich

Web Design

Graphedia

Chamber New Members

St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth

St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth is a specialised university focusing on Theology and Philosophy at undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes level. In addition to domestic students, students from all over the world come to study here. The quality of the teaching, the academic staff, and the facilities ensure an education at the highest level, offering students every opportunity to thrive in their chosen careers. Our graduates have become leaders in careers as diverse as business, pastoral work, communications, marketing, healthcare and academia. Our students join an international community carrying forward over 225 years of tradition in the highest-quality teaching and research and making a difference in the world.

www.sppu.ie

PsycReality

Helping mental health professionals solve social anxiety, phobias and fears better, faster and more economical through immersive technologies, education and scientific research. Our solution is based on technologies such as VR, AI, Haptic & 360° real videos (first ever used in psychology). Clinical tests have shown over 90% betterment in patients.

Equine MediRecord

Equine MediRecord (EMR) develops, sells and maintains the first and only software platform to be approved to replace the paper regulatory documentation that is required to be kept by horse farms to ensure equine welfare and anti-doping regulations are followed. The EMR platform has been approved by the relevant government departments & currently operates in Ireland, U.K. , France, Saudi Arabia & USA. EMR has provided systems to some of the largest global equine brands such as the Breeders Cup World Championships, the Maryland 5 Star, the Preakness Stakes and the Saudi Cup.

www.equinemedirecord.com

Babogue

Co-founded by Erica Hargaden and Janet Creighton, Babogue is a multi award winning business that offers digital solutions to parents who are struggling with their children’s sleep. We have created a suite of courses called The Sleep Series that are designed to meet the needs of parents with children from birth to 10 years of age. Our services have helped over 4,000 families in 35 countries with 94% of these reporting better sleep as a result. Babogoue also offers services to Corporate Wellness Programmes wishing to support their employees’ parenting journey.

We were delighted to be a recipient of Enterprise Ireland’s 2021 Competitive Start Up Fund and will be exploring investment opportunities in 2023 in order to further develop our technology and grow the business on a global scale.

www.babogue.com