As the newly elected President of NDCC, Ellen Drumm welcomed the packed audience to the first event of the year and said that there was an exciting calendar of business events planned for the months ahead. She introduced Dara Turnbull, Senior Economist with AIB, who has worked in AIB’s Economic Research Unit for the past 4 years.

Ellen said that looking at what has happened over the past few weeks in terms of impacting the economy, there definitely have been no slow news days so far in 2017 with:-

• Theresa May outlining her plan for Brexit
• Donal Trumps inauguration as President of the USA
• Theresa Mays speech to the Movers and Shakers at the Davos Summit
• The Resignation of Martin McGuinness
• The Dissolution of the Northern Irish Parliament
• The Appointment of Michelle O’Neill as Leader of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland
• The Supreme Court decision defying the British Government and empowering parliament to vote on triggering Article 50… but excluding the Scottish and Northern Irish Parliaments
• Trump signing Executive Orders daily –
• withdrawing the US from Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and from signing any deals
• building the wall at the Mexican Border
• deporting immigrants with criminal records
• putting restrictions on Asylum Seekers entry into the US
• And then some lucky syndicate from the Rebel County wins €88 million in the Euro Millions.

She said that with such uncertainty and flux we were all very interested in hearing Dara’s views on recent events.  She welcomed any advice he could give on how we as businesses in Ireland can protect ourselves but also be readily prepared to grasp opportunities that will come our way as all change also brings lots of opportunity.