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Time to set a course for sustainable urban evolution
Cork Chamber’s view on Budget 2025:
Budget 2025 comes at a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty in the political landscape, not just here in Ireland but also further afield in Europe, the US and beyond. In Ireland, we are gearing up for a long-awaited general election, the results of which remain difficult to predict.
What is clear, however, is that the current Government’s final budget, Budget 2025, presents Cabinet with a unique opportunity to combat rising concerns about the cost of living and the cost of doing business in Ireland, and to set a course for a future of sustainable economic growth and urban evolution.
Cork Chamber’s pre-Budget submission outlined the critical asks for businesses, here in the Cork region and across Ireland. Our submission was structured around four key themes: investing in housing and infrastructure; supporting enterprise innovation and competitiveness; enhancing skills and talent; and promoting social and environmental sustainability. We proposed specific actions and measures that Government should take into account in Budget 2025 to help achieve these objectives and deliver positive outcomes for Cork and the wider national economy. In September, we met with Minister for Finance Jack Chambers to discuss our proposed measures in detail.
The Cork city region is a key contributor to our economy, and offers immense opportunity for future growth. Our vision is to develop vibrant, inclusive cities that offer a wide range of amenities and are easily accessible to everyone.
The country’s urban centres, Cork included, have undergone significant changes in recent years, adapting to a changed climate following the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges. Change in our towns and cities is already well underway – it is now up to the Government and local authorities to decide how we respond to this.
In our pre-Budget submission, we call on Government to introduce ‘Urban Evolution Deals’ – bespoke funding agreements between central government and local authorities that will reinvigorate our towns and cities with sustainable urban development, enhanced urban living and greater social cohesion. Our towns and cities are the lifeblood of the Irish economy, and Cork, as Ireland’s fastest growing city, has a key role to play in driving Ireland’s competitiveness into the future, helping to attract vital talent, skills and foreign direct investment.
In Budget 2025, Government should consider the supporting measures needed to unlock this competitiveness in our urban centres, including investment in housing and vital infrastructure. Cork’s long-awaited key infrastructural projects, from the Light Rail to the Events Centre, must be accelerated as critical enablers of future economic growth, enhancing the social and cultural fabric of an already vibrant Cork City.
Creating synergies between central government, local authorities, providers of critical utilities, developers, and local businesses and residents must be prioritised as we look to the next phase of urban development in Ireland. Our cities and towns are changing, but Budget 2025 presents Government with the opportunity to ensure that this change is for the better – we must not miss out on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to set a course for sustainable, positive urban growth for future generations.
