1 June 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Cork Business News
A new initiative to combine a number of business associations in Cork into a collective organisation for all parts of Cork City and County is being launched today.
The initiative is being launched by Little Island Business Association which represents Cork’s largest business district.
The new collective, known as Cork’s Business Channel, is a not for profit initiative and includes a total of eight independent business associations in key districts and areas of Cork City and County
The collective will see the establishment and further development of –
* Cork Northside Business Association (www.cnba.ie),
* Cork Southside Business Association (www.csba.ie),
* West Cork Business Association (www.wcba.ie),
* East Cork Business Association (www.ecba.ie),
* North Cork Business Association (www.ncba.ie)
* Cork Docklands Business Association (www.cdba.ie)
* Ringaskiddy Business Association (www.rbai.ie)
* Little Island Business Association (www.liba.ie)
Cork Docklands Business Association and Ringaskiddy Business Association were established in 2015 in advance of the infrastructural and state investment in these areas and Little Island Business Association was established in 2012
The CEO of Little Island Business Association and Cork’s Business Channel Michael Mulcahy said “this is something we have been working on for the past six years since Cork Docklands Business Association and Ringaskiddy Business Association were established originally in a response from business owners in these areas and in anticipation of the State investment in the critical infrastructure, to establish a similar business organisation to Little Island Business Association. In March 2021 the Government announced a €355m investment package for Cork Docklands while the €220m M28 motorway from Cork to Ringaskiddy is advancing.
After consultation with a number of business owners in specific areas it has been agreed that Cork Southside Business Association, North Cork Business Association, West Cork Business Association and East Cork Business Association would also be established so as to be fully inclusive of all parts of Cork City and County.
With 45,000 businesses, 265,000 employees in those businesses and a population of over 540,000 people that is expected to grow to 1m by 2040, every part of Cork City and County being represented by its own business association and being part of the collective model for all parts of Cork City and County will be hugely beneficial for every business and area that is part of it.
This new collective presents an opportunity for each area, with representation from each of the eight areas on its members council, to have both its own business association representing it and to fight for its interests, while the shared model of collaboration with its established team that will now exist for all parts of Cork City and County will benefit each of these organisations”.
Michael Mulcahy, added that “Cork is poised for exponential growth over the next twenty years and I believe that whether it is Cork City or North, South East or West Cork, every area needs strong representation that will promote it and fight for its future ensuring that it gets its fair share of investment and opportunity”.
