Fingal Network Magazine (2021 Issue 3)

03/2021

OPTIMISM AND STRONG CORE VALUES CEO Cormac Sheils on Bidvest Noonan’s pandemic roller-coaster WHEN THE HACKER CALLS Simple steps to protect against cyber-attack WORK IS WHAT WE DO, NOT WHERE WE GO Recruiters facing new challenges DRIVING IRISH ATHLETES With Sport Ireland Institute Director Liam Harbison FINGAL’S HERITAGE Why is it so special? www.fingalchamber.ie

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

Credits Editor: John Stanley Design: Diarmuid Scollard Production Manager: David Branagan Sales Manager: Shay Burke Managing Editor: Anthony Cooney Fingal Network Magazine is published by Fingal Chamber.

Fingal Chamber, 2 The Green, Dublin Airport Central, Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin.

Tel. (01) 890 0977 Email. info@fingalchamber.ie Web. www.fingalchamber.ie

IN THIS ISSUE Welcome Address: A year of achievements

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Executive Assessment: Some have survived, others have thrived

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Fingal Business News

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The Big Interview: Cormac Shiels – optimism underpinned by strong core values

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Roundtable Discussion: ‘Work is now something we do, not somewhere we go’

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Your Chamber Council: Helen McNamara

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Fingal County Council: Public consultation on Dublin Airport

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Fingal Chamber Community Fund

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Skillnet Training: Driving Business, People and Innovation Forward

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Industry Review: Cyber Security

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My Week In Work: Liam Harbison

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Chamber Partner Update: Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

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Meet The Team: David Branagan

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Creative Fingal: Caring for the county’s heritage properties

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Chamber President Andrea Molloy reflects on the past year. “We had to engage, partner and collaborate with many different stakeholders throughout the Fingal region and enjoyed positive outcomes as a result.”

Chief Executive Anthony Cooney says the Chamber has stuck to the important task of keeping members in touch and able to support each other. “No-one has to feel alone,” he says.

Cormac Sheils, CEO of Ireland’s largest contract services company, Bidvest Noonan, discusses the rollercoaster ride his company has been on, with some sectors shutting down completely while demand has surged elsewhere.

Siobhan Kinsella, Operations Director of Noel Recruitment Group and Chair of the Fingal Skills Strategy Implementation Group, Ian Hunter, Centre Director of the Swords Pavilion Shopping Centre, and Michelle McDonagh, Senior HR Client Relationship Consultant with Adare HR Management, discuss the challenges facing recruiters today, the practical issues of hybrid working and likely long-term changes in work practices.

Fingal Chamber Skillnet and Skillnet Ireland on delivering excellent results, developing talent your training checklist.

CommSec founder & MD David McNamara and IBM cybersecurity experts Dr Jason Flood and John Clarke outline the growing threats to every business and outline some simple steps that will protect you against 19 out of 20 cyber-attacks.

Director of Sport Ireland Institute, Liam Harbison, explains the many varied tasks involved in ensuring that Ireland’s elite athletes are supported o achieve their potential on the world stage.

The former student union president brings a wealth of experience to the role of Fingal Chamber’s Communications and Engagement Manager.

Material published in this journal is not necessarily endorsed by Fingal Chamber. All rights reserved.

Reproduction by any means without permission of the publisher is prohibited. 2021.

County Architect Fionnuala May explains why it’s important that Fingal’s 35 heritage properties are maintained and developed and discusses the challenges involved in managing such a large portfolio.

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Helen McNamara, Bank of Ireland’s Community Banking Leader for Dublin North-Fingal, talks about her unusual journey into financial services, the changing face of banking and her optimism about a thriving Fingal.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

WELCOME ADDRESS:

A YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENTS amazing beaches, and it has been important to get that message out there.

We are also a region that produces superb food, with some fabulous producers in our midst, and it’s important the spread the word about our Farm to Fork offerings and there’s been considerable engagement on that, too.

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As I reflect on my time as President of Fingal Chamber I can honestly say that as well as the difficulties and real pain that people have experienced as a result of the pandemic, this year has also been an interesting one of real achievements. It was a year in which we had to engage, partner and collaborate with many different stakeholders throughout the Fingal region and enjoyed positive outcomes as a result.

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Largely reflecting their sectoral exposures, some of our members have continued to do well over the past 12 months and some have struggled. But I think we’re seeing further positive signs heralding recovery. The surge in cases of COVID in November has, of course, been a cause of concern. But even so, there are continuing grounds for optimism for the future.

Our work during the year saw us engaging with Fingal County Council with regard to the tourism strategy for the region, which is a topic close to my own heart. So many businesses within Fingal depend on visitors and we have made a big effort to showcase what we have on offer – north, south, east and west. Whether it’s Castleknock, Malahide, Swords or Balbriggan, we have something for everybody, from golf courses to castles to most

This has also been a year when many businesses and organisations have taken the opportunity to question their business models and set out new strategies. Reflecting this new focus, in the Chamber we’ve tried to make sure that all our online events have been very strategic, with a focus on assisting our members navigate through these difficult times.

Helping members with up-to-date and accurate information has been a particularly important role for the chamber over the past 18 months and we have been trying to keep members up to speed, for example on what supports are available from Government, just as soon as we have obtained information we know to be factually correct. We have even had a senior Government minister attend an online briefing during the year, helping to bring an added impetus to our communications.

Having endured 18 months of the pandemic we are all older and wiser at this stage. People have put disciplines in place and there is overall a strong sense of personal responsibility. From a business perspective we have learned, I think, about how we can adapt our approach to it. I’m certainly not suggesting we are in a position to throw caution to the wind. That would be foolhardy and irresponsible.

But I do believe we can adopt a positive mindset with regard to future recovery. We do know that there will be more bumps in the road ahead and we need to be factual and honest with ourselves about that.

But having said that, many of us have been through difficult times before and have learned from them.

Clearly these were not on the scale of the global pandemic, but the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/08, for example, also gave us cause to revisit our business plans and to build into them the flexibility needed to ensure resilience. Indeed, it could be argued that many businesses are in a better place today when it comes to adapting to the changes wrought by the pandemic simply because of the lessons they learned back in 2008.

The Chamber, too, has actively sought to identify ways in which it can improve its own relevance

and services and the delivery of those services to its members. We’ve had own think tank as a result of which we have commenced a whole new membership development initiative. While this is still in its infancy, it is an initiative that really excites me. By demonstrating the Chamber’s effectiveness as a representative body for our members and the networking opportunities they can enjoy through involvement, I know that we are generating a big interest among businesses in the region who have not participated in the Chamber up to now.

The future safe resumption of in person events will play an important role in this, too. People enjoy meeting people, it is the lifeblood of business.

Regrettably, in light of increasing Government advice and restrictions, it was necessary to cancel this year’s Christmas Business Lunch event. This, like other in person events, usually offers members an opportunity to network, to find out more about each other, with the potential to build relationships, create leads or find assistance with current business challenges. We will, hopefully, be in a position to resume this important person-to-person contact in future events in 2022.

I made reference to the success of the Fingal Chamber Community Fund in my comments in the last issue of this magazine, but I make no apology for writing about it again, and in particular to express my thanks once again to the sponsors who so generously came on board and made its success possible. It has been an absolute privilege to chair that committee and I know we have only dipped our toe in the water.

We had thought that we would get maybe a handful of applications for assistance, but how wrong we were. Our sponsors made it possible for us to approve grants of between €1,000 and €5,000 to 11 projects this year and I am delighted that there is now a firm commitment from the Chamber itself to provide ongoing funding under this initiative.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the Chamber Council for their unstinting support over the past year and to thank Anthony and his team for their hard work and consistently good humour in such trying times.

Andrea Molloy President

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EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT:

SOME HAVE SURVIVED – SOME OTHERS HAVE THRIVED! tried to save you time and let you keep focussed on your business while we alert you to opportunities or changes in your business environment.

During this difficult year it has proved almost impossible for us to create opportunities for members to network person-to-person, to share their experience and strength with each on a oneto-one basis, to feel connected and supported.

But over the past 18 months we have used digital technology as much as we can to provide alternative virtual network events which help members feel that sense of connection and to access information of real use to them in these difficult circumstances.

We have continued to act as a mediator, too, taking on board the vast amount of data coming from government, at national and local levels, as well as from a variety of other sources, and then sifting it for information of true value. In this way we have

Worldwide economies are coming back, even in the face of another new variant of the virus. The pressure on employment in Ireland in general, and in Fingal in particular, does indicate a consistent underlying strengthening in demand. In the face of the challenge presented in recruitment, Fingal Chamber Skillnet has a vital role to play in supporting our members’ efforts in talent development and staff retention.

I want to thank all of my Chamber colleagues for all of their hard work over the course of the last year.

I would add that, while remaining positive about the long-term outlook, in the Chamber we also recognise just how difficult things continue to be for many of our members. The continuing uncertainty is of no help to anyone. So we will continue to actively lobby on our members’ behalf, fighting to ensure that all the essential government supports, again at national and local levels, are maintained and, where necessary, extended. We are going to get through this together.

Anthony Cooney Chief Executive

I want to express my thanks to our President, Andrea Molloy, who has served us particularly well in such a trying year. I have found her support and her insights invaluable over the past 12 months and she has consistently gone over and above the call of duty.

She achieved so much in her presidency, despite the extreme difficulties presented by the pandemic.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to John O’Donoghue, General Manager at Malahide Castle & Gardens, Newbridge House & Farm and the Casino Model Railway. John has over 20 years’ experience operating at leadership level with P&L responsibility in a range of sectors, from visitor attractions, facilities and event management to the motor industry, retail and logistics. I know his breadth of knowledge will be of immense value to us as the Chamber pivots towards the digital age.

As an organisation whose sole focus is the support of businesses within Fingal we have a responsibility to be in the vanguard of innovation. We should not

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This has been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone, at both personal levels and in business.

Reviewing what has happened for Fingal Chamber members it is clear that some have struggled, some have survived and some small few have thrived. But what I have seen is the Chamber doing an important part of its job, keeping members in touch with each other and enabling them to support each other. As a member of the Chamber, no-one has to feel alone.

Thankfully, in November we were able to recommence our in-person events with a meeting at the Holiday Inn at Dublin Airport at which the guest speaker, One4all Gift Cards founder Michael Dawson, spoke about the unique world facing “Irish Institute of Music and Song” campus he is developing in Balbriggan, North County Dublin. Subsequently, of course, a resurgence of the virus forced us to cancel our Christmas Business Lunch.

But November’s breakfast event was a welcome reminder of what we hopefully have to look forward to in coming months.

underestimate the ways in which new technologies will enable us to provide in the future better services, more efficiently. The economic and technological ecosystems within which our members live are changing rapidly and we, as a support organisation, need to keep up in order to remain relevant and to provide informed leadership. I anticipate progress in this area over the next 12 months.

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FINGAL BUSINESS NEWS Fingal County Council launches free outdoor public Wi-Fi across Fingal towns and villages

Transformation of Ireland’s youngest town continues

9 September 2021

Two years on from the launch of the Our Balbriggan Rejuvenation Plan 2019-2025, the transformation of Ireland’s youngest town is taking shape, with substantial progress made across a range of objectives in all five of the Plan’s pillars.

A total of 47 Wi-Fi access points have been installed in 18 locations throughout Fingal. There are seven live access points in Swords, with five in Malahide, Howth and Skerries and four in Rush.

Donabate and Blanchardstown Village will have three live access points with two in Lusk, Naul, Blanchardstown Civic Centre and St. Catherine’s Park. Garristown, Portrane, Portmarnock, Clonsilla, Castleknock, Mudhuddart and Ongar will have one live access point each.

The initiative is supported by the WIFI4EU voucher scheme which aims to provide high-quality internet access across the EU to citizens and visitors via free of charge Wi-Fi hotspots in public spaces such as town and village centres, parks and civic spaces.

Councillors approve Fingal County Council’s €784m Capital Programme 13 October 2021

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Councillors have approved Fingal County Council’s €784m three-year Capital Programme which provides for significant investment on projects across the County during period from 2022 to 2024.

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It represents a €17m increase on the previous Capital Plan with the 2022-2024 programme identifying 237 individual projects with an estimated spend of €783.73m over the three years.

The Programme projects a capital spend in 2022 of €237m, followed by €265m in 2023 and a further €282m in 2023.

Just over half of the €784m has been allocated to Housing with the €393m budget underpinning the Council’s commitment to delivering a significant housing programme under the Government’s new housing plan, Housing For All.

27 October 2021

The latest advancement in the improvement of the public realm has seen demolition commence of the derelict O’Shea’s building at the Harbour, where work is expected to be completed by the end of January 2022.

Passenger volumes to and from North America were down by 75%, as more than 96,000 passengers travelled on transatlantic routes in October this year versus two years ago.

Other international passenger traffic to the Middle East was down by 67%, as almost 25,000 passengers travelled during the month. The number of passengers on domestic routes was down by 18%, as over 7,000 passengers travelled within Ireland last month.

Over 241,000 passengers passed through Dublin Airport during the October Bank Holiday weekend, making it the busiest Bank Holiday Weekend of the year to date.

Over the period 2020- 2027, Fingal County Council anticipate making a total projected public investment of between €54m - €57m in Balbriggan. To date the Council have made property acquisitions totalling €3.9m in the town, with acquisitions for strategic redevelopment projects including the O’Sheas site, the buildings at De Bruns (comprising 6, 8, 8A, 10 & 12 Bridge Street), 14 Bridge Street and 2–4 Dublin Street.

Almost 5.9 million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first 10 months of this year, representing 79% decrease when compared to pre COVID levels in 2019.

Riot Games announce global production boost to be driven from new Fingal facility

A local producer of Irish cucumbers has been named

by Fingal County Council as the winner of its firstever Sustainable Business Competition. Welgro Produce, based in Rush, won the accolade as part of an initiative aimed at encouraging businesses across Fingal to implement more sustainable approaches into their day-today operations.

29 October 2021 The news that Riot Games, the developer and publisher best known for League of Legends, has chosen a location in Swords for its new Remote Broadcast and Content Production Centre has been welcomed.

Announcing that the new digital broadcast and production facilities will open in Airside Retail Park

by January 2022, the decision by Riot Games to expand their operations means over 120 new jobs will be created locally.

October Saw Almost 1.6 Million Passengers Travel Through Dublin Airport 4 November 2021 Close to 1.6 Million passengers travelled through Dublin Airport in October, a 46% drop when compared to pre-COVID19 levels.

Passenger volumes to and from Continental Europe were down by 35% compared to 2019, as almost 1,003,000 passengers travelling to European destinations last month.

UK traffic declined by 51% in October when compared to pre COVID levels as almost 429,000 passengers travelled to and from Britain.

Rush producer wins inaugural Sustainable Business Competition 5 November 2021

The farm, only began operations in 2020 after taking over Thomas Collins and Jim Carthy’s threeacre cucumber farm. Since then, Welgro has been successfully delivering its locally grown produce to retailers around the country, including the likes of Dunnes Stores, Sam Dennigan and Keelings. Being one of only a very few commercial producers of cucumbers in Ireland, they are hoping to cut the import cost for vendors and allowing consumers to enjoy fresh Irish produce.

The business has already shipped some 600 tonnes of cucumbers from their Rush base in 2021, which equates to a staggering 1.6 million individual cucumbers. They are expecting demand for all Irish grown produce to increase approximately 25 per cent in the coming year, mainly due to issues with international supply chains limiting the availability of imported produce.

As part of the award, the business will receive a sustainability assessment and action plan from Balbriggan based Patel Tonra Ltd. Environmental Solutions, one of Ireland’s most respected and experienced environmental consultancies. They will advise Welgro on how to introduce more sustainable practices to their business and help inspire the

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Fingal Chamber hosts its first indoor live networking event since the pandemic 10 November 2021 Following the interruption to indoor events due to restrictions associated with the pandemic, the Chamber was delighted to welcome members back to a safe indoor environment for a live networking event at the new Holiday Inn Dublin Airport.

Members once again had the opportunity to meet and network face to face, or mask to mask, in a laid-back environment. The limited capacity outdoor event was held subject to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines. The guest speaker successful entrepreneur, founder of One4all Gift Cards, Michael Dawson, who shared the story of his extensive and inspiring career with attendees.

Fingal Chamber welcomes commencement of the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority’s public consultation on Dublin Airport’s new North Runway 11 November 2021

its busiest year ever welcoming almost 33 million passengers. That year, even before the addition of North Runway, there was an average of about 100 aircraft movements during that time period.

Look for Local campaign urges consumers to shop Fingal this Christmas 12 November 2021 A new campaign by Fingal Local Enterprise Office is asking consumers to look local when they are shopping for products, services and experiences this Christmas. The Look for Local & Shop Fingal campaigns, supported by Enterprise Ireland and Fingal County Council, aim to raise awareness of the benefit of spending in your local area.

The “Shop Fingal” and “Look for Local” sets out to highlight the importance of shopping within the locality during the shopping period leading up to Christmas. When consumers support one local business, they also support many more behind the scenes, such as suppliers, service providers, and manufacturers. Essentially, shopping locally helps grow the local economy through creating jobs and maintaining Irish industries.

This campaign aims to strengthen that sentiment and to educate consumers on the domino effect that local spending has throughout their community. Every €10 spent in Fingal on Irish products and services generates more than €40 of benefit to Fingal in terms of employment.

Judicial system needs significant extra resources to avoid costly infrastructure delays, says Chambers Ireland 23 November 2021 Fingal Chamber of Commerce welcomes the commencement of the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority’s (ANCA) 14-week public consultation process regarding night-time restrictions on Dublin Airport’s new North Runway.

Welcoming this consultation phase in the delivery of North Runway, Fingal Chamber, CEO Anthony Cooney said that now, more than ever it is critically important that the right decision is taken to enable Dublin Airport the operational flexibility to grow so that local and national businesses can build resilience and flourish.

The original planning conditions, which date from the grant of planning permission in 2007, placed an overall limit of 65 aircraft movements across the entire airport campus between 11pm and 7pm. In 2019 before COVID19 arrived, Dublin Airport had

Chambers Ireland, the voice of business throughout Ireland, has said that our country’s infrastructure ambitions are in serious jeopardy unless significant reform of our under-resourced judicial system is implemented.

The chambers of commerce network says that the caseload and scale of activity within the courts is leading to costly delays and improved resourcing and restructuring is needed.

Fingal to benefit from joint effort to boost economy between Dublin and Belfast 24 November 2021 A new cross-border partnership established to foster economic growth along the key strategic route between Dublin and Belfast has announced its inaugural political leadership team who will help drive employment opportunities, address barriers impacting trade and encourage the delivery of better transport infrastructure.

Speaking at DBEC’s first Oversight Board meeting, Deputy Chair Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said: “Alongside the obvious social and economic benefits of closer cross border collaboration in order to develop the corridor, what we are looking to help drive is greater inward investment, the boosting of trade opportunities for local businesses, increased production in key sectors and higher employment.

This will be increasing important as the population along the corridor continues to grow.”

Economic Pulse hits eight month low, with conssumer and business sentiment both dropping 29 November 2021 The Bank of Ireland Economic Pulse stood at 83.2 in November 2021, its lowest reading in eight months.

The index, which combines the results of the Consumer and Business Pulses, was down 4.4 on last month but up 16.2 on a year ago.

Setbacks on the COVID and Brexit fronts were to the fore this month, with households and firms anticipating some tweaks to the public health guidance and unsettled by UK threats to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and warnings from the EU that such a step could have serious consequences, including for the broader trade agreement. Against this backdrop, consumer and business confidence took a turn for the worse.

Commenting on the November Economic Pulse, Dr Loretta O’Sullivan, Group Chief Economist for Bank of Ireland said: “There was a step down in the Economic Pulse this month, with both the consumer and the business mood souring. Some sprinkles of festive cheer were evident in the survey results but not enough to offset COVID concerns and Brexit blues.

Households downgraded their expectations for the economy over the coming year and with all four of the business sectors posting softer readings in November, economic sentiment fell to an eight month low.

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burgeoning farm to make the most of their ambition to be a sustainable producer.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

THE BIG INTERVIEW:

BIDVEST NOONAN – OPTIMISM UNDERPINNED BY STRONG CORE VALUES was a time of being as adaptable and flexible as we possibly could be, and being much more innovative with how we resource contracts. Our rosters had to change completely, as did our staffing levels and the way that we managed contracts.

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“In our healthcare sector our focus on infection control increased and included new measures.

It was challenging time for our people. People working in the healthcare sector are very empathetic and will speak and engage with patients. But unfortunately that had to stop, it was an absolute imperative that they couldn’t do that anymore, which was distressing for them.”

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Bidvest Noonan, is Ireland’s leading provider of facilities services and one of the country’s largest employers. Bidvest Noonan CEO Cormac Sheils, shares how the company’s culture and credo enabled it to keep people safe, support clients and achieve exceptional growth during the pandemic. Sheils shares his confidence in Irish business and his belief that Irish optimism can drive Ireland’s post pandemic recovery.

Bidvest Noonan was founded in 1977 to provide services to both the public and private sectors in Ireland. Today, with 27,000 employees, it is a market leader in in both Ireland and the UK and has a group turnover of some €830 million. Its range of complementary offerings encompass cleaning, security, decontamination, M&E engineering services, electronic security, industrial services, reception and facilities management. It also operates across a range of sectors – from education, retail and life sciences to healthcare, agrifoods and the public sector.

The company has grown through a combination of strong organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Over the past two years Bidvest Noonan doubled in size and in Ireland it welcomed four new businesses into its group, Interact, a market leading provider of M&E engineering services, H2O Solutions, a specialist water services company, Ancove, a specialist waste management business, and Amber, an industrial cleaning services business in Northern Ireland.

Cormac Sheils, CEO of Bidvest Noonan in Ireland, has a vivid recollection of when COVID-19 hit.

“March 12, 2020 was a day like no other. We were experiencing a real crises and this was a moment we had never encountered before” For so many companies across Ireland and around the world it was a big shock to the system.

“Initially many of our customers in education and retail sectors closed their doors completely, as did some in the transport and aviation sectors.

However, others such as in the manufacturing life sciences and healthcare sectors needed to remain open. They had critical work to do and they needed our support more than ever before,” Cormac Sheils recollects.

“So we had to adapt very quickly, moving staff between contracts and doing our best to keep people working during that time and being sensitive to their personal situations, too. So it

Overall, the business has grown during the period of lockdown, partly through acquisition but also by continuing to build its service offering to customers. “We’re seeing positive momentum in our businesses at the moment, because we’re increasing our service offering and also increasing how we use technology as a resource to improve efficiency for our customer base.” Cormac Sheils says.

Core values According to Cormac Sheils, the company’s credo has contributed to its success. The company’s credo comprises six principles: putting people first, consistently getting the basics right, earning trust, being adaptive and agile, supporting local

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“We would say those principles have always been inherent to the business but we’ve just put more and more focus on them in recent years. And we try to spell them out to people, to say this is what we feel we’re about. It’s an important part of our culture” It was this high-performance culture that lead to South African services, trading and distribution company, Bidvest Group, investing in the business in 2017. “To be really fair, Bidvest said part of the reason they bought us was because it was a culture and credo they could see themselves aligning with. And because of that, they’ve encouraged this culture as well.”

That sense of cultural continuity has also extended into Bidvest Noonan’s own approach to recent acquisitions. “In each of the three businesses we acquired this year we saw something that we felt was similar to us in the way they delivered services and the way they looked after their people. For us that’s the critical piece.

We only acquire businesses that we believe can fit into our model. It’s too difficult otherwise, it takes up too much time and you lose focus on what you really want to do.”

Building communities Discussing the challenges during the pandemic of leading a large team of people spread across Ireland, Cormac Sheils talks about the way the group has addressed a variety of issues – from procurement and innovation to social responsibility, for example – by setting up “communities”. “In the early days of the pandemic we established a number of online communities to enable diverse groups of people, drawn from across our business, to work together to analyse and solve problems. They developed solutions and the narratives around how we would tackle different problems in the business.

We accessed the wider strength of our people to allow us to continue supporting clients and keeping people safe.

How did he cope personally with the challenge of leading this team at such a challenging time? Family life, with a wife and three young boys at home, provided a great balance to the demands of the job, he says.

“Initially I was working from home, which was difficult. A day or two is fine but when it’s all day, every day it can be very hard to mark the separation point between work and home life. I think when you’re working from home you can you can step away from the laptop for a minute but you’ll gravitate back to it very quickly.

“For me, it was actually understanding that the longer I stayed active on calls, the more other people within the business felt they had to stay active too, and that wasn’t necessarily healthy for everybody.

So I began to think about that differently and I have tried to make sure that what I do doesn’t impact significantly on other people’s lives. People need their own space and their own down time and we try to encourage that as much as we possibly can here.”

Mental wellbeing Cormac Sheils has concerns, too, about the way COVID has affected people’s overall wellbeing. “I don’t think we’ve seen the true impact of the last year and a half on people’s mental health,” he says. “Just look at the number of students who missed their first year in college and now they’re starting second year.

You could say that this year we’ve two years of first years starting college. Even in our own Apprentice Academy people couldn’t get the mentoring and coaching that they should have had. All of those things have been missed by people.

Bright future Looking to the future, Cormac Sheils says: “I always feel a great positivity around Ireland purely because we tend to look at the brighter side of things and to look at where opportunity exists. All the companies we’re speaking to at the moment are talking about other avenues of opportunity for growth. There’s quite a lot going on in construction, for example, with redevelopment of sites to support foreign direct investment. There’s lots happening within this country and plenty of opportunity. We believe Bidvest Noonan has a very bright future ahead of it and we are very optimistic about Ireland and the future for Irish business in general.”

“You know, time can be a great healer, but it can also be can be quite the opposite if you’re on a downward path. So, as human beings we need to be really, really reflective on the impact that we’ve had on each other. I think in the first couple of months when the pandemic struck we had to run at 100 miles an hour just to try to keep the business stabilized in some way. But now I do think it’s time to put the brakes on and take a look at our people and how this has been impacting them. We need to give people time. We simply don’t need the amount of meetings and calls we’ve been having, nor do we need to have everybody on every call. That’s been an important learning for us as a business.’

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communities and operating sustainably and using imagination to create new ways of working and designing solutions that create value.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION:

‘WORK IS NOW SOMETHING WE DO, NOT SOMEWHERE WE GO’ With more and more sectors returning to full time working the effects of the pandemic on employees and their expectations is becoming increasingly apparent. There are marked shortages of employees in some sectors while in others staff have new expectations about when, where and how they should work. We asked three experts in the field of employment and HR management to share their thoughts on some of these issues.

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Q1 How fragmented is the overall picture on employment now in sectoral terms and where are the biggest problems in terms of labour shortages?

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Siobhan Kinsella, Operations Director of the Noel Recruitment Group, Chair of the Fingal Skills Strategy Implementation Group and a former President of both Chambers Ireland and Fingal Chamber, brings deep insight into the challenges created by the pandemic in the labour market.

“There are massive and consistent staff shortages in hospitality, retail, transport, logistics and customs

and in construction and they are causing serious challenges for business at the moment,” she says. “Prior to the pandemic, in the Fingal Skill Strategy (the first to be developed by any local authority in Ireland which was launched in 2019) using an independent consultancy and the same methodology as that employed by the SOLAS Skills and Labour Market Research Unit, we had mapped the replacement demand and emergent demand for Fingal under three different growth scenarios.

“Then, when the pandemic hit, skills obviously became a massive issue and we invited the SOLAS SLMRU unit onto our Strategy Implementation Group to update the sectoral map for Fingal. We then cross-referenced that with data insights from LinkedIn and also with inputs from stakeholders in each of the relevant industries in Fingal.

“Arising out of this work, one of the interesting things to emerge is the amount of provision that is already available to solve the skills issues, both in third level and in further education and training. There is plenty of funding. The real challenge now is to link the needs of employers with the training that’s available for new employees. There’s also been a significant increase in salary expectations from employees in

Anthony Cooney, Fingal Chamber, Derek McKay and Michelle McDonagh, Adare Human Resource Management at the launch

each sector and there is definitely an issue of wage inflation in the economy.”

Ian Hunter, Centre Director of the Swords Pavilion Shopping Centre, says the retail the sector is really struggling to get back to normal operations due to the challenges of the employment market. “Since reopening in May we have seen business increase, confidence in customers to return to bricks and mortar shopping and lastly a level of confidence that the sector will not go into further restriction that affect their ability to trade. With the last point this is the real catalyst to retailers returning to the

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“Showing due consideration to the emergency implementation of the PUP payments which served to hold up the economy during the pandemic, the effects of slow removal of such payment sector by sector as they return to full operation is hindering the re-engagement process. Retail has traditionally been a low pay market that relies on high numbers of part time staff. This, in effect, creates a financial wall that potential employees are building as in some cases future earnings maybe lower than current PUP payments.

“So the government need to urgently help the sector by removing or reducing the barriers to the employment market, thus fulfilling the retail demands for staff. Currently in Swords Pavilions, where we have over 90 brands, at least half of the retailers are looking to hire staff and this is also their biggest concern as we are now in the golden quarter and approaching the key period of Christmas itself, which can in the retail world be a make or break period.”

Michelle McDonagh, Senior HR Client Relationship Consultant with Adare Human Resource Management, says that each sector is responding differently to the new ways of working, with employees in technology firms, for example, expecting that their employers will permit remote working almost exclusively. “Roles or industries that require more collaborative thought/design processes to brainstorm ideas and challenge thinking will prefer a hybrid working model,” she says. “Other companies, some headquartered internationally, are making cultural decisions and taking a firmer view on requiring staff to return to the physical workplace, at the same time accepting the consequences of increased employee turnover.

“This fragmentation exists within companies, too, as each individual set of circumstances dictates preferences, highlighting the need for flexibility to cater to different generational needs around family commitments and desires for more personal time.

Employers need to manage the delicate balance of maintaining a sense of equity between teams in how decisions are made and avoiding potential discriminatory issues arising.”

She says the biggest challenge in recruitment right now is accessing a volume of suitably qualified and experienced candidates. “Employers need to manage the recruitment process efficiently and confirm offers quickly or they risk losing candidates. Employers must get creative to fill vacancies and ensure they stand out from the crowd with a differentiated offer of salary and benefits aligned to current demands for remote and flexible working, a stable environment and a record of high employee retention.

“Without enough available staff some businesses, particularly those in hospitality, have been forced to reduce their opening hours and/or their offering to customers with restricted menus. We are also seeing a reduction in normal standards of work delivery and customer service in many sectors due to less experienced staff and large volumes of work. It is hoped this situation will begin to reverse somewhat when the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is phased out in February 2022.”

Q2 How difficult has it been for companies to accommodate remote/hybrid working policies and what particular problems and pitfalls have you seen for employers – and how have they addressed them?

Michelle McDonagh says organisations have found the adjustment challenging due to the continuous change and uncertainty around what they should be doing from a legal perspective and also the potential consequences of changing contractual commitments. “As the pandemic evolved, employers became concerned about Health and Safety issues that began to arise, such as mental health difficulties, use of accrued annual leave, musculoskeletal strains and risks of non-compliance with provision of a safe workstation at home.,” she points out.

“Despite the fears of many, remote working has been broadly successful for both employers and employees. Many employees are not willing to work for organisations that don’t allow them to maintain either fully remote or a hybrid working arrangements. Employers, on the other hand, fear that the longer remote working continues, the more issues will begin to surface around mental health concerns and struggles to maintain a connection to an organisation’s culture, resulting in a more fragmented rather than communal workforce. Teams working together will likely be mixed between those physically together and others working remotely.

These challenges could see communication and inclusivity suffer, conflict increase, productivity dip and a negative impact employee retention.

The research is not there yet to give comfort to organisations on how remote working will evolve in the longer term.

Michelle McDonagh is also concerned that delays to the publication of the Government guidance for Employers on Building a Remote Work Policy and Guidance Framework and the lack of certainty on reopening dates has, in some cases, led to slow decision making. “The result has been increased employee turnover and a build-up of frustration amongst employees as they perceived their employers didn’t trust them to work remotely long term and didn’t appreciate their work/efforts to maintain productivity during the pandemic.

“Organisations have sought to address these challenges by engaging in continual two communications with staff to establish agreements supporting remote working to varying degrees on a case-by-case basis. In addition, more time is being spent on strategic human resource planning to map out what the future organisational strategy will be while designing a complimentary HR strategy,” she concludes Siobhan Kinsella also notes that there has been a significant shift in approach by many companies, driven by their need to respond to the problems created by the pandemic. “I think there are many organisations trading successfully today, using hybrid.

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recruitment sphere. However, they are being hit by a number of factors that are limiting their ability to attract and employ staff.

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working models, that would have told you before the pandemic that such an approach simply could not work for them,” she says.

“In Chambers Ireland we surveyed members throughout the pandemic and found that the development of staff digital skills, management skills, motivational skills and wellness interventions became a focus for many employers. We also found that those employers who looked after their employees holistically across these areas had less disruption to their business and were more successful than those that did not embrace the holistic employee experience. I think management, leadership and digital skills were by far the biggest determinants of success in operating remotely through the pandemic.”

Q3 As more and more businesses return to the “new normal” what long-term changes, if any, do you expect to see in Ireland’s way of doing business?

Ian Hunter observes: “There is a very real change in the way both B2C and B2B will do business in a post pandemic world. Consumer have changed their ways of doing business, with an accelerated move to online off the back of the Level 5 restrictions. Their shopping patterns are changing, with those working from home now shopping in the time they have got back from what was their commuting time, therefore putting more emphasis on weekday purchasing as against weekend.

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“This will change over the coming month as new hybrid models bed-in and the steady return to the office takes place. We have to be able to adapt to these moving waters over this period, remaining flexible with our contractors in response to our variable working week.”

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With regard to B2B, Hunter says there is a challenge around the relationship between client and contractor which was forced to change during the restrictions. “Contractors face-to-face time disappeared and was either replaced by online or the occasional call. The difficulty now with the partnership between contractor and client is developing this relationship marketing to deliver the requirements, whether contractual or in terms of the relationship, while working with new hybrid ways of working. Expectations need to be managed, more effective and efficient ways of doing business must be developed. However no one shape fits all.”

Michelle McDonagh notes that a number of key trends that are influencing the evolution of work were identified at her firm’s annual conference earlier this year, entitled Navigating the Future of Work.

“Flexible work practices will become a standard

feature of workplace conditions, enabling employees to build a routine designed around personal and professional needs,” she notes. Organisations also need to be seen by potential employees as having a sense of purpose. “As part of employer brand and employee retention strategies, employers must highlight they are contributing to something that positively impacts the world now and into the future,” she says. They also need to create networks for their staff. “Organisational structures must bring dispersed teams together with a sense of common belonging while strengthening agile ways of working, accountability and peer-to-peer innovation and creativity for everyone’s benefit.”

McDonagh also advises leaders to take a long-term view, engaging those around them in a shared vision, not simply focusing on immediate business results but also caring about the welfare of those around them and fostering collaborative working environments.

Resilience and adaptability are also vital considerations, she adds. “Organisations and individuals need to be more resilient and adaptable, proactive and ready for fast changes in business, driving out inefficiencies and strengthening risk planning.

In what she terms the “new war for talent,” employers will have to focus on development, succession planning and resource planning to counteract skill gaps, while role descriptions will need to be reassessed to ensure they meet the requirements of the organisation and allow for continuous learning and upskilling.

Other key trends include diversification in ways of working, the Equality, Inclusion & Diversity agendas and people empowerment & innovation.

“The challenge for organisations will be getting the balance in ways of working right across all

categories of employees to suit their business objectives. Implementation of diversity and inclusion strategies will support the creation of an environment of inclusivity, which will help build a strong organisation,” she says. “To encourage people to lead with innovation and creativity, we need to create a culture where people feel valued, recognised and trusted, without being restricted by policies and traditional company structures.”

In Kinsella’s view the pandemic has forced Irish business to embrace the accelerated pace of change occurring in work practices. “Work is now something that we do rather than somewhere we go,” she observes. “I don’t think the level of commuting that was apparent in the community previously will ever fully return for those who don’t have to do it. Work has become much more about output than specific tasks, so that is a definite change in our attitudes towards work and employment resulting from the pandemic.

“Through surveys, what we’re seeing in Fingal and in Chambers Ireland is that the hybrid model is very much the way of the future and when issuing vacancies, unless a physical presence is absolutely necessary to conduct the task, it is no longer a requirement. So flexibility, balance and output are the new focus.”

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ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION Fingal Chamber has a strongtrack record of lobbying and representation successes, delivering positive change for Fingal and its businesses.

Being a member of Fingal Chamber enables businesses to engage in matters that can impact their business through forums and consultations, and influence decision-makers through lobbying and advocacy support.

As a non-governmental institution, Fingal Chamber has no direct role in the writing and passage of laws and regulations that affect businesses. It does however, lobby in an attempt to get laws passed that are favourable to businesses and society.

Chambers Ireland EU delegation - Fingal County Council Strategic Policy Committees - Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development

- Transport and Infrastructure Management - Housing

- Planning Strategic Transport and Infrastructure Development - Fingal Covid-19 Community Response Forum - Chambers Ireland Board

- Greater Dublin Chamber Alliance

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- Fingal Tourism Stakeholder Group

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Fingal Chamber is the only Chamber in the area that represents business at the county, national and European levels, and we work with Government Ministers, MEPs, the Mayor, Fingal County Council and local representatives to develop pro-business and employment initiatives.

A recent example of our work in this area is summarised below:

Fingal Chamber does not lobby from the sidelines or shout needlessly in the media. Rather, we seek to build our reputation and relationships with policymakers, to make them sympathetic to the needs of Fingal businesses.

Dublin Airport a critical piece of national infrastructure.

Politically and economically, Brexit heightens its importance in connecting Ireland to the world, while Covid-19 demonstrates how important Dublin Airport is for integrating us into global trade networks.

We ensure that decision-makers realise the important contribution of businesses, large and small, to society and the need to sustain it, by promoting a positive environment for enterprise.

Fingal Chamber is represented on the following bodies:

The North Runway expansion gives us the capacity to reach further out into the world. It will allow our tourism trade to grow in the wake of the Covid-19 collapse in international tourism. It will also open trading opportunities in new partner countries increasing growth.

- Fingal Local Community Development Committee

North Runway was granted planning permission in 2007, subject to 31 planning conditions. Two of

Fingal Chamber North Runway Submission

these conditions would severely reduce the future operational capacity of Dublin Airport at peak periods. If unchanged, these two conditions would significantly affect the operation of the airport and its key airline customers and would damage the entire Irish economy.

The daa submitted a planning application to Fingal County Council in December 2020 regarding these problematic planning conditions associated with North Runway.

In January 2021, Fingal Chamber made a written submission to the planning authority noting 7 business community concerns, and supporting what we see is a fair, sensible, and balanced proposal for all stakeholders which will safeguard Ireland’s connectivity to global markets.

Dublin Airport North Runway

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YOUR CHAMBER COUNCIL: HELEN MCNAMARA

A PROBLEM SHARED REALLY CAN BE A PROBLEM HALVED

Where she leads a team of Bank Managers and lending specialists across all aspects of personal and business.

Leading a team who ultimately develop business within her marketplace, as well as having responsibility for all products and services delivered; implementation and execution of business both internally and externally.

Helen and her team work closely with business owners, to deliver a finance strategy that is suited to their individual business needs and objectives within the Fingal Territory of North Dublin which covers the areas of Swords, Dublin Airport, and Santry.

Originally from Larne, she is the youngest of three children in a family steeped in art. Her own career began in that direction. Postponing a place at Edinburgh University in behavioural sciences, she took up a one year scholarship to study art at the University of Ulster in Belfast for a year – “to see if I could be the next Van Gogh,” she admits.

While not destined for greatness in that direction, she did secure a scholarship to the National College of Art Design in Dublin, where she studied craft metals and design for three years, specialising in fine jewellery silversmithing. After that she worked for two years for a gallery in Dublin, sourcing silversmiths across Ireland and the UK to make bespoke pieces, such as engagement rings, and sourcing raw materials for the business.”

So how did this artist/business manager end up in banking? “My transition into financial services was an interesting one,” she explains. “I had been running someone’s business for them for a number of years but I knew that if I was going to pursue that route for myself I would need to develop my financial acumen.

So I made a complete leap from management into financial services.”

Started as a cashier in Ulster Bank in 2004, her progression was rapid, becoming an advisor, assistant manager and finally manager of her own branch within five years while studying for various financial services qualifications at the same time. Then in 2016, following the birth the second of her three sons, she joined Bank of Ireland when he was 8mths old.

Helen had been just 20 when she met her future husband, Johnny McNamara, who is from Malahide, they met while they were both working on J1 visas at the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park in Virginia in 2001. They married a decade later and now have three sons, Luke, 9, Oliver, 6 and Rían, 3.

They bought their first home on Cork Street in Dublin 8, when Helen was an Assistant Manager at Ulster Bank in College Green. But when they married they made the move northside, to a home between Lusk and Skerries, then moving to Rush in 2016. “When I moved to Bank of Ireland I made it clear I wanted to work in North Dublin and I joined as a manager in Skerries. So obviously, I do have an affiliation with the customer base here and I do understand the demographics, the businesses and the challenges they are facing, and that’s been very beneficial to me in helping to solidify relationships here.”

Banking has changed significantly over the past six to seven years and Helen says that is mainly down to changes in the ways that customers are choosing to transact business today.

“The bank is no longer four walls. People carry a bank branch in their pocket, using a mobile phone app where they can do all of their day to day banking.

The majority of customers will only come through our doors when they can’t self-serve and today a tiny proportion of our transactions are actually done across the counter. The rest of our traffic is all done through our digital channels. So customers are driving the digital relationship bank.”

What a lot of people don’t see, she adds, is the efforts being made by the banks to upgrade their service offerings to meet these changing needs. “We have over 200 people working in Fingal in Bank of Ireland alone,” she points out. “We have seven new remote work hubs within Dublin North and Fingal and very soon we’re going to be supporting 50 people working in the new hub in Balbriggan, which is the youngest and fastest growing town not just in Ireland but in Europe.”

She also points out that Bank of Ireland was one of the first banks in Ireland to recruit sector specialists. “We employ individuals from sectors who have spent many years working in such sectors as retail, convenience stores, hospitality or health care, and they help us understand their industry and what’s required to make them fit for the future. That makes us unique and it demonstrates to our customers that we really are here to understand them. Businesses are having

to transform and COVID has forced many of them to transform overnight in terms of how they interact with their customer base.

“As a leading lender to the SME sector we’re very excited about supporting businesses here in Fingal and to be bringing more business to local areas by creating remote working hubs. Through them we really want to help breathe life back into local communities and make them vibrant places to live and work in.”

An enthusiastic member of the Council, Helen believes that Fingal Chamber also has a vitally important role to play in helping businesses from every sector prepare for the future, particularly smaller businesses and the self-employed.

“Connectivity is more important than ever,” she says, “and we can provide that to local businesses within Fingal. We can help them build a community of likeminded business entrepreneurs that can help each other drive their business and open up new supply chains. Simply by being a member and attending its events, and by utilizing resources such as Skillnet when they onboard new staff members, can make a huge difference. Many small businesses that are looking to upskill simply cannot afford a dedicated HR management function and we can provide that for them. In the same way, we can support them with export documents. So we provide a range of practical services that are not readily available.

“But for me the real value is in knowing that you are not on your own. Having someone that you can call on and feel a connection with is something that’s really, really beneficial. After the last few years particularly, coming together is so much more important than feeling you’re on your own. A problem shared really can be a problem halved – as our new members keep discovering.”

Helen (left) at Fingal Chamber’s ESB Briefing

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Helen is a Bank Manager People Manager for Bank of Ireland. Her day to day role involves Strategy planning, Sales development, Budget and Income planning.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

AIRCRAFT NOISE COMPETENT AUTHORITY:

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON DUBLIN AIRPORT

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On 18 December 2020, the airport authority for Dublin Airport (daa) submitted a planning application to Fingal County Council Planning Authority seeking to amend prior planning conditions associated with night-time aircraft activity at the airport.

The application relates to night time use of the new North Runway and changes to permitted night-time aircraft movements across the entire airport.

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The application was referred to the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) for an assessment of the aircraft noise impact of the application as presented and, after determining that the application would cause a noise issue at Dublin Airport, ANCA undertook a detailed noise assessment.

That assessment has resulted in the recent publications of a Draft Regulatory Decision and ANCA has now embarked on a 14-week public consultation where it is seeking submissions from stakeholders on its draft recommendations.

The public consultation will inform ANCA’s final direction to the Planning Authority before it rules on daa’s application next year and stakeholders are being encouraged to make a submission before the end of the public consultation process on February 28.

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ANCA recommends that Dublin Airport be given a Noise Quota Budget of 16,260 per annum. This is similar to the amount of night noise the Airport generated in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Airport’s Noise Quota Budget will deplete by the Noise Quota Number of each aircraft as it takes off or lands.

ANCA ensures noise generated by aircraft activity at Dublin Airport is assessed in accordance with EU and Irish legislation and that the Balanced Approach of the International Civil Aviation Organization is applied where a noise problem at the airport is identified.

Their role also includes reviewing all proposed development at Dublin Airport to determine if there is any aspect of a planning application that would cause additional aircraft noise. It also monitors Dublin Airport to ensure it complies and implements noise mitigation measures and operating restrictions.

On 11 November ANCA published a series of proposed conditions for consideration by the public.

Their proposals are designed to specifically address the problem of aircraft noise at Dublin Airport.

ANCA’s proposals include the introduction of a Noise Abatement Objective for Dublin Airport - the first of its kind in Ireland – as a long-term plan to ensure best management of aircraft noise at the Airport.

This will serve to dramatically reduce the long-term impact of aircraft noise by 30% by 2030, 40% by 2035 and 50% by 2040, compared to 2019 aircraft noise levels. These targets are significant and have been chosen to challenge daa to take meaningful action to reduce aircraft noise.

ANCA are also proposing the imposition of three new conditions by the Planning Authority which will assist in the achievement of the Noise Abatement Objective.: The first is a Noise Quota System – or noise budget for night-time operations at Dublin Airport between 11pm and 7am, including a restriction on very loud aircraft flying at night.

Aircraft are assigned a Noise Quota number, ranging from 0 for a very small aircraft up to 16 for the noisiest aircraft. Each time an aircraft takes-off or lands an airport’s Noise Quota depletes according to the Noise Quota Number of that particular aircraft.

ANCA is also recommending that aircraft with higher Noise Quota Numbers, which is those greater than 4.0, cannot take-off, and aircraft with a Noise Quota Number greater than 2.0, cannot land at Dublin Airport between 11pm and 7am.

The second condition proposed by ANCA is a restriction on flights on the new north runway between midnight and 6am and the third is the provision of a new Residential Sound Insulation Grant Scheme of up to €20k for residents most affected by night-time noise from Dublin Airport and who have not previously availed of such a grant.

ANCA’s proposals are aimed at achieving a balance between reducing the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities while also providing for the role of Dublin Airport as a major employer and driver of Ireland’s national economy.

Ethna Felten, Director of ANCA, said: “Our recommendations will bring Ireland into line with international best practice and help us to meet our objective to manage noise at Dublin Airport. Our recommendations focus on limiting and reducing the impacts of night-time aircraft noise in Dublin and will guide future decisions regarding aircraft noise management at Dublin Airport.”

The component parts of ANCA’s public consultation include the Noise Abatement Objective, the Draft Regulatory Decision and related report, the Environmental Report for the purposes of Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Natura Impact Statement for the purposes of Appropriate Assessment. These documents can viewed and commented on at www.consult.fingal.ie

There are also details on the consultation portal of the series of webinars which the ANCA team will be hosting between now and the end of February.

ANCA are available to engage in person with stakeholders during the consultation period which runs to 28 February.

Once the consultation period has ended ANCA will review the submissions received before finalising their report and recommendations to the Planning Authority and the ANCA Director says they would like to hear the views of all stakeholders.

“I encourage people to participate in this public consultation because these decisions we make together will affect local residents, businesses and everybody who uses Dublin Airport,” said Ethna Felten.

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Fingal County Council is the competent authority for aircraft noise regulation at Dublin Airport under the Government’s Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019. ANCA was established in 2019 as an independent directorate of Fingal County Council and is the independent body charged with regulating the management of aircraft noise at Dublin Airport.

A total quota of 16,260 points is proposed for Dublin Airport

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COMMUNITY FUND:

FINGAL CHAMBER COMMUNITY FUND

This year Fingal Chamber awarded over €15,000 to community-led projects and activities under the new Fingal Chamber Community Fund, with the announcement made at a special online event with Minister Joe O’Brien.

Financed by supporters and contributions from the Chamber itself, the fund is set up to award small grants of between €1,000 and €5,000 yearly.

Despite being in its first year, the Fingal Chamber Community Fund was heavily oversubscribed, receiving over 120 submissions collectively requesting more than €365,000. The Chamber received applications from voluntary community groups, established clubs, local charities, and residents’ associations from local communities, amongst other organisations.

A total of 11 grants were awarded to groups and the funded activities included a coaching cultural awareness project, a girls’ football academy, a gender diversity programme for local radio, ambulance equipment, and a youth employability programme.

Below you can read about outcomes of some of the projects that were funded in 2021.

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If your business would like to get involved in supporting this work please contact us to see how we can make an even greater impact together. For more information, please email David Branagan, Communications and Engagement, by email david@fingalchamber.ie or visit www.fingalchamber.ie/community

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REPORTS FROM THREE OF THE 2021 GRANT RECIPIENTS Coaching Cultural Awareness (Blakestown Mountview Youth Initiative) BMYI is a referral based service dedicated to meeting the needs of young people and their families living in the Dublin 15 area. They wanted to train young people in coaching skills so that they can listen to and guide their peers if they experience issues relating to racism, social exclusion and isolation. In parallel they wanted to run an intercultural awareness programme so that young people from different cultures can better

understand each other and thereby remove barriers to relationship building.

Grant: €2,500 What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

There was a huge boost in confidence and the ability to be able to coach people. In addition, there was a great sense of connection at the groups. The sense of learning that was achieved in the room that was significant - there were people from different walks of life, different age groups and different cultures. The learning from the content was great but the learning from the people was even better.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

We had targeted different age groups so that we could reach parents and young people. As a result we’ve set in motion a strategy to reach a greater range of people and also bring attention to the community originating solutions. There is also a lot of interest in the programmes going forward.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

Yes, we have developed the coaching programme and all the contents. We have also developed the cultural awareness programme and all the contents. Both of these programmes are now permanent fixtures in our offering.

We now have everything in place to hit our targets and go beyond that as we can run it as a fixture now. Furthermore, there is lots of interest from local schools, one of which is part of the yellow flag programme. Also, with the lifting of restrictions we can cater for larger group sizes which is needed for coaching practice sessions.

Greenhouse at Turvey Allotments (Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed) Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed is affiliated to the Irish Men’s Shed Association, and is open to membership to men of any age in the Donabate Portrane area; although the majority of their members are over 60 years of age.

Having demonstrated their active and productive use of their plot at Turvey Allotments, Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed hoped to acquire a second plot. They needed a greenhouse on this to cater for propagation of plants for later planting out, for plants which require warmer conditions and for winter growing.

Grant: €1,000 What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

The greenhouse has allowed us to expand our use of the allotments. It has facilitate propagating plants for later planting out and growing plants which require warmer conditions. It will also cater for winter growing.

Approximately half of our members actively engage in work at our allotment. It has provided a safe and productive activity, even under Covid-19 restrictions.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

Donabate Men’s Shed has liaised with Donabate Tidy Towns about propagating plants at our allotment for their use in the Donabate area in Spring and Summer 2022. Friends and family of members have enjoyed the produce (mainly vegetables) from our allotments.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

Due to Trojan work of members, we managed to exceed our expectations. On Monday 29th March 2021, Fingal County Council confirmed the letting of a second plot to Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed.

By the following Friday, the ground was cleared and the greenhouse was in place. Since then, raised beds have been set up inside and outside the greenhouse and potatoes, cabbage, peas, broad beans, scallions, onions, strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, beetroot, lettuce (propagated in the greenhouse),

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apples, pears and plums have been harvested outside the greenhouse. A bumper crop of tomatoes, parsley, chives and rosemary have been produced inside. We’ve also planted vines, new strawberry plants, brussels sprouts, sunflowers and peas in the greenhouse for later plating out next season.

in the last 2 years, however to increase participation in the girls section, they wished to establish a girls academy (4 to 7 year olds) as well as an U8 team. To do this successfully they needed to invest in particular equipment, specifically goals for small sided games, footballs, cones, bibs etc.

Grant: €2,178 What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

Girls Soccer Academy Setup (Swords Celtic Football Club)

The launch of the girls soccer academy has been a phenomenal success. The launch saw 30 girls register and this has since grown to 44. The flyers informed and assisted in the recruitment of the girls, while the opportunity to purchase essential equipment enabled the girls to have the best possible participation experience.

a second U9 girls team and a second U12s team in addition to our existing girls teams. This has provided a wonderful benefit to girls in Swords and the wider community by improving their health and wellbeing and allowing them the opportunity to partake in a sport that in the past was not afforded to them. The benefits of team participation and the equal opportunity for girls to boys has been warmly received.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

We have exceeded our goals and have been astounded by the positive response we have received from the children and their families alike. We cannot thank Fingal Chamber and their supporters enough for affording us this fantastic opportunity.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

Swords Celtic FC is an established schoolboy football club (formed 1962) with a newly formed girls section and inclusivity football 4 all, along with a traditional senior team.

The success of the flyer distribution has not only brought success to the new girls-only Academy but has had a knock-on effect on girls of all ages signing up to play football with Swords Celtic.

Swords Celtic has built an U14, U11 and U9 girls teams

We subsequently have added a new U8 girls team,

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Supporting the Community Fund

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can benefit your business by raising the profile of your company. Being active locally can enhance brand awareness by establishing new relationships, connecting with the community and meeting new people.

The Fingal Chamber Community Fund is open to supporters from all businesses within the region.

The Supporter categories are: - Patron €2,500 per annum - Large Corporate €1,000 per annum - SME €500 per annum Supporters are credited with participating in the SDG related projects undertaken by Fingal Chamber and profiled in accordance with their category.

For more information, please email David Branagan, Communications and Engagement, by email david@fingalchamber.ie or visit www.fingalchamber.ie/community

"Goodness is the only investment that never fails" HENRY DAVID THOREAU

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

The transformative effect on individuals, organisations, communities and society is a portal to active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity.

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SKILLNET TRAINING:

DRIVING BUSINESS, PEOPLE AND INNOVATION FORWARD It has been a challenging year for us all but what we have found is that Irish businesses have found ways to overcome these challenges and move forward. How have we done this?

By calling on the talent within our respective businesses, focussing on the company goals and upskilling and developing our talented employees to achieve these goals. The greatest attribute of Irish business is their agility, in the face of challenge, and succeed. Fingal Chamber Skillnet, with thanks to our training network companies have delivered excellent results over the past three years in the area of business training and upskilling in the Fingal region. Many of our members have experienced this talent development coupled with the financial benefit of learning in a business training network environment along with part-funding through Skillnet from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The network provides excellent assistance with your annual training plan and providing efficiencies to reduce overall annual training cost.

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This is the time of year when many of our members will contact us with their proposed training plans for the following year which allows the network to select the

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best trainers to deliver a wide array of training subjects for your employees at varying levels of proficiency. Our members use a number of methods to set out their plans, often using the reliable Excel table but many now are turning to Learning Management Systems (LMS) to upload their employees details and assign training to them over an annual timetable. This enables the HR manager to allocate the best times for training, allowing for holidays and shift patterns, to provide the maximum number of employees per course at any one time.

At the recent Skillnet Ireland conference on 9th November, attendees learned of the focus for the coming year on Talent development. In a time where market conditions and global trends continually change, investing in talent enables companies to weather short term shocks and prepare for long term challenges such as increased digitalisation and the impact of sustainability and climate change. It has never been more important than now to invest in

your workforce talent to take us through the difficult years ahead.

In 2022, we will focus on delivering talent development to meet the following challenges that we face over the coming years:

• • • • •

Digital acceleration Business sustainability and climate action Workforce innovation SME Leadership Supporting foreign direct investment in Ireland

Helpful Link: We have set up a webcal link to add all training courses to your calendar – please find the link here: https:// www.fingalchamber.ie/training

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

SKILLNET TRAINING:

COURSES FOR 2022 The following is a checklist of courses that you may be interested in.

I would invite you to tick those you are interested in take a photo and send it to us at skillnet@fingalchamber.ie TRAINING CHECKLIST

Finance for Non-Financial Managers Financial Accounting for Business Financial Compliance and Regulations

3D Printing CAD Design

MANAGEMENT Line Managers / Supervisors Training Programme Emotional Intelligence for Workplace / Managers Leadership Facilitation Program Managing Cross Functional Teams Graduate Training Programme People Management QQI Regional Leaders Programme Executive Leaders Programme Train the Trainer - Delivery and Evaluation QQI Team Leaders Training for Industry

INF. TECH. / TECHNICAL IT

Excel Outlook Teams / 365 / Sharepoint Powerpoint Project Word Power BI Digital Transformation for Organisations Display Screen Equipment DSE Assessor

COMMUNICATIONS Communications for Teams Communications for Managers Writing – Business Report / Technical Report

TECHNICAL SKILLS

LEAN

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt / Green Belt

PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Time Management Presentation Skills / Master Influencing Skills / Without Authority Negotiation Managing Conflict

WELLBEING – HR / PERSONAL

Building a Wellbeing Program for your Business Effective Remote working Interviewing Skills for Non-HR Personnel / Technical Personnel Managing Performance Disciplinary Conversations Developing a Learning Needs Analysis for your Organisation Employment Law Updates

SALES & MARKETING

The New Art of Virtual Selling Sales Development Programme Digital Marketing Introduction Digital Marketing Content Creation and SEO Social Media Skills Customer Service

ADDITIONAL COURSES

Please list courses below which we may consider for Fingal Chamber Skillnet Network

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

FINANCE

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

INDUSTRY REVIEW:

CYBER SECURITY: ARE YOU SET UP FOR SUCCESS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG?

IBM cybersecurity and gamification strategists John Clarke and Dr Jason Flood

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Awareness, education and a willingness to take a few simple defensive steps are the keys to defending your company’s brand against the ever present threat of cyber-attack, according to leading Irish experts in cybersecurity. The bad news is that the threat posed by cyber criminals to every business is increasing. The good news is that there are a few very simple steps you can take, without spending a pile of money, to protect yourself against 19 out of 20 attacks.

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As well as driving the growth in remote working, the pandemic has also accelerated the pace of digital transformation for business, essentially a drive to the cloud and the adoption of software as a service (SaaS). So instead of dealing with a system in a single location an IT manager could now have effectively 50 or 60 satellite offices or devices that each have to be manage remotely. The problem is exacerbated when people start using their own personal devices, including PCs, laptops and particularly smartphones, for work purposes.

“People think it’s great that they’re able to do everything on their phone. But if you click on a link that exposes your company data, there’s your brand gone. The moment people realise you don’t secure

your system they’re not going to share their data with you. You have to trust somebody to work with them,” says David McNamara, founder and MD of CommSec, a cyber security services provider based in Blanchardstown.

“It’s incredibly easy to become a hacker, a 12 or 13 year-old can start watching video tutorials and get into the game,” points out Dr Jason Flood, CTO of security gamification and modelling with IBM in Blanchardstown, who has 20 years of experience in cybersecurity. “Even software tools originally designed for good can end up being used with malicious intent – and hackers are all too often shown as ‘cool’ in the media,” he adds.

He points out that a surprising number of smaller businesses will engage somebody like a student to create a website for them – it could be the gifted, tech savvy daughter of a friend, for example – and its functionality might well be excellent. “But has it been hardened for security? And then what happens when you’ve been hacked? Who do you call? You might have got a cheap website, but if your digital footprint is going to be important to the operationalisation of your business are you set up for success in the event of something going wrong?” he asks.

Simple but effective steps McNamara points out that there are a number of standards that people can adhere to but a basic

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

“The reality is that nothing on this list is particularly difficult, it just requires a bit of discipline – and therein lies the problem. If I’m running a business that’s where my attention is. IT is just a tool to help me do my job and I’m not focussed on it unless there’s a problem that needs fixing – or until I get hacked and by then it’s too late.

Awareness, training and practice David McNamara CommSec

approach is to be compliant with the questions you would be asked if you were to apply for cyber insurance.

Do you take backups of your systems? If you are subject to a ransomware attack and you don’t have your data backed up you simply cannot recover. But the important thing is that that backup is not connected to your main systems all the time and you need to have your own backups encrypted.

Is you antivirus software up-to-date? And if you backup to the cloud do you have multi-factor authentication in place? “There are a few different ways this can be done and it doesn’t cost anything, it’s just good housekeeping,” McNamara emphasises. “Enabling it on your devices or system will knock out 95% of attacks because a hacker would have to guess your second method of authentication and that’s just not do-able.”

He also points out that under data protection legislation people using laptops for their work are obliged to have them encrypted. “There’s a free tool called BitLocker but that requires Windows 10.

So if you are still using Windows 7 or XP, and many people still are, then I would recommending upgrading straightaway,” McNamara advises.

Keeping devices up to date for both operating systems and installed apps or software is another basic. Manufacturers and developers release regular updates, or “patches”, which not only add new features but also fix any security vulnerabilities that have been discovered. “Patching is critical for any business,” he adds.

It is also good practice to make sure that system configurations are checked regularly to make sure firewalls are on, creating a buffer between your IT network and external networks. “People get into the habit of wanting things quickly and often turn it off because they can’t access a web site; they take shortcuts that they shouldn’t,” McNamara cautions.

In the same vein, it’s worth bearing in mind that most manufacturers supply their hardware and software with a default configuration that makes it quick and easy to start using the product. But if you leaving the

IBM cybersecurity and gamification strategist John Clarke points out that there’s an estimated four million shortfall worldwide in the number of cyber specialists needed to address the problem. One way of addressing that is to identify and train people who have a passionate interest in this area and recruit them directly, not insisting that only people with four-year degree courses are suitable.

“One of our best hires to date is someone who was a woodworker, but he’s an older gentleman who brings a different way of looking at things to the job, which is exactly what we need,” Clarke notes. He was spotted through a “Capture the Flag” gaming event hosted

by IBM at an OpenSource event.

The other way of overcoming the shortfall is by addressing the problem at source. “There’s also a lot of blame put on the end-user, the person who has clicked on something they shouldn’t have and let the hacker in,” says Dr Flood. “But I think the onus is on us, as a community and as an industry, to bring a better awareness and understanding – because people are going to click on stuff, it’s just a natural instinct.”

The answer, strongly advocated by McNamara as well, is in-house training to help anyone using the IT system recognise potentially dodgy communications coming into the business and to imbed procedures so they know exactly what to do in the event of a crisis.

From its base in Blanchardstown, IBM’s high tech X-Force Command Cyber Tactical Operations Centre is a 21 ton trailer tractor-trailer with expandable slideouts, 20 workstations and a phenomenal amount of computing power. Flood and Clarke use it across Europe for a variety of purposes, from hosting Capture the Flag events to on-site cyber investigations and for training client company “cyber first responders” to handle a security incident with confidence and speed through gamified breach scenarios.

“A lot of SME’s, in particular, don’t have any IT disaster recovery plan to begin with,” says Flood. “Typically it’s along the lines of ‘There’s a problem, ring John!’ But what happens if John is on holiday or simply can’t be found?

“Others have a plan prepared, box ticked, and they’ve never even read it. You really, really don’t want to be leafing through a 50 or 150 page document trying to find the answers in the middle of a crisis. A lot of this is about testing your own process until the

response becomes automatic,” Flood emphasises.

“So in the Tactical Centre we work with SMEs to get people talking about how they connect into the digital ecosystem and to learn and practise their response.”

The need to develop awareness and to know what to look for is key, McNamara says. “Even emails supposedly coming in from a reputable enterprise which at first glance look legitimate will have tell-tale signs that something is amiss – provided you know what you’re looking for. If you’re suspicious, don’t click. Pick up the phone to the person it is supposed to come from. And don’t use any phone number that’s in the email, either, go to a website and look up the number,” he cautions.

He also advises strongly against paying a ransom. “If you do there’s no guarantee you’ll get your data back and even if the attackers do give you the encryption keys your data may well be corrupted.”

The pandemic has resulted in a big increase in business for CommSec and since the start of the pandemic its staff has grown from 12 to 21 people. “During the pandemic we got ISO 27001:2013 certification, which is the information security standard. We set up a new digital forensics practice, which is headed by a former Garda detective who was 12 years in the National Cyber Crime Bureau, and we’ve set up new service, CheckScan+, which looks for vulnerabilities in applications, websites and IP addresses.

“We’ve also just launched another service, CommSec Business Secure, which we believe is going to be a game changer. It’s aimed at SMEs, from sole traders to up to 25 people, to make it affordable for them to make their business secure. We’ll manage that for you remotely, doing your patching, anti-virus and antiransomware on up to three devices per user, all for €50 euro a month or €500 for 12 months.”

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

settings this way it makes it easier for cyber attackers to gain access to your data.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

The Team Ireland track staff watching Kellie Harrington from the pit at Izu

MY WEEK IN WORK: LIAM HARBISON

HELPING IRELAND’S ELITE ATHLETES ACHIEVE THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

Liam Harbison was appointed Director of Sport Ireland Institute in December 2016 following 14 years with Paralympics Ireland, first as its performance director and then as CEO. In conversation with John Stanley, he outlines the varied work undertaken by the Institute in supporting Ireland’s top athletes as they seek success on the world stage and the practical day-to-day activities the position involves.

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When I was in college at Waterford RTC I had a really serious horse riding accident that made me re-evaluate my life. I became very interested in sports as a means of rehab and supporting people with disabilities in terms of developing life opportunities.

As a volunteer with disability sports group I found myself managing the Irish boccia team, which in the space of four years went from pretty much nowhere to being one of top teams at the Paralympic Games.

Then the role of performance director for the Irish Paralympic team was advertised, I applied and was delighted to get it. I was the first person in that role and it was a time when Irish sport was professionalising and more funding was becoming available. The highlight for me of those 14 years was being appointed Chef de Mission with the Irish Paralympic team for London 2012. Our team did incredibly well, winning 16 medals, including 8 gold, on the back of a lot of effort by a lot of people.

But after the Rio Games in 2016 I recognised that the commercial facing role I was in was taking me away from what I really enjoyed, which was being involved in developing athletes and creating opportunities that would impact their performance on the start line. So when the opportunity opened up in the Sport Ireland Institute, I applied and got the position.

Within the Sports Institute we have a team of about 50 specialists providing sports science and many other supports to Irish Olympic and Paralympic athletes to prepare them for their events. So we have a team of doctors, physios, physiologists, nutritionists, strengthening and conditioning coaches, lifestyle practitioners, performance analysts and sports and clinical psychologists to coordinate. These are all experts in their fields, I think about 10 of my team have PhDs. So we’re hiring the best people in Ireland, and some from abroad, and my job is to manage the

jigsaw pieces to make sure we were resourcing and allocating our supports appropriately.

While we are a part of Sport Ireland, within this unit our responsibility is performance sport delivery. We have a pretty impressive High Performance Centre on the Sport Ireland Campus here in Blanchardstown. A lot of athletes come to train here and we have a dedicated medical space, a huge strength conditioning gym, a 130 meter sprint track, a physiology lab and a lot of testing apparatus and equipment. We also have a “performance kitchen” where we do a lot of educational work with athletes and their support teams around nutrition.

Another part of our remit involves supporting high performance people development. We follow a philosophy of developing peer support networks within each individual grouping. So we would have a

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

So if there are companies reading this who would be interested in joining this Network we’d certainly be interested in talking to them. And I’d particularly like to see more companies in the Fingal area coming with us on that journey because this is where we are based – we are a part of this community.

We have also adopted a similar approach with thirdlevel institutions around flexible study modules.

An athlete might not be able to complete a four year degree in four years because of training and competition programmes, so we’re working with those institutions around flexible study options as well.

So there is generally a real strong community here and a focus on making sure that we are guiding and supporting Ireland’s athletes in every aspect of their life.

professional learning group, bringing the performance directors across all sports together to problem solve as a group and we do the same with sporting body CEOs, coaches and also the practitioners in each of the individual fields. It’s a pretty large remit.

A lot of our work is largely unseen and intangible. We believe in the value of embedding relationships, at personal as well as professional levels, and gathering as much information and intelligence as we can around issues affecting athletes and their performance.

A big part of our work here wouldn’t really be seen by the general public. For example, we have negotiated for the first time a defined performance support partnership with the Olympic Federation of Ireland. In previous Olympic cycles athletes wouldn’t necessarily have the practitioners and providers who work with them in the build-up to the games there with them at the event itself. But under the new partnership there were 26 of my team actually at the Tokyo Olympic Games, either at the games themselves in Tokyo or at the training camps, with another six here providing remote performance analysis and psychological supports.

There is a high bar to access our support and in any given year we probably support 300 to 400 athletes across 10 to 15 sports. One of the criticisms of us is that our support only tends to come in at senior level and as part of our strategy we’re working on a pathway model that will extend support to athletes as young as 16 or 17. By supporting high performers earlier we think we can have a much greater impact on their performance, which ultimately is our mission.

In this role my working life is never the same two days running. There are always the standard operational decisions and specific requests for support from athletes to be dealt with, that’s there every day. We’re currently working on a proposal with a third level institution around a PhD student partnership model, as well, so I will be working on that today. And at this time of year I also spend a lot of time preparing the budget for 2022. Then we’ll have to go and negotiate internally to get the allocation we require within the overall allocation to Sport Ireland.

A lot of my work is within Sports Ireland itself, making sure we’re working across the various units, whether that be corporate services, marketing or communications, and obviously very closely with the High Performance Unit, looking at planning with our colleagues and problem solving. We are also going through a heavy review process, trying to learn lessons from the Tokyo Games cycle so we can put better systems and structures in place for the 2024 games in Paris.

One thing I would say is that I never come to work at 9.00 and go home at 5.00, there are peaks and troughs. There are days when I could be sitting at a desk for 12 or 13 hours and there could be days that are a bit shorter. COVID has shown us that we can do a lot of work remotely, which we do as much as possible, of course, in these difficult times.

What I really love about this job that I’m one of the few people who have the privilege of seeing athletes in their preparation for major championships – the positives and negatives of all that, the challenges and the emotions. So you get to see them trying to qualify and succeed. But you also see them away from the glare of the camera, the focus of public and media attention. You see them when they come off the track or out of the pool. They’ve made a huge effort to get there and unfortunately things don’t always work out as they would like. Some athletes achieve personal bests and some win medals. But others may be injured or simply underperform. So it’s an absolute privilege for me and the people I work with to be there to support them, win or lose. It can be difficult, but it’s one of the highlights of the job.

We also work with athletes to support them throughout their athletic journey by developing what we call a dual career, whether that be through education or through corporate placements, and that’s a really important part of our work.

Two years ago we established an Athlete Friendly Employer Network of about 25 organisations, large and small, who have committed to supporting athletes through their athletic career by developing work placements and flexible working models.

It is a win-win for everyone. These people are born performers and winners. They’re very structured and highly organized, they’re team players and very determined people with great resilience. Those are all attributes that transfer readily into a work setting.

Liam with Kellie Harrington before her Olympic final

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

Liam Harbison

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

WHAT DO WE OFFER? ______________________

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ENHANCE your profile and deliver key messages to a captive audience

At Fingal Chamber we work closely with our sponsors to ensure you get the maximum return on investment through leading PR opportunities and potential to showcase your business and deliver key messages to a captive audience.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR AN EVENT? _________________________________ For further information on the opportunities available with Fingal Chamber, please contact: David Branagan, Communications & Engagement E. david@fingalchamber.ie T. 01 890 0977 Please note that due to high demand, sponsorship opportunities will be secured in order of bookings received.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

One of Ireland’s leading Retail and Leisure destinations, Blanchardstown Centre, now in its 25th year, has invested €46 million in capex projects over the past 18 months, including a €17m upgrade of the malls and customer facilities. The refurbishment is the first major investment since the opening of the shopping destination in 1996 and coincides with the recent creation of 5,000 square meters of new retail space with the addition of new tenants such as Aldi, Hollister, Mango, and a flagship JD Sports along with boutique eateries Art of Coffee and Offbeat Donuts, located at the impressive newly designed entrances at the Green and Red Malls. The extension offers an elevated shopping experience for Blanchardstown Centre’s loyal customers, and exciting opportunities for retailers to thrive in a shopping destination that has welcomed close to 500 million customers over the past 25 years.

250 construction jobs were created during the building phases, and an additional 500 temporary and permanent retail positions will be created this year by new and existing tenants, adding to the 4,500 employees that are currently employed on the campus. The Centre continues to attract exciting new brands with 18 new units opening before the end of 2021 including new places to eat like Bunsen Burger and Boojum, one of the world’s best known furniture brands Natuzzi, outdoor specialists Regatta and Craghoppers as well as the new Best Menswear store to name but a few The refurbishment of Blanchardstown Centre will further enhance the customer experience, and upon completion, all public toilet facilities will be modernised and added to along with newly upgraded disabled and mother and baby facilities and the addition of a specialised assisted adult changing facility, one of only a few facilities of its kind available in Ireland.

As part of the centre’s environmental policy, Blanchardstown Centre management is working to reduce the carbon footprint of the centre with new energy efficient lighting and equipment, 100% from green sourced electricity, lower water usage, and increased recycling of materials.

Blanchardstown Centre is a 112,000-sq.m retail complex owned by Goldman Sachs and managed by Falcon AM with more than 180 stores, including anchors Dunnes Stores, M&S, and Penney’s, together with numerous restaurants and leisure facilities, plus a nine-screen Odeon cinema, Library, and unique arts centre, Draiocht. It is Ireland’s one-stop shopping, leisure, and retail park destination and a much-loved part of the community. Located in north-western Dublin and linked to Ireland’s major motorways, Blanchardstown Centre is one of Ireland’s most accessible retail destinations with lots of free parking.

With many exciting events and new store announcements to come, why not stay up to date on all of the latest news and offerings from Blanchardstown Centre by following the conversation on our newly launched Web site, twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

01

€46m in capex projects delivered since Covid including a €17m upgrade of the malls

02

03

5,000m2 of new retail space created

11,000m2 of existing common areas refurbished & modernised

05

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

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06

07

New toilet facilities, disabled adult changing rooms, mother & baby facilities

500 Million customers came through the doors over the past 25 years

04

2 new shopping centre entrances

250 jobs created during construction

Various environmental initiatives incorporated to reduce carbon footprint of the centre including new energy efficient plant & lighting, consumption of only green energy, reduction in water usage, increased recycling of materials

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300

5,000+

500

new store openings this year alone

tenants traded in Blanchardstown Centre over 25 years

staff employed on the Centre's Campus at any one time

new permanent and temporary jobs will be created this year by new and existing tenants

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“We had to pivot as we moved through the various stages of lockdown”, says Suzanne Mulvey, Director of Sales and Marketing at CityNorth. “Many hotels closed, but thankfully with demand in the area for essential meetings and training we managed to keep the doors open”.

The core management team ran the hotel along with greatly reduced staffing levels. “This has been a great lesson in teamwork. We found the time to focus on how we could operate safely and more sustainably which has resulted in a reignited strategy as we slowly exit the pandemic” says Ms Mulvey.

“Our people are the soul of the operation, and their dedication and hard work resulted in us winning the Trip Advisor Travelers Choice 2021 Award. This was a great achievement considering the challenging times we were operating in”. The facilities were upgraded during this time to include new virtual and hybrid conference facilities, 200MB WiFi networks with firewalls in each of the larger conference spaces.

CityNorth Hotel’s location at Junction 7 off the M1 has proved popular during Covid. “We managed

to attract new business from firms that wanted to avoid crowded central locations. Brexit was still steaming ahead in the background, and we hosted many Brexit related business meetings offering a suitable meeting spot between north and south of the border”.

While guidelines for the return to full conferences are not yet clear, CityNorth Hotel will remain open for essential business and training, offering a safe and secure facility to meet and do business.

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

MEET THE TEAM: DAVID BRANAGAN

TRYING TO TURN SIGNALS INTO MEANINGFUL MESSAGES FOR MEMBERS “It was definitely a valuable experience. I got to sit on the governing body of the college and on the Student Assistance Fund Committee, which awards thousands of euro each year to help students in often unforeseen difficult circumstances to help them get through the year. I was also involved in organising protests around student fees. So I got a great breadth of experience at a young age.”

After this he completed his final year of studies, while at the same time working with a marketing agency in Dublin.

Here one of his tasks involved helping prepare investor presentations for a number of hospitality enterprises which had gone into receivership.

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

From Student Union President to Australian State government communications advisor, David Branagan brings a wealth of experience to his important role of helping Fingal Chamber communicate and engage with its members.

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Fingal Chamber’s Communications and Engagement Manager, David Branagan, was born in Skerries and attended the Community College before going to Dundalk IT, where took a degree in Event Management with Communications. “I’d attended outdoor festivals and gigs and had some work experience in the area,” he explains. “From a work perspective, over time I found myself leaning more towards the communications side, although the event management skills have stood to me in running productions for the Chamber, such as the Annual Awards, for example.”

Between the second and final year of his degree course at DkIT, however, David took a three year “sabbatical”.

In 2010 he was elected Vice President of the Institute’s Student Union, a post he retained for a second year before being elected President the following year. As Vice President he was the Entertainments Officer and also had responsibility for student welfare, including various wellness campaigns covering such topics as mental health and personal safety.

As President he was exposed to other areas of responsibility, including overall strategy and finances.

On graduation he took the well-tried route of many young Irish, heading to Australia for a couple of years with his girlfriend, Laura, who is now his fiancé. The couple went on a one-year visa but prudently began their adventure by enjoying a quiet, simple life working on a salad farm in East Victoria for 80 days. Doing that meant they could extend their stay to two years. From here they went to Melbourne, where David worked with the State government for the next 18 months as a communications and events advisor. At one point the couple did consider staying longer in Australia but decided for family reasons to return to Ireland at the end of the two years.

Shortly after their return to Ireland a DkIT lecturer with whom David had kept in touch tipped him off about an upcoming opportunity with Fingal Chamber for which he thought David would be well suited. David was successful and took up his current position in March 2018.

“In my role I get to see a lot of what’s happening because a big part of this job involves trying to filter a lot of different signals coming towards us and turn them into useful messages which we can then transmit in bite size chunks to our members. We’re focussed on making sure that they have up-to-date information on anything that’s relevant to them. That

Student Protest

could be ensuing they’re aware of opportunities, or equally of potential threats and difficulties, whether it’s related to the Revenue or Irish Water, to take just two examples of public bodies. We prepare a weekly digest for members that gives latest news from the region as well as any pertinent national information.

“We cover any important news coming out of Fingal County Council or central Government and also content coming through from Chambers Ireland, such as information the availability of funds or other resources.” That information is shared with members on a weekly basis and also across social media and directly via email on important matters.

David is also keen to ensure that members benefit as much as possible from their involvement with the Chamber. “We help to promote members and try to pull together a platform of events through which they can promote themselves. In the past we’ve had the networking series and the ‘Behind the Business’ events with panels of speakers delving into the different issues and topics of the day, which has been a popular format with members.”

As part of this approach, David is also currently preparing a Member’s Engagement Guide, which will list out the many ways in which the membership can enhance their relationship with the Chamber, both in person and on-line.

Outside work David and Laura enjoy a wide range of activities, including swimming and hiking, while David tries to play golf once a week. But he emphasises that they are also very open to new ideas and opportunities.

“We’re both very much open to different experiences,” he says. “If there’s something new launched somewhere in the city we’ll usually check it out. I’ve recently got a bike and I have my eye on participating in the triathlon in Skerries next September – if I can get my swimming up to scratch by then.”

Maximse Your Membership Event The Grand Hotel Malahide

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

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CREATE YOUR PERFECT BATHROOM

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

INTERNATIONAL TRADE Fingal Chamber is a leading provider of documentation services, assisting a wide range of manufacturers across industries with International Trade. Some of these industries include pharmaceutical, manufacturing, machinery, and IT. We are officially authorised by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Chambers Ireland to issue and certify export documentation.

Services we offer:

What can we do for you:

• Certificates of Origin - required when exporting goods to certain countries to prove the place of growth, production, or manufacture and satisfy custom or trade requirements.

Fingal Chamber offers companies the convenience of a central place to organise the legalisation of all their documents and the ease of a fast, efficient service between our online system and courier service. We are happy to offer advice to help your company manage this aspect of trade and can offer assistance throughout the process.

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

• Company Documents - legalisation of other company documents including invoices, packaging slips, health certs etc.

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• EU Certificates - required for goods that are exported outside the EU Single Market.

Our documentation services are available to both members of the Chamber and non-members, with a discounted rate for members.

• Notary / Apostille – through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and a legalisation service with embassies.

If you wish to find out more about the documentation services we provide or get your company set up on our system, get in touch with agata@fingalchamber.ie

• Arab-Irish Certs - issued when goods are being shipped to any of the 19 Arab League countries.

*** “Organising documentation for exports can be a very complex and time-consuming process. Fingal Chamber can look after that process and take away the headache! Every day I help and assist companies with the certification and legalisations of any commercial or legal paperwork for wide range of industries such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing or tech. and others. We provide this service to all business communities that require assistance with

• Translation - upon request.

their documentation: members and non-members of our organization, and I am always working with a multitude of different circumstances. As Fingal Chamber offers fully licence certification of EU and Arab-Irish Certificates of Origin we work very closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce and Embassies in Ireland and UK.”

Agata Kusak-Thion, International Trade Administrator, Fingal Chamber

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

NEW MEMBERS

Howth Harbour Bar and Brewery

Lugu.ie

The Performatist

RFC Fire and Security Systems

Siobhan Taylor Photos

Collage Hair Group

1. Activate your profile in the members area (MIC).

2. Connect and interact with us on social media.

3. Use the promotional avenues to announce news, special offers, job vacancies, or upcoming events.

4. Upskill yourself and your workforce with subsidised enterprise-led skills training courses through the Fingal Chamber Skillnet.

5. Attend Chamber events, many are free for members, so keep an eye on the events calendar and your email inbox for upcoming events and invites.

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

Five Tips To Maximise Your Membership

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

CREATIVE FINGAL:

CARING FOR THE COUNTY’S HERITAGE PROPERTIES

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

In national terms Fingal County Council is exceptional in being the custodian of a large portfolio of some 35 heritage properties. County Architect Fionnuala May tells Network Magazine why it is important that these buildings are maintained and developed and discusses the challenges involved in managing such a large portfolio.

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The Council’s collection of heritage properties are hugely popular with the public. In 2019 about 150,000 visitors paid to visit Malahide Castle & Gardens while about 100,000 paid to visit Newbridge House & Farm. And even though COVID forced the temporary closure of many of their paid-for attractions, the fact that these flagship properties are set within regional parks means the number of visitors using the outdoor spaces during the pandemic has skyrocketed.

But where did this impressive portfolio come from?

Some were inherited from Dublin County Council when Fingal was formed in 1994. A number of others, including the flagship properties of Malahide Castle, Newbridge House and Ardgillan Castle, were acquired by the Council at the instigation of the visionary, now retired, senior park superintendent, Michael Lynch.

“These are all regional parks that happened to come with heritage buildings,” says County Architect Fionnuala May. “Other properties, like Swords Castle, also came through acquisition. We also have a number in graveyards that we are responsible for and a lot of our libraries are also protected structures.

From my perspective, as a conservation architect, it’s great to have such a wonderful necklace of heritage properties in the county.”

May stresses that a strong collaborative approach involving various departments within the County Council is required. The owned properties are looked after by its Economic Development Department, with which May and her staff work very closely, while the Operations Department is responsible for the upkeep of the parks.

& Farm and the Casino Railway Museum. With the recent announcement that this company, Shannon Heritage, is effectively being disbanded, a new operator for those properties is now being sought.

Other properties are either managed directly by the Council or have their own boards and staff.

The cost of maintaining and developing its portfolio of heritage properties is substantial.

But May emphasises that this is a core part of the Council’s work, ranking equally with its many other important tasks, and this is acknowledged by the elected members of the Council when approving the necessary funds. The Council is the main provider of this funding. It obtains State aids, when it can, such as the substantial capital fund received from Failte Ireland for the major work at Malahide Castle.

Since 2012 Fingal has employed an experienced specialist operator to manage public access, events and catering at Malahide Castle, Newbridge House

Fionnuala May

ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

“In managing these properties we are very conscious that what people want from a heritage property, and how they want to use them, can change over time,” May says. “But it is important that this change is managed and that we evaluate carefully what each new project will mean and how it will impact on the historic fabric of the estate. So we do take a disciplined approach– proposals are measured so that the heritage values of a place are maintained.”

There’s always a list of jobs and projects in the pipeline for each property which are prioritized.

“It could be what will benefit the public most, or what will help one of our business partners, or what simply has to be done, like an urgent roof repair to protect the fabric of a building. We never get to the end of the list,” May says.

A lot of planning and co-ordination is required, too. “We’re renewing the roof over the Great Hall in Malahide Castle at the moment and as part of that we will redecorate the Great Hall itself and

Malahide Castle

improve its environmental conditions . But we’re also in partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland in Malahide and we have paintings on loan from them and these have had to be put in storage. As part of the refresh of that room we will look at the collection of furniture to make it as interesting as it can be to the public. We may acquire one or two pieces or we may arrange pieces we already have differently, so if you came on a house tour last year you’ll have something new to see this year, because we do get a lot of repeat visitors.”

A conservation plan has just been commissioned for Ardgillan Castle, which is next on the list for a major revamp. “We will carry out some major repairs to that building and have ambitions to develop it further.

The real attraction there is the landscape and the gardens. The reconstruction of the Victorian glass house in the Rose Garden that has just begun will be a real attraction for the public when it’s completed next year.”

Fingal County Council is constantly developing its standard of practice with regard to the heritage properties in its care but is always conscious that this is not something done in isolation from the people for whom it is held in care – the many visitors they attract both from within Fingal and further afield.

“We always like to see our visitor numbers increase and we have high regard for public feedback on what they enjoy and what is really meaningful for them,” May says.

As well as the buildings, Fingal also has important collections of furniture and objects. “A lot of work goes into the curatorship of those, too, including building on our knowledge associated with those collections,” May says. The Council now intends to become accredited under the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland. “That’s a long, five-year programme, but it’s a sign of our intent and of just how seriously we take our responsibilities as curators of these properties,” May says.

With regard to future projects, May readily admits that although Shackleton’s Mill in Dublin 15 is a wonderful piece of industrial archaeology they are still not in a position to develop it for public access.

“It will require large capital investment and we still need to figure out a model for that.” The Council also has responsibility Bremore Castle in Balbriggan, a “conjectural reconstruction” of a 14th Century tower house that was on the site. “Here, too, we’re currently looking at how we can bring the public into it and we have good plans for it. It is sited within a regional park and we think that will make it inviting to the public.

“We’re also engaged in the large ‘Our Balbriggan’ regeneration project. We’ve acquired some historic buildings within the town and taken out a long lease on the small RNLI boathouse under the railway viaduct. We’re going to be restoring and conserving that and hopefully it will be used as part of the Quay Street redevelopment.

“We’re always conscious of the power that these historic properties have to act as the hinges which can open the door to something else, they are very useful in regeneration. The public is so interested in heritage that it’s always a good access point.”

Swords Castle Grounds

Skerries Mills

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

Lusk Church and Tower

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ISSUE 3 - DECEMBER 2021

Fingal Chamber membership enables members to: • Influence decision-makers through lobbying and advocacy support

• Engage in matters that can impact their business through forums and consultations • Connect and build business relationships through an extensive networking and events programme • Upskill their workforce through bespoke and subsidised training delivered by Fingal Chamber Skillnet • Access information on business supports and stakeholder notices via weekly email updates • Promote and enhance their business profile through member-exclusive channels • Export globally with certification from our knowledgeable and efficient international trade team • Expand their business in new markets with inward and outward trade delegations

• Develop their knowledge of business topics and trends with informative business briefings

• Support and contribute to community projects and activities via the Fingal Chamber Community Fund • Showcase and celebrate success with the Fingal Business Excellence & CSR Awards

TESTIMONIALS “We have participated in the Chamber Networking and Skillnet network training events that Fingal Chamber have provided.

We have found that they cover an expansive subject matter, reduce the costs through Skillnet subsidy and learning in a network environment, and are able to adapt to our business training requirements.”

FINGAL CHAMBER - NETWORK MAGAZINE

Richard Sloan, Managing Director, Sonas Bathrooms

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“We are long-standing members of Fingal Chamber of Commerce as the chamber offers a great range of benefits to its members. In our experience, the regular organising of networking events and information briefings is a useful tool in forging new contacts and facilitating new business with other members.

Making a sale may not always be possible but the ability to contact a member and seek their advice on a subject matter is an invaluable resource.

I strongly recommend that you join the Chamber and be part of an organisation that works to promote business in your region.”

Michael Kennedy, Managing Director, Michael Kennedy Insurance Group

“S & S Office Interiors Ltd has been a member of the chamber for 10 years, the services that the Chamber provide are valuable to our business and feel that our membership is an important part of our business going forward” Alan Spain, Managing Director, S & S Office Interiors

“​ Country Crest has been a member of Fingal Chamber for many years and has benefited in many ways form this membership.

Networking with like-minded businesses and people has enabled us to look outwardly at how businesses adapt and prosper within Fingal and Ireland.

Being a part and taking part within the Chamber is hugely important to us and we value our membership greatly.”

Tony Doyle, Commercial Manager, Country Crest

Fingal Chamber Partners

Refer a Colleague or Business As a membership organisation the more businesses who join the stronger the network becomes, therefore we would appreciate your referral of prospective members.

Please visit the webpage listed below and provide the information requested and we will be in contact with your referral regarding the benefits of Fingal Chamber membership. Thank you!

Find out more at:

fingalchamber.ie/recommend

Supporting business across the Fingal region

through training, networking and collaboration.

Talk to us: skillnet@fingalchamber.ie www.fingalchamberskillnet.ie