A CITY civic leader wants a task force or forum set up to beef-up Limerick as a brand name. The initiative has come from the new President of Limerick Chamber Harry Fehily, who, as one of his priorities, wants to bring together local agencies such as Shannon Development, the University of Limerick, the Atlantic Way, Limerick City and County Councils, Foynes Port Company, the Shannon Airport Authority, Limerick’s Regeneration agencies and the new Denis Brosnan-headed Government Task Force set up after the Dell job loss announcements.
A managing partner with law firm Holmes O’Malley Sexton, he contends that all these agencies are at present operating individually.
He declared: “The new task force or forum will establish a platform where the leaders of these individual groups can advance common trends which they all subscribe to.
“We need to speak with one powerful voice and not be diluted by issues with separate agendas. The one overall message from the region is unity and strength” .
The Chamber president said he is committed to the Mid-West as a business region, adding: “I believe in the Mid-West”.
The Limerick Co-ordination office pointed out to the Post that a campaign to get all Limerick businesses and stake holders to use the Riverside City brand on all correspondences was launched by the Mayor of Limerick Cllr. Ger Fahy, in October 2007.
Speaking specifically in a Limerick city context, the co-ordination office said any attempt to further strengthen and improve Limerick as a brand is welcomed.
The communications executive of the co-ordination office Laura Ryan pointed out that when the Riverside City brand was launched “the idea was that the city would be businesslike and realistic about the brand ‘Limerick’, all parties and bodies would own it, promote it and roll it out”.
She has been encouraging business people in the city to use the Riverside City brand on their stationery, logos etc. “so far quite a few have” she said.
A spokesman for Shannon Development told the Post that the semi-State agency has been selling the brand name ‘Shannon Region’ for many years now at home and abroad and is very conscious of the need for good strong branding.
“We were instrumental in initiating the Riverside City brand and would be supportive of any initiatives the president of the Chamber of Commerce would come up with on new branding ideas for the region,” he concluded.
