US multinationals in West region plan to increase jobs

A GALWAY based charity has been honoured with the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland (AmCham) Cairdeas Award.

The charity Hand in Hand provides free practical and emotional support services to families affected by childhood cancer throughout Ireland.

The West-North-West Region Cairdeas Award was presented at a conference hosted by AmCham on Thursday, September 10 at the Galway Bay Hotel. The event was attended by keynote speakers including Midlands-North-West MEP Maria Walsh and Barry Cowen.

At the conference, AmCham shared key findings from its Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Insights survey of members. The survey revealed that US multinationals in the West-North-West are confident about stability and growth with 50 per cent of them planning to increase employment in the next 12 months.

Respondents also highlighted that lack of infrastructure and higher trade tariffs are the greatest risks to FDIs in Ireland.

Launching AmCham’s new #WhyIreland #Why West-North-West factsheet, CEO Paul Sweetman highlighted the region's strengths, including its skilled workforce, growing technology and MedTech sectors, strong quality of life and ongoing infrastructure investment.

In County Galway, planned road projects, investment in wastewater infrastructure and the proposed expansion of Galway Port have been identified as key developments that could support future economic growth.

“The West-North-West has established itself as an important location for investment, innovation and growth, with a strong base of international businesses delivering significant economic impact and opportunity across the region,” said Paul Sweetman, AmCham CEO.

He also stressed that lack of housing, skills gaps and infrastructure needs must be addressed to ensure it remains competitive and continues to create jobs in the years ahead.

“We are also seeing cost competitiveness emerge as an increasingly significant challenge for businesses looking to expand,” he added.