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Visit Cork to hold Tourism Industry Day at Radisson Blu

Visit Cork, the official tourism body for the Cork region, is hosting a briefing session for those involved in the tourism industry on Wednesday 12 February 2020 at Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island.

Anyone with an interest in tourism or in attracting visitors to Cork is invited to attend the Tourism Industry Day, from local community and tourist groups, to festivals and event organisations, to accommodation and experience providers, for an update on Visit Cork’s achievements to date and plans for the promotion of Cork for leisure tourism (Pure Cork) and business tourism (Cork Convention Bureau).  They will be joined by their partners in Fáilte Ireland.

It promises to be a highly interactive, dynamic session with presentations from Gerard O’ Mahoney, Chair of Visit Cork, Seamus Heaney, Head of Visit Cork, Evelyn O'Sullivan, Manager of Cork Convention Bureau, Sam Johnson, the Manager of the Regional Convention Bureau of Ireland, and Arthur McGauran from SITE Ireland (Society of Incentive Travel Executives).

Alison Levins from Fáilte Ireland will also unveil ‘Keep Discovering’, the new road map to delivering growth in the domestic short break market to 2023, and Eoin Kennedy from Zone Digital will advise how you can take advantage of social media for both MICE and leisure tourism.

Commenting on the industry event, Seamus Heaney, Head of Visit Cork, said,

“We encourage everyone involved in the tourism industry in Cork to attend the Visit Cork Industry Day and explore how they can work with Pure Cork and Cork Convention Bureau to enhance their business and help collectively promote all that Cork has to offer to domestic and international business and leisure visitors.”

 

The Pure Cork Industry Day will take place from 10.00am-1.30pm, with registration from 9.30am. It is an open invitation to any individual or business involved in tourism in Cork (City and County).

Register today for the industry day on https://corkconventionbureau.clr.events/event/129408:visit-cork-industry-day-2020 or contact the team at Visit Cork on (021) 431 8036.

For further details on Visit Cork or interviews contact

Niamh Murphy, ETC niamh@e-t-c.ie 087 0617705

Maria Rolston, ETC maria@e-t-c.ie

The Cork Business Association (CBA) has announced the finalists of the '2019 Cork Business of the Year Awards’. The overall winners will be announced at their black-tie President’s Dinner on 22nd February at Cork’s Vienna Woods Hotel.

President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony will include a special Chefs of Cork Dinner

Chefs from seven Cork hotels will work together on this showcase dinner, representing their hotel and restaurant.  Be prepared to enjoy a culinary feast Cork might not have seen before.

The Awards, which are run in partnership with JCD and The Irish Examiner, recognise the outstanding contribution of businesses and individuals working diligently across varied sectors of business in Cork City and its environs. They are judged by an independent panel of judges.

We are glad to announce that the finalists of the Cork Business of the Year Awards are:

Best in Retail (sponsored by Cork City Council):
Cork Art Supplies
Sheena’s Boutique
Samui Fashion’s

Best Hotel (sponsored by Kings Laundry):
Clayton Cork City
Cork International Hotel
The Maldron South Mall

Best in Arts, Events and Tourism (sponsored by Irish Hotels Federation):
CADA Performing Arts
Nano Nagle Place
Cork International Choral Festival

Best New Business (sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office):
Sisu Aesthetic Clinic
PV Generation
Workvivo

Best Family Business (sponsored by Musgrave):
The Courtyard on Sober Lane
John Daly Opticians
The Herlihy Group

Best in Digital (sponsored by B2B Signs & B2B Print):
Red FM
Visit Cork
Yay Cork

Best Restaurant (sponsored by The English Market):
The Cornstore Restaurant
The Spitjack, Rotisserie & Brasserie
Orchids Restaurant in Hayfield Manor

Best Café (sponsored by The English Market):
Café Gusto
The Parlour Café
Café Marius

Best VFI Pub (sponsored by the VFI):
The Franciscan Well Bar
The Oliver Plunkett
Nana’s

Best in Professional Business Services (sponsored by Peninsula):
Lisney
Springboard PR & Marketing
Career Training Internships

On the night three other awards will be presented… the overall Cork Business of Year (medium business and large business categories), and The Champion of Cork award, which was created to praise, honour and recognise a Corkonian who has made a real difference to Cork and its people, be it through driving business, their contribution to the arts, their charitable work, their efforts in developing our city or their passion and drive for promoting all things Cork.

Commenting on the shortlist, President of Cork Business Association Philip Gillivan said,

“This year we received a record number of entrants and I would like to congratulate each of our very deserving finalists. To be a finalist is a wonderful achievement, and I wish everyone the best of luck on the night. I would like to sincerely thank all of our sponsors, in particular our award sponsor JCD, event partner AIB, and media partner The Irish Examiner”

The awards will be presented at the CBA’s glittering black-tie President’s Dinner in Cork’s Vienna Woods on Saturday 22nd February 2020. The year, the menu will be extra special as some of Cork’s finest chefs have joined forces with Vienna Woods to create a culinary feast. They will present daring and delicate dishes that not only showcase their individual creativity but also use the best local produce that can be found in and around Cork.  This is the first time that such a collaboration has taken place in Cork.

Tickets are priced at €120 and include a pre-dinner drinks reception, a three-course meal, wine, spot prizes and stellar live entertainment. To book online click here or for more information contact (021) 427 8295 info@corkbusiness.ie or see www.corkbusiness.ie.

We are delighted to present the shortlisted businesses for the CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards 2019.

The nominees are as follows:

Best in Retail (sponsored by Cork City Council):

Cork Art Supplies

Sheena’s Boutique

Samui 

Best Hotel (sponsored by Kings Laundry):

Clayton Cork City

Cork International Hotel

The Maldron South Mall

Best in Arts, Events and Tourism (sponsored by Irish Hotels Federation):

CADA Performing Arts

Nano Nagle Place

Cork International Choral Festival

Best New Business (sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office):

Sisu Aesthetic Clinic

PV Generation

Workvivo

Best Family Business (sponsored by Musgrave):

The Courtyard on Sober Lane

John Daly Opticians

The Herlihy Group

Best in Digital (sponsored by B2B Signs & B2B Print):

Red FM

Visit Cork

Yay Cork

Best Restaurant (sponsored by The English Market):

The Cornstore Restaurant

The Spitjack, Rotisserie & Brasserie 

Orchids Restaurant in Hayfield Manor

Best Café (sponsored by The English Market):

Café Gusto

The Parlour Café

Café Marius

Best VFI Pub (sponsored by the VFI):

The Franciscan Well Bar

The Oliver Plunkett

Nana’s 

Best in Professional Business Services (sponsored by  Peninsula):

Lisney

Springboard PR & Marketing

Career Training Internships

Congratulations and the Best of Luck at the Awards!

The team members of the Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair are extremely excited to work together on creating this unique event on 19th of February at the Millennium Hall in Cork City Council.

There will be free advice clinics, educators, support service providers and a range of businesses exhibiting on the day.

The Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair is an initiative of Love and Care for People (LCP). LCP is a Cork-based registered non profit organisation founded in 2004. The mission of LCP is to improve lives and promote safe, inclusive, equal, and thriving communities.

The Diversity Career, Jobs & Education Fair is a great opportunity if you're currently looking to recruit, enroll or simply promote your organisation as a diverse, welcoming and modern space.

The booking-fee is a sliding scale of €50 to €200 to suit your budget & includes lunch. This event is supported by Cork City Council, Cork Business Association, Network Cork, Cork City Partnership CLG and Together Razem Centre.

Mail: hello@loveandcareforpeople.eu

This is because insurance premiums in Ireland are way too high, claims costs accounted for 75% of motor insurance premiums over the last 10 years; and the primary component of claims costs is compensation payments (the other is legal fees). So clearly any initiative to reduce insurance premiums must address compensation payments.

In terms of reform, the focus is on the minor, fully-recovered soft tissue injuries that account for over 80% of personal injury claims in Ireland.  According to the landmark reports of the Personal Injuries Commission, these are 4.4 times higher than in England and Wales, which are outliers for the rest of Europe, where even less is paid.

One example to illustrate this would be a person who suffers a bruised thumb due to the negligence of someone else. No ligament damage, no broken bone, just bruising. So they take 2 paracetamol and after a few days of swelling and discomfort, they’re fine again. If they choose to sue and just take their case to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, the first port of call for all negligence claims, they are in the frame for up to €21,200.

Damages are intended to provide restitution – to restore the injured person to his or her pre-accident state (in so far as money can do). But general damages at that level go much further and act as a punishment for defendants and a reward being injured. As they currently stand, they bring the entire system of compensation for negligence cases into disrepute and need to be re-balanced in a way that is fair, just, reasonable and proportionate as outlined by Court of Appeal judgements and the principles established by the higher courts in recent years.

For ‘constitutional reasons’ the last Government’s chosen route for sorting this issue is via the newly-established Judicial Council, a council of all the judges in Ireland, which  in turn is set to establish a Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee (PIGC) which is scheduled to produce a set of draft personal injury guidelines this November.

We do have concerns that this process will merely implement small-scale reductions and give the impression that the issue has been addressed; whereas nothing short of a very substantial reductions in the rewards for minor injuries is necessary in order to sort this problem. But we trust that the PIGC will take account of the common good and the impact damages are having on Irish society in their deliberations.

Finally, it should be noted that the Alliance’s issue is with general damages for minor injuries. We have no issue whatsoever with special damages that compensate for loss of earnings or medical costs.

NOTE: If you want references for any of the data we have used in this blog, please contact us at contact@insurancereform.ie.  Get Insurance Reform Posters here.

Posters are available in A3 and A2 at the CBA office, 5 South Mall, if you want to put them up. There is a PDF version available on request.

The Alliance for Insurance Reform has welcomed the publication by ISME of a 'Fair Book of Quantum' which explores what general damages might look like following the review currently being carried out by the Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee (PIGC) of the Judicial Council.

Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance said “We welcome this publication by ISME as a way of prompting reasoned debate on this critical issue.  Insurance premiums in Ireland are too high. They are costing jobs, closing SMEs, damaging charities, sport and cultural organisations and community groups; they are shrinking Irish society.

“According to the Central Bank, the cost of claims accounted for 75% of motor insurance premiums over the last 10 years. So clearly any initiative to reduce insurance premiums must address the cost of claims among other things. The primary element of claims is compensation payments and according to the landmark reports of the Personal Injuries Commission, these are 4.4 times higher than in England and Wales for the minor soft-tissue injuries that account for over 80% of personal injury claims in Ireland.

“As it stands, not only do general damages for minor injuries act as a punishment for defendants in negligence cases but they reward being injured. As they currently stand, they bring the entire system of compensation for negligence cases into disrepute and need to be re-balanced in a way that is fair, just, reasonable and proportionate as outlined by Court of Appeal judgements and the principles established by the higher courts in recent years.

“We have a serious concern that the current review process will merely implement small-scale reductions and give the impression that the issue has been addressed whereas nothing short of a very substantial reductions in the rewards for minor injuries is necessary in order to address this issue.

“Finally, it should be noted that the Alliance’s issue is with general damages for minor injuries. We have no issue whatsoever with special damages that compensate for loss of earnings or medical costs. The specific reform we have asked political parties to endorse in the general election campaign is:

1. Reduce unfair general damages to reflect international norms and the principles already established by the higher courts - including that ‘minor injuries attract modest damages’

The other three reforms we urgently need are:

2. Review and re-balance the ‘common duty of care’ to require occupiers to take a duty of care that is reasonable, practical and proportionate
3. Support a fully-resourced Garda Insurance Fraud Unit
4. Insist on insurers committing to a schedule of forecast reductions for planned reforms”

contact@insurancereform.ie

Some of the finest Chefs of Cork are joining forces to create a culinary feast on the night of the Cork Business Association President’s Dinner, which will be held on February 22nd in Cork’s Vienna Woods Hotel. The President’s Dinner will be the host of the prestigious Cork Business Association Awards which are still taking entries! 

The President's Dinner will be a Culinary Experience!

The Cork Business Association has gathered some of Cork’s best chefs to create a fabulous dinner that will offer Cork foodies an exceptional culinary experience. We are moving away from over complicating dishes and towards daring and delicate combinations of high quality  ingredients. The Chefs of Cork will present dishes that not only showcase their creativity but also use the best local produce that can be found in and around Cork. 

Cork has always been known for its foodie accolades, especially most recently, having been listed in Eater.com’s top 19 places in the world to travel to for its culinary delights. Cork’s chefs across the Rebel County are ensuring that Cork is a food lovers heaven. New restaurants and cafés are popping up all over town; with new international flavours and different diets no longer being a problem but a celebration of diversity and an opportunity to show that everything is possible when it comes to good food.

Who's involved?

The Chefs of Cork are Martin O’Mahony of Cork International Hotel, Stuart Dardis of The Metropole Hotel, Trevor O’Keeffe of Cork Airport Hotel, Niall Mooney of the Maldron Hotel, South Mall, Peter Hennessy of Carrigaline Court Hotel, Fern Allen of Ballymaloe House and Adrian Hillgrove of Corks Vienna Woods Hotel.

This black-tie /gala event will bring Cork City’s highest echelons of business together and present the Business of the Year Awards in thirteen different categories ranging from Corks Best Pub, to Cork Best Professional Services and many more. The main sponsors of the night are AIB, JCB and Irish Examiner. Entries are still open so give yourself the 2020 start your business deserves and enter!

Buy tickets online!

Tickets for the night are available online on  www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com or contact info@corkbusiness.ie. Entries for the awards can be accepted through the website www.corkbusiness.ie

The Cork Business Association is delighted to that many of Cork City's retailers will now provide one hour of Sensory Shopping every week. This will be the first hour of trade on Sundays.

A Sensory Shopping Friendly Environment means that the stores involved will not play music, the lights will be safely dimmed, no tills are ringing and shelves will not be packed during this hour. 

Participating Shops

Debenhams, Brown Thomas, Merchants Quay Shopping Centre, Penneys, Vibes & Scribes, Fitzgeralds Menswear, Casey’s Furniture, Diana O'Mahony Jewellers. Participating stores on Opera Lane are H&M, Topshop, Skechers and SpecSavers. Marks & Spencer, who has led the way in providing a Sensory Shopping Friendly Hour will now be joined by these and we hope many more businesses in the coming weeks.

Commenting Lawrence Owens Chief Executive of the Cork Business Association said:
“We are delighted to support this practical and worthwhile initiative. The response from businesses has been really positive and our objective is to grow and expand the provision of Sensory Shopping Friendly throughout the city."

Commenting Ray O'Callaghan, General Manager of Marks & Spencer’s said:
“This has become a very important hour for some of our customers. Some of them never shop anywhere else but here, during the Sensory Shopping Friendly Hour. This is the right thing to do.”

 

Not only for people with autism

Many people are sensory sensitive such as those with Autism, Alzheimer’s, Down Syndrome. But a Sensory Friendly Shopping Environment can also be very pleasant for the elderly or those who suffer from mental health issues and many more.

The Cork Business Association believes this is a great step towards making Cork City more family-friendly and more inclusive. It extends the Customer Service Charter. Because now not only do we strive to provide the best customer service, but also a more pleasant shopping experience for all people who visit and shop in Cork.