March and April Policy Update
Over the past two months, we have been advancing the key priorities of the Chamber network across a number of critical policy areas. We have produced submissions on the Green Growth Industrial Strategy which aims to convert Climate ambition into sustainable growth, and on the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme 6 which is the main policy mechanism for supporting renewable electricity projects.
We have also made statements on important issues such as the Mercosur deal, the Living City Initiative, the Australia – EU Free Trade Agreement, and the fuel protests.
There have been significant developments in trade. The EU-Mercosur agreement now provisionally applies and will bring with it significant opportunities for businesses across the EU. Separately, the EU and Australia have concluded a Free Trade Agreement alongside a new Security and Defence Partnership, which will open up a new market for businesses.
- Mercosur Deal opens major market as cost-of-business rises
- Chambers Ireland welcomes provisional application of Mercosur
The Living City Initiative has been extended to five additional towns and offers tax incentives for commercial and residential conversions in historic town centres. We have long been advocates of the initiative as a practical tool for revitalising town centres, reversing vacancy and unlocking housing supply in our urban areas.
We also commented on the fuel protests, acknowledging the impacts on businesses while also calling for essential infrastructure to be kept open.
- Chambers Ireland responds to Government action on fuel costs
- Chambers Ireland urges an end to disruption
- Chambers Ireland responds to the Government’s fuel interventions
We have summarised our submissions to public consultations below. Click on the title of each one to read them in full.
Green Growth Industrial Strategy
A Green growth industrial strategy directly addresses systemic barriers to business growth and competitiveness at a local level. Our submission calls for a coordinated Green Growth Industrial Strategy that aligns energy, infrastructure and industrial policy to convert climate ambition into sustainable economic growth and energy security. It advises that Ireland should build on the achievements of Powering Prosperity by embedding regulatory clarity and coordinated delivery to drive sustained investment and timely project completion. We also emphasise scaling up mature renewables (wind, solar, storage) while investing in enabling infrastructure such as grid upgrades, hydrogen and interconnection to support net-zero delivery.
Renewable Electricity Support Scheme 6 (RESS 6)
The RESS 6 submission focuses on core economic concerns of SME’s on costs, competitiveness and certainty. Energy costs are a major pressure on business viability and RESS 6 if actuated effectively can reduce costs and increase supply certainty over time. Our submission highlights the scheme’s critical role in delivering Ireland’s climate targets, energy security, and a cost‑competitive renewable electricity market. The submission argued that wind remains one of the State’s greatest domestic resources and brings with not just the potential to mitigate issues with the domestic market but to create export opportunities as well. It also outlines that to make progress, auction systems must be reformed so that the cost of generating electricity from renewable sources continues to fall.