Listowel Business and Community Alliance wants to send out good wishes to everyone in Listowel and North Kerry to stay safe in these unprecedented times.
We also want to recognise the incredible work being done by the frontline staff in both the public and private sector and all of those assisting essential works through their incredible volunteering throughout this crisis. At times like this it really does show what an amazing community we have here in Kerry, all working together.
The speed at which the Covid-19 crisis impacted business has been unprecedented and we know that has put tremendous pressure on you as you have grappled to balance the needs of your business, staff and the wider community. Trust yourself that you have made the right decisions, and that in reality nothing prepared any of us for the past number of weeks.
Notwithstanding the challenges we have yet to face, we have to trust that we are all in this together, and that only by working together as a united community, can we support each other. At Listowel Business and Community Alliance our goal has always been to represent and help grow Listowel through supporting business, community and the voluntary sector and to promote Listowel as a great place to live, visit and work.
Since the announcement of the lockdown in March, the Listowel Business and Community Alliance (LBCA) has operated on a voluntary basis. Colette O’Connor is managing the social media and answering email queries with input from the Alliance committee when needed. We appreciate your patience as we are attempting to answer all queries as soon as possible. Some of the work is listed below.
- LBCA has regularly sent out posts on COVID updates from the government and HSE, Kerry County Council and NEWKD initiatives to our list of businesses.
- LBCA has shared on Facebook and Instagram opening hours, click and deliver or other services for any businesses who have communicated with us. Can all businesses please contact us at info@listowelalliance.ie and we will continue to share these.
We are currently developing a section of the Listowel.ie website “Shop Listowel” which will serve as a directory for all businesses that are currently open. We strongly urge all businesses in Listowel to let us know their plans to open as we are putting these on social media, send an email to Colette at info@listowelalliance.ie with details of your business.
- The Listowel Municipal Manager, Joan McCarthy Retired In March 2020 and we want to pay tribute to Joan for the tireless work she carried out on behalf of the Listowel Municipal District. She was a great support to us here in the LBCA and we wish her best wishes on her retirement. The acting Listowel Municipal Manager is John Kennelly. At present Andrew Smith Listowel Municipal Officer has been temporarily redeployed during the Covid Pandemic.
- Our sister town, Los Gatos, California reached out to us during the pandemic to enquire about how the Listowel community was affected. Here is the note from Chris Diane Wiley as follows: ‘Our Chamber of commerce is planning the Mayor to have a Zoom or just a chat between your Mayor and ours so the folks of both Towns get a feeling of what we are both going thru these challenging times. While your cocooning and we are in a stay in place situation it should be a good chance to chat about are situations and the results of such. My guess writer’s week has been effected. Are there plans for the Listowel Races to run? How has it effected the Kerry factory? Etc. ‘
We want to thank Cathaoirleach Lios Tuathail Jimmy Moloney for attending these meetings and communicating our updates.
- We have worked with Branding expert Meave Queally of SomeStudio www.somestudio.ie to create some positive signage to encourage and support our businesses and community to assist all efforts to get shopping and living in Listowel back while complying with the government guidelines. Posters will be distributed and signs erected in the coming days
- We urge businesses to exercise caution when purchasing PPE gear as there are a number of non compliant products currently being sold around the county. All Outdoors.ie will supply to the Listowel area and their products meet the recommended guidelines.
- Seán McGillicuddy of McGillicuddy Toys has been in touch to raise awareness of the following Charity Fundraisher which he has been raising funds for through his family’s shop for a number of years, take a look at the link here to fund out more about White Flags for Hope Guteamala. Please do get in touch with Seán if you have any queries or wish to assist.
- Kerry Chambers including Listowel Business & Community Alliance which was represented by Colette met via Zoom last Friday May 15h, the meeting covered the following:
- – Return to Work Protocol: Supporting Businesses to reopen and what Key issues are being raised.
– One4All for the County: A Kerry Voucher Programme
– Chambers Funding, Staffing and Membership Levels: Sustaining Chambers in current climate
– Festivals and Events: Future Funding
– National Lobbying for Kerry:
GOVERNMENT UPDATES 1-5 listed below
- The stages of easing the lockdown are listed
Click the Link below
Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business
Roadmap’s five phases
The roadmap sets out Ireland’s plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions in five phases:
- 18 May (phase 1) – TODAY
- 8 June (phase 2)
- 29 June (phase 3)
- 20 July (phase 4)
- 10 August (phase 5)
- The Government on May 2nd 2020, announced a suite of measures to further support small, medium and larger business that are negatively impacted by COVID-19.Those measures are:
- A €10,000 restart grant for micro and small businesses based on a rates/waiver rebate from 2019;
- A three month commercial rates waiver for impacted businesses;
- A €2 billion Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund within the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), which will make capital available to medium and large enterprises on commercial terms;
- A €2 billion COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme to support lending to SMEs for terms ranging from 3 months to 6 years, which will be below market interest rates;
- The ‘warehousing’ of tax liabilities for a period of twelve months after recommencement of trading during which time there will be no debt enforcement action taken by Revenue and no interest charge accruing in respect of the warehoused debt;
- A commitment to local authorities to make up the rates shortfall, so that local authorities can continue provide full services to the public.
See https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/May/02052020.html .
- On May 7th, 2020 the Government launched a COVID-19: Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprises.
See https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/May/07052020.html .
- On May 9th 2020 THE National Return to Work Safety Protocol was launched.
See https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/May/09052020.html .
- On May 8th 2020, the government launched a €40 million COVID-19 support package for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises.
See below to find out what supports are available;
HELPLINE FOR KERRY BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY COVID-19 EMERGENCY
A new inter-agency group has been established in Kerry to provide support and advice to businesses during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The group is today launching a new business support helpline which will be available to anyone in the retail, tourism, manufacturing, constructions, services and other industries as a source of information and advice.
Led by Kerry County Council’s Economic Development Unit and Local Enterprise Office, the inter-agency group also includes representatives of Fáilte Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Kerry Education and Training Board, Udarás Na Gaeltachta and the local development companies, South Kerry Development Partnership, IRD Duhallow and North East and West Kerry Development.
The new helpline is now available on 1800 807 102 and will be available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
| COVID-19 COMMUNITY RESPONSE – NEW FREEPHONE LINE PHONE: 1800 807 009 TEXT ‘SUPPORT’ and your NAME to 50555 EMAIL: covidsupport@kerrycoco.ie COVID-19 Community Response General Information |
The Listowel Business and Community Alliance wants to support everyone in our town both businesses and the community at large. We understand that the lockdown has prevented many businesses from trading but we will continue to offer support.
We leave with you these fantastic images of some of our local frontline workers.
Thank you to John Kelliher for sharing the images with us.
Stay safe.
Rose Wall
Chairperson
Listowel Business & Community Alliance
