75 jobs created in Belfast Customer Service Centre by leisure operator GLL

(L-R) GLL Regional Director Gareth Kirk, Belfast City Council Chief Executive John Walsh, Customer Service Centre Manager at GLL Martine Gibson and Councillor Gareth Spratt, Deputy Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee.

The social enterprise behind Belfast’s Better leisure centres has created over 70 jobs in the city through the establishment of a UK wide Customer Service Centre in Belfast.

GLL, which operates 16 leisure centres in Belfast and over 250 centres and gyms across the UK, opened its state-of-the-art customer service hub at Lanyon View in Belfast in September 2021, creating an initial 55 roles for the city.

Now one year after completion, the Better UK Customer Service Centre has handled over 400,000 (417,996) customer queries, over 93% of which were solved at the time of initial customer contact.

The centre currently employs 53 Customer Service Advisors, six Team Leaders and one Customer Service Centre Manager. Alongside these roles, all of which are new for Northern Ireland, recruitment for an additional 15 Customer Service Advisors is underway.

In total, the roles are delivering over £1.9 million in annual salaries to the economy.

GLL, which employs over 600 people locally, attributes this additional investment in Belfast to Northern Ireland’s rich talent pool and strong performance in the call centre industry.

The new venture complements the ongoing Leisure Transformation Programme in Belfast, a £105 million investment by Belfast City Council to get more people, more active, more often. This programme has delivered five new state-of-the-art centres to date and will see doors open at the redeveloped Templemore Baths next year.

Ryan Rafferty, Team Leader at the new Better UK Customer Service Centre in Belfast pictured with Customer Service Advisor Lily Gillespie. 

A social enterprise that reinvests all profits in the communities it operates, GLL has delivered over 17 Leisure Employment Academies in partnership with Belfast City Council since its establishment here in 2015, giving 200 individuals in the city access to fully funded training programmes and job opportunities in the leisure sector.

At the Customer Service Centre, the growing team has collectively talked on the phone with customers for over 19,000 hours and resolved over 65,000 email enquiries.

More information on the career opportunities currently available with GLL in Belfast can be found here: LINK.

Gareth Kirk, Regional Director at GLL, said:

“It is fantastic to be celebrating one-year of our Customer Service Centre with such good news for Belfast. We know that our leisure centres and services can only be as good as the people we employ, and we are immensely proud of what the new Customer Service Centre team has achieved in their first year. This success is testament to the skilled workforce we have in Northern Ireland, and we are thrilled to be offering 26 more job opportunities as the centre expands. This is an exciting time for GLL in Belfast and marks a significant step forward in our ambitions to deliver first-class leisure services for the people of Northern Ireland.”

Martine Gibson, Customer Service Centre Manager at GLL, said:

“The establishment and delivery of our busy Customer Service Centre operation has been an exciting journey for us. Our Customer Service Advisors are required to deliver an excellent level of service to every customer and have dealt with hundreds of thousands of queries from across the UK. This includes supporting our customers from the initial membership stage through to helping them with bookings for lessons and courses.  We work closely with GLL centre teams locally and across England and Wales. Every day, we receive positive feedback from our internal and external customers, and I am proud of each and every member of our team.”

Councillor Gareth Spratt, Deputy Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, said:

“Belfast is a talented, competitive and connected city, so the original decision by GLL to base its UK customer service centre here reflects our growing reputation as an attractive place to locate. I’m delighted to hear that the centre is going from strength-to-strength, with its first anniversary being marked by the creation of a further 15 jobs, adding to the 60 jobs already filled since the centre first opened.”

“Creating jobs and growing the economy are two of the main priorities within the Belfast Agenda, the city’s community plan and key strategic document, so this investment will contribute to our wider ambitions for the city. I would like to congratulate the GLL team on their achievements to-date and wish them every success in the future.”

An Taoiseach addresses Cross Border Conference

(L-R) Dr Anthony Soares, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies; An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin and Peter Osborne, Chair of the Centre for Cross Border Studies.

The prestigious Centre for Cross Border Studies held their Annual Conference yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk.

With Foyle Port as its headline sponsor, the Conference focused on Commitment, Resilience and Perseverance: New challenges and approaches to cross-border cooperation, mobility, and relations, bringing together government officials, policy experts and leaders of civic society and academia.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin made a keynote address to attendees on his Government’s commitment to work with all communities on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

The British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, and Bernadette McAliskey also addressed the conference.

Other speakers included:

  • Director of the Office of the First Minister of Wales, Desmond Clifford

  • Alliance Party member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Sorcha Eastwood MLA

  • Ulster Unionist Party Policy Officer, Lauren Kerr

  • Director of Public Policy at The Wheel, Ivan Cooper

  • Assistant General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Owen Reidy

  • Partner at Flint Global, Sam Lowe

  • Vice President and Registrar at Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dr Sheila Flanagan

  • Executive Dean at Dublin City University Institute of Education, Professor Anne Looney

  • Research Fellow at Queens University Belfast, Dr Lisa Claire Whitten

  • President of the EU-UK Follow-up Committee of the EESC, Jack O’Connor

A business breakfast and three panels focused on cooperation, mobility and relations took place with a gala dinner last night that had Brian Rowan (author and former BBC correspondent) as a guest speaker. A technical workshop focused on practical issues affecting cross-border and all-island organisations took place this morning.

Bonnie Anley, Chair of Foyle Port; An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin and Brian McGrath, Chief Executive of Foyle Port.

Brian McGrath, Chief Executive, Foyle Port said:

“Foyle Port was proud to be supporting this year’s Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference, at a particularly crucial time for relations across these islands as we address the major fiscal and economic challenges ahead.

“As a major institution which thrives on all-island prosperity and a strong cross-border economy, Foyle Port has a strategic interest in maximising our strategic location to support regional economic growth.”

Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, Dr Anthony Soares said:

“Yesterday was the pinnacle moment of the Centre for Cross Border Studies’ calendar. Our conference is an opportunity for policymakers and decision-makers to discuss ideas and address pertinent issues on the island of Ireland, the UK and the EU.

“As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement our hope is that yesterday will serve as a starting point for the restoration of mutual dialogue, based on the ethos of the Agreement, to solve the problems surrounding the current political crises in our institutions.

“The Centre encourages anyone interested in taking part in this conversation to work with us to gain a deeper understanding of our rooted interdependence and need for co-operation on a variety of fronts.”

Washington Ireland Program appoints new Executive Director

The Washington Ireland Program (WIP) has appointed Nicola Skelly as its new Executive Director.

Ms Skelly, who takes up the post with the Washington Ireland Program in November, has twenty years’ senior experience in higher level education, heading up the Vice-Chancellor’s office at Queen’s University Belfast, and holding a previous position as Head of the University's Research Policy and Postgraduate Office.

An advisor to five Vice-Chancellors at Queen’s University, Nicola has provided integral support on complex and sensitive issues, and has worked closely with global figures such as Hillary Rodham Clinton, whilst leading the development and implementation of the work of the Queen’s University Executive Board.

For almost three decades, the Washington Ireland Program (WIP) has played an important role in post-conflict Northern Ireland and Ireland by bringing together leaders from a wide range of communities and backgrounds for outstanding leadership and skills-development programs. WIP’s aim is to support, inspire and develop leaders who are committed to building a future of peace and prosperity for Northern Ireland and Ireland. 

Speaking on the appointment of Nicola Skelly as the new Executive Director, Susan Hoffman, Chair of the Washington Ireland Program, said:

“We are thrilled to have Nicola join us as our new Executive Director. She embodies the WIP core values of service and leadership and brings years of senior experience and an outstanding track record.”

“We are hugely impressed by Nicola’s passion and commitment to leadership and education and look forward to her leading the organisation.”

Paying tribute to outgoing Executive Director, Bryan Patten, she added:

“We pay huge tribute to outgoing Executive Director, Bryan Patten who has been central to the development of the Washington Ireland Program for over a decade.”

“At the heart of the program are a group of people who provide significant support - the host families, the work placement hosts, funders, and Board members on both sides of the Atlantic. I know that they will join in chorus with me in expressing our gratitude for the role Bryan has played.”

New Executive Director of the Washington Ireland Program, Nicola Skelly commented:

“I am pleased to be appointed as the Washington Ireland Program’s new Executive Director. The organisation is one which I have admired for many years as it plays such a vital role in nurturing emerging leaders.”

“WIP’s 800-plus Alums have consistently delivered on their early promise and now include successful business leaders, political decision makers, and shapers of civic society.  We need to continue to support and develop leaders with integrity, humility, empathy, and respect to keep addressing the challenges facing Northern Ireland and Ireland.  I am proud to continue the great work of the Washington Ireland Program.”

Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead – Ireland Wednesday 28 September

Forward Look                                

  • A total of €11 billion in public expenditure announcements for 2023 were unveiled in the Budget yesterday. A temporary Business Energy Support Scheme will be introduced.

  • From Friday 30 September to Saturday 1 October, the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis will take place at the RDS, Dublin. For more information, click HERE.

  • On Friday 30 September, the Seanad Public Consultation Committee will continue its inquiry into the constitutional future of Ireland.

  • Enterprise Minister Leo Varadkar TD has said he will increase his department’s staffing to support the expansion of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and InterTrade Ireland. An Enterprise Policy White Paper will be published before December.

  • Tomorrow, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD will address the Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk.

  • On Friday 30 September, the latest eurozone inflation figures will be published.

  • On Friday 30 September, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan TD will meet with EU counterparts to discuss European Commission proposals to limit electricity use and cap windfall profits for energy companies.

  • On Friday 30 September, the EU’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager will deliver a keynote address to Ibec, Dublin on business digitalisation.

  • On Saturday 1 October, the Ireland’s Future conference will take place at the 3Arena, Dublin. Speakers include Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD and Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD.

  • On Monday 3 October, Dublin City Council’s monthly meeting will take place.

  • On Thursday 6 October, the Central Statistics Office will publish the latest service sector data for July and August.

  • Imelda Hurley, Chief Executive of Coillte, Ireland’s state forestry company, has been appointed President of Ibec.

Other Stories this week

  • On Tuesday, Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath TD published the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill. For more information, click HERE.

  • The Irish Government’s shareholding of Bank of Ireland has now reduced to zero, returning the bank to full public ownership.

  • Eurozone economic growth is expected to slow from 3.1% this year to 0.3% in 2023, according to the OECD’s economic outlook.

  • Minister for Culture, Media and Sport Catherine Martin TD has said the Online Safety Commissioner is expected to require an annual budget of €407 million, according to worst-case scenario projections.

  • Deloitte has warned that up to 800 business insolvencies could be recorded this year alone.

Upcoming key political and business events

  • 29 – 30 September, Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference.

  • 30 September – 1 October, Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

  • 1 October, Ireland’s Future.

  • 6 October, Construction Industry Federation Annual Conference.

  • 11 – 12 October, Hospitality Expo 2022.

  • 20 October, Dublin Chamber Annual Dinner.

  • 22 October, Fianna Fáil Taoiseach’s Dinner.

Consultations

Tax team grows at Belfast accountancy and advisory firm Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

Tax Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Julie Hamilton pictured with Head of Tax Angela Keery and Tax Technician Lauren Patience

Leading Belfast accountancy and advisory practice Baker Tilly Mooney Moore has welcomed two new tax professionals to its growing team.

Julie Hamilton joins the firm as Tax Manager, while Lauren Patience takes on the role of Tax Technician.

With over 15 years’ experience, Julie joins with a background in mid-tier and Big 4 practices. She specialises in personal tax and will develop the company’s service in this area, particularly tax planning for high-net-worth individuals, sole traders, partnerships, and shareholders.

A qualified Chartered Tax Adviser, Julie also advises on cross border issues, capital gains tax and inheritance tax.

Lauren is a qualified Accounts and Tax Technician with experience in personal tax, corporate tax, and VAT compliance. Also a tax planning adviser for individuals and business, she joins the firm from a mid-tier practice.

The appointments come amid a period of sustained growth for the tax team and right across the firm which specialises in Audit & Assurance, Business Services, Consulting, Taxation and Restructuring & Insolvency.

Joining the team, new Tax Manager at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Julie Hamilton said:

“Today’s economic climate makes tax planning all the more critical as businesses and individuals face unprecedented financial challenges. They need reliable and informed advice now more than ever, and I am thrilled to continue this work as part of the dynamic Tax Department at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore. Looking ahead, I look forward to supporting the further growth of the firm.”

Tax Technician Lauren Patience said:

“I am delighted to join the team at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore where I know I will have the opportunity to build on my experience and specialist areas. We are looking ahead to a busy few months within the company and I am excited to get my work underway. As external factors continue to change and evolve, we as tax advisers will continue to stay ahead of the developments that impact our clients.”

Head of Tax at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Angela Keery added:

“I am thrilled to welcome Julie and Lauren to the Tax Department. Both join the team with significant experience, and I can already see their impact on our work as a practice. It is certainly a busy time, yet if we are to support individuals and businesses through it, we need talented consultants within our team. Julie and Lauren are two excellent additions and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

'Green leases key to tackling the climate crisis' writes Hannah Boyd, Senior Associate, Eversheds Sutherland

As originally appeared in the Irish News, Tuesday 27 September

As businesses and corporations explore ways in which they can do their part to tackle the climate crisis, the role of commercial real estate cannot be understated. It’s estimated that a whopping 40% of global annual CO2 emissions come from real estate. While green considerations are more and more coming into focus during the construction and design of new buildings, it is also vital that existing properties implement long-term sustainable mechanisms to meet their climate obligations.

One way of achieving this is through green leases. These are leases of commercial premises which seek to incorporate clauses that push the landlord and tenant to be more environmentally responsible. This is not limited to reducing emissions and energy consumption. It also takes in issues like water management, waste management, use of sustainable materials, and green transport. And with investors, both private and public, increasingly keen to see strong ESG commitments from corporations, green leases may be an easy way to meet your own green targets.

Recent years have seen significant regeneration in Northern Ireland. In Belfast alone, there is the redevelopment of City Quays, the anticipated development of Translink’s Weaver’s Cross, as well as the former Sirocco site. With this ongoing regeneration and in the midst of the enduring climate emergency, the inclusion of green provisions in leases is becoming more commonplace in the Northern Ireland market.

In the legal space, we are certainly seeing it in negotiations, particularly where the tenant is a premium occupier and the landlord is a key landowner. However, unlike in England, Wales, and Scotland, the EPC regulations in Northern Ireland currently do not require a commercial premises to have minimum EPC rating of E before it can be let. The position, however, will inevitably catch up with that of the rest of the UK and we’re likely to see such a requirement down the line.

The age-old battle of service charge exclusions surrounding redevelopment and more recently “environmental performance” is also ongoing but there is ever increasing pressure on both parties to share the responsibility of improving the energy efficiency of commercial premises.

However, given the wealth of local talent in Northern Ireland, as well as the lower running and set up costs than the rest of the UK, there is no doubt it will continue to attract the type of occupiers who will be pushing green leases as part of their own ESG agendas.  That, coupled with anticipated changes in the EPC regulations to introduce a minimum rating, will see key landowners push green provisions as part of their commercial leasing agenda to ensure the sharing of cost.

It's likely that green leases will become increasingly popular as the onus on businesses of all sizes to help meet national net-zero targets becomes more prominent. Large retailers across the UK are already taking a proactive lead by implementing green leases across their property portfolios. Getting out ahead of the pack now can give your business a lead in the market, both in helping to tackle the climate crisis but also to highlight your commitments to ESG and green obligations.

Irish Budget 2023 - Brown O’Connor Communications Forward Look Special

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe TD has unveiled the Budget to the Dáil, setting out planned public expenditure and tax changes for 2023. Representing one of the largest non-Covid budgets worth €11 billion, new spending for 2023 will be accompanied by €4.1 billion in one-off cost of living measures. 

  • A Business Energy Support Scheme (BESS) will be introduced. Business will be able to reclaim 40% of their electricity bills where costs are 50% higher than last year.

  • The Irish Government will support forthcoming EU proposals on a windfall tax on international energy companies.

  • The top income tax rate of 40% will now only be paid on income above €40,000.

  • The temporary reduction in VAT on the supply of gas and electricity from 13.5% to 9% has been extended to 28 February 2023.

  • The Help-to-Buy scheme has been extended until 31 December 2024.

  • A rental tax credit of €500 will be available to each tenant.

  • The 9% VAT rate for tourism and hospitality will expire on 28 February 2023.

  • The cost of special exemption orders, required by venues to open late, has been halved from from €110 to €55.

  • A contribution of €2 billion has been made to the national reserve fund to assist with future economic downturn. An additional €4 billion will be paid in 2023.

  • VAT on Irish newspapers has been reduced from 9% to zero, taking effect from 1 January 2023.

  • Inflation is expected to reach 7% next year, according to forecasts.

New HR Director appointed at fscom

New HR Director at fscom Jill Michael pictured with Managing Director Jamie Cooke.

FSCom Limited (fscom), a leading specialist consulting firm providing governance, risk and compliance solutions to financial services institutions in the UK and Ireland, has today announced the appointment of Jill Michael as HR Director.

 Jill will take on the responsibility for the strategic leadership of People and Talent at the award-winning consultancy, further building on its reputation as the leading subject matter experts in their field.

She is passionate about diversity and inclusion and is part of the independent assessor panel for the Diversity Mark in Northern Ireland and Winner of the Women in Business ‘Advancing Diversity in the Workplace Award’.

A senior HR professional, Jill was previously Head of Talent within a leading law firm and brings almost two decades of HR experience to the role.

New HR Director Jill Michael said:

“I’m delighted to be joining fscom, a forward-thinking company which already has some of the best people in the sector working across a number of practice areas. I’m looking forward to developing a HR approach that embeds people, diversity and inclusion at its core and underpins the firm’s wider business strategy and objectives.”

Managing Director at fscom Jamie Cooke said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Jill to her new role as HR Director. We’re a people centric business and our biggest asset is our team, so we’re really looking forward with the guidance and support of Jill to further investing in our current and future colleagues at fscom.”

Foyle Port backing major cross-border conference

Foyle Port CEO, Brian McGrath.

Foyle Port has been announced as the lead sponsor of a major cross-border conference which An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD will address later this month.

The Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference will take place on 29 and 30 September at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk and focus on Commitment, Resilience and Perseverance: New challenges and approaches to cross-border cooperation, mobility, and relations, exploring important issues in cross-border cooperation across two days, bringing together government officials, policy experts and leaders in academia and civic society.  

The Taoiseach will deliver a keynote speech on 29 September focused on the Government’s commitment to work with all communities on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

The British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, and civil rights activist Bernadette McAliskey will also address the conference.

Foyle Port is the marine gateway to the North West of Ireland, located at Lisahally terminal in the city. Established as the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners in 1854, the Port now handles approximately two million tonnes of cargo per annum at an estimated value of £1bn. Supporting over 1000 direct and indirect jobs, the Port facilitates crucial imports of essential agri-products, supporting approximately 20,000 farms, and has ambitious plans to expand into new and emerging areas like data, renewable energy, and decarbonisation.

Brian McGrath, Chief Executive, Foyle Port said:

“Foyle Port is proud to be supporting this year’s Centre for Cross Border Studies’ Annual Conference, at a particularly crucial time for relations across these islands. Both North-South and East-West relations are under strain due to common issues like the lack of an Executive, uncertainty over the NI Protocol, and major fiscal and economic challenges.

“As a major institution which thrives on all-island prosperity and a strong cross-border economy, Foyle Port has a strategic interest in good relations across our island and further afield. Significant events like this conference are crucial in fostering good relations, building on existing networks, and delivering the investment and prosperity which will be vital in levelling up our economy, society, and communities.”

Dr Anthony Soares, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, added:

“A cornerstone of our political and social engagement is our Annual Conference that brings together influential individuals to discuss the need for cooperation based on mutual understanding. We are, therefore, thrilled to have the backing of Foyle Port as our lead sponsor.

“Foyle Port is a leading cross-border organisation which is deeply ingrained in the North West of our island. They provide a vital service for our businesses, workers, and households and maintain strong and positive relations with policy makers and key influencers across these islands. With relationships strained like never before, and with the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on the horizon, it has never been as important to renew relationships with a sense of energy and focus for all of our people. Foyle Port sets the exemplar for cooperation and relationship building across the island of Ireland.”

For more information, please visit https://crossborder.ie/conferences/ccbs-23rd-annual-conference/

Irish Budget 2023

Budget 2023 has been brought forward by several weeks this year due to the cost-of-living crisis and will be unveiled to the Dáil on 27 September by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Michael McGrath. The current backdrop, as well as inflation levels not seen since the 1970’s, will make it a cost-of-living focused budget.

The Government will have to take a targeted approach with their one-off cost-of-living package, to avoid further inflationary pressure. The package is estimated to be between €2bn and €3bn and will help households through top-ups to welfare payments and further energy credits.

Businesses will be helped through the package with measures that mirror the Government’s pandemic response, according to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. Low-cost loans, grants, and flat payments or energy discounts are all options said to be explored by the Department of Finance. Extensions of both the excise cuts on fuels and VAT reductions on electricity are widely reported to also be included in the package.

The special 9% VAT rate on the tourism and hospitality sectors from the pandemic will likely be retained and the advice of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) to widen income tax brackets seems to be the preferred option of the Government. Ministers will not reduce Ireland’s dependence on corporation tax from multi-nationals, as advised by the IFAC. Instead, the Department of Finance suggests allocating a portion of the revenue to the ‘Rainy-Day Fund’ to hedge the dependence.

The spiralling energy prices are driving inflation in Ireland, like elsewhere. Therefore, the Government is likely to introduce structural changes to the energy market aimed at reducing the State’s reliance on imported energy to alleviate this issue in the future. The Government has already been granted emergency permission to build a new powerplant in Dublin.

The Irish exchequer’s healthy coffers, thanks to record levels of employment and tax receipts, give it room to manoeuvre. However, the cost-of-living crisis and the forecasts of an impending recession will make it a contentious Budget. The Opposition, industry groups and unions have already made their disagreements with several proposals known, with Sinn Féin’s alternative budget calling for a ‘sea change’ in how the Government approves public housing projects as well as pledging over €1bn for the health system and 100% redress for mica-affected homeowners.

Outside of the cost-of-living responses, other funding commitments may include the Government’s flagship National Development Programme, the Shared Island Fund, climate obligations, and further funding for housing.