2025 Annual Conference

The All-Island Labour Market: Challenges and Opportunities

Our 2025 Annual Conference will take place on Thursday 18 September in Ballymascanlon Hotel and Golf Resort, Dundalk.

Focusing on the theme of the All-Island Labour Market, this year’s conference will include keynote speakers and panel discussions exploring cross-border challenges and solutions from the perspectives of employers, employees, and business representative organisations.

The conference will bring together policymakers, government representatives, industry experts, senior business representatives, academics, and key stakeholders to discuss cross-border cooperation and explore actionable pathways forward.

We are delighted to have the support of Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor, InterTradeIreland, Ibec, Queen’s University Belfast and Dublin City University as event sponsors. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are listed below.

Early Bird Tickets

Early Bird Conference Tickets are available until Monday 18 August or until the allocation sells out, whichever comes first:

Early Bird Conference Ticket – £70.00

Early Bird Conference, Reception and Dinner Ticket – £95.00

Please click on the ‘Register’ button (on the right of the screen)

Draft Conference Programme

Opening welcome – Peter Osborne, Chairperson, CCBC

Welcome from Co-Headline Sponsor – DBEC

Panel One – Employer perspectives and considerations

• Chaired by Dr Rory O’Sullivan – Dublin City University
• Kathleen O’Hare – Northern Ireland Skills Council
• Rose Tierney – Chartered Accountant in Ireland and UK, and a Chartered Tax Adviser
• Paddy Hannigan – Atlantic Technological University
• Fergal O’Brien – Ibec 

Keynote speaker – To be announced

Panel Two – Employee perspectives and considerations

• Chaired by Caitriona Mullan, Senior Research Associate, CCBC
• Manus Reid – North Connaught & Ulster Citizens’ Information Service
• Owen Reidy – Irish Congress of Trade Unions
• To be announced

Keynote speaker – Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy

Panel Three – Business support organisations and strategic stakeholders

• Chaired by Maureen O’Reilly, Senior Research Associate, CCBC
• Christine Kelly – IDA Ireland
• Enterprise Ireland – speaker to be announced
• Invest NI – speaker to be announced
• InterTradeIreland – speaker to be announced

Exploring Actionable Pathways Forwards – Colin McCabrey, Director of Trade, InterTradeIreland

Conference close – Anthony Soares, Director, CCBC

***

Drinks reception and conference dinner with guest speaker @BorderIrish 

Sponsorship Opportunities

To discuss these sponsorship opportunities and how we might tailor them to your specific needs, please contact the CCBC team by email: conference@crossborder.ie

Co-Headline Sponsorship

£5,000 as Co-Headline Conference Sponsor (2 in total) – ONE CONFIRMED, ONE AVAILABLE

• Branding on the invitation, the conference webpage, and CCBC staff email signature
• Advertorial included in the event programme and one full-page advertorial in the Journal for Cross Border Studies in Ireland
• Designated promotional space in the conference room
• Promotional video displayed at intervals during the conference
• Two tickets to the conference and dinner, and overnight accommodation on 18 September
• Branding on social media posts before, during and after the conference
• Opportunity to make Welcoming Comments

(Conference 2022)

Panel Sponsor

£2,000 (3 in total) – ONE CONFIRMED, TWO AVAILABLE

• Branding on the conference webpage, programme and during the panel discussion
• Designated promotional space at the conference reception
• Promotional video displayed before the relevant session at the conference
• Two tickets to the conference and dinner
• Branding on social media posts before, during and after the conference

(Conference 2023)

Closing Sponsor

SOLD OUT – ONE CONFIRMED

Networking Spaces Sponsor

£500 (2 available)

• Branding on the conference webpage and programme
• Designated promotional space in the dining room and at the conference reception
• One ticket to the conference and dinner
• Branding on social media posts

(Conference 2024)

Breakfast and morning refreshments Sponsor

£1,000 (1 available)

There is a dedicated room for dining and networking, and sponsor branding and PR materials would feature prominently in that space.

• Branding on the conference webpage and programme
• Designated promotional space in the dining room and at the conference reception
• One ticket to the conference and dinner
• Branding on social media posts

Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments (morning and afternoon) Sponsor

£2,000 (1 available)

There is a dedicated room for dining and networking, and sponsor branding and PR materials would feature prominently in that space.

• Branding on the conference webpage and programme
• Designated promotional space in the dining room and at the conference reception
• One ticket to the conference and dinner
• Branding on social media posts

Dinner Sponsor

SOLD OUT – TWO CONFIRMED

• Branding included on the conference webpage, programme and menu
• Designated promotional space in the dining room
• One ticket to the conference dinner
• Branding on social media posts before, during and after the conference

(Conference 2024)