EDITORIAL

Hurry up, hurry up, everybody’s growing impatient. Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and the Government cannot expect the people of Clare and the Mid-West to wait indefinitely for Shannon Airport to part ways with Dublin Airport Authority.
Many groups and individuals have lobbied on the separation issue and now a new small cross-party/business alliance has been forged to keep the Government under sustained pressure, until Minister Varadkar puts his signature to the separation order.
Ennis and Clare Councillor Johnny Flynn; Mayor of Ennis, Peter Considine; former mayor of Shannon and Clare Councillor Sean McLoughlin and Ennis Chamber president, Brian O’Neill believe protecting Shannon’s best interest is something everybody should remain committed to.
There is nothing new in their message about Shannon’s importance to the region but they believe it must be reinforced time and again. The airport has “touched the lives and provided an income for many people living here and it has the potential to revive the economy, save and create jobs and prevent further emigration in Clare and the West.”
Councillor Flynn is putting forward a three-part notice of motion to Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council with the main message of seeking urgent action by Minister Varadkar to finalise the separation of Shannon Airport from the DAA in the month of September and implement new structures by end of the year.
“If we act now and speak up with one voice requesting the urgent separation of our airport, with Government financial backing for certain day-to-day costs for up to five years, we can achieve the success of Shannon Airport in 2013 and beyond. I believe that this can be achieved by taking a step away from some of the complex issues that surround the re-structuring of Shannon Development and the airport whilst thinking about the region as a whole and its future. This could be done by the appointment by Government immediately of an interim/transition SAA board, tasked to finalise an airport business plan and submit same for ministerial consideration and approval by year end under the State Airport Act 2004,” Mr Flynn said.
The motion also seeks government allocation of resources and responsibility for the preparation of a 2013 Midwest & Shannon Airport Marketing Plan.
One would expect unanimity when the motion is brought before both councils, while Mr O’Neill speaks with authority on behalf of Ennis Chamber. Support from many other quarters would surely also follow.
A signed order on the separation of Shannon from the DAA would undoubtedly give the airport a new lease of life and leave the way clear for a high-powered marketing campaign.

Retailers under pressure

Usually it’s around Christmas time the big drive comes on to support retailers, with traders’ associations, chambers of commerce and local authorities all appealing to the public to shop local and keep the euro circulating in their respective areas.
Businesses, however, cannot survive on revenue from the Christmas rush, which has, in itself, eased in recent years. 
The latest Central Statistics Office figures showing an annual decrease of 1.5% in retail sales, remind us how businesses continue to suffer. Further shrinkage of retail spending will inevitably lead to more and more closures and job losses. From the large department stores right down to the corner shop nothing seems exempt from the ravages of reduced spending power, which stems from the economic downturn and increased costs. Almost daily, we hear the hues and cries about factory closures but the demise of family businesses receive little coverage beyond reports in local media.
Number crunching for nationwide surveys on the retail sector just scratches the surface and cannot explain what the closure of a business means to the owner, staff or the community it serves.
ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association, has described the retail sector as “wretched”, outlining that thousands of jobs will continue to be at risk for the foreseeable future unless the Government intervenes to address issues impacting the sector, particularly the rising costs to business.
The immediate introduction of a retail strategy group, as demanded by the association, could certainly bring greater focus to the crisis in the retail industry
This week’s CSO show the volume of retail sales (excluding price effects) increased by 0.7% in July 2012 when compared with June 2012 and there was an annual decrease of 1.5%. If motor trades are excluded, the volume of retail sales increased by 1.1% in July when compared with June, while there was an annual decrease of 0.5%. The sectors with the largest month on month volume increases are clothing, footwear and textiles (5.0%), hardware, paints and glass (4.5%). However, a monthly decrease was seen in electrical goods (-1.9%), bars (-1.7%), books, newspapers and stationery (3.8%) and department stores (0.5%).
ISME chief executive, Mark Fielding, said as many as one third of retailers expect further job losses as the negative trading environment persists. “The latest figures clearly show how the lack of consumer confidence is crippling the sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Banner County is showing resilience in tough times. Ennis Chamber continues to take a lead in showcasing Clare businesses through the annual FBD Clare Business Excellence Awards. The purpose of the awards is to reward progressive businesses for their dedication, vision and contribution to the county and all of the 70 entrants passed with flying colours on all counts. 
The three finalists in each of the nine categories have been selected by Spotcheck, an independent firm of consultants, and the winners will be revealed at the Ennis Chamber president’s dinner in a few weeks time. There are, of course, many other organisations that are fighting the good fight to protect businesses and jobs in Clare. Hopefully, the Government can take on board the points raised by ISME and take measures that will lighten the operational cost burden for retailers.