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During the current Covid-19 crisis, Garry Connolly, Founder & President of Host In Ireland interviews Cathal Quinn, Group Commercial Director at Moy Materials, a leading supplier of high performance rooftop waterproofing systems and a valued Host In Ireland partner.
Garry: So with regard to your business? Obviously you're heavily involved, not just in the data centre industry, but in other sectors as well, and there seems to be such an appetite to continue in all aspects, so that's very positive, to be able to see through the other side. Is it still difficult from an administration perspective to get things moving ahead rather than just talking?
Cathal: I think it is. Is it difficult? I think at the moment. We have core businesses in Ireland and in the UK as in location wise and what's happening in the construction industry in both of them is very different at the moment Outside of that, we have our mission critical environment in Europe. So although its all one business, in our three models, we have three very different things happening. It's a bit strange from that point of view.
Garry: Your partner's, obviously you work very closely with third-parties and partners
Cathal: We do. We have people who manufacture products for us, we also have our client partners. The three markets - As you know in Ireland the construction market has shut fully. The UK industry appears to have left it a bit more to the industry to decide although the government are very keen from an economic point of view to try and keep it going if it's safe to do so, and then in Europe every jurisdiction you go to, its a little bit different what they're doing and look none of us know the right way to do this. I mean, none of us have done it before, have we? I'm not criticising anybody for the way they’ve dealt with it but for us as a company, it's a little bit strange because if you're dealing with a call for Sweden, Dublin or London, it's different. they're very different situations. But it is challenging. It's challenging dealing with where are we going afterwards but the general consensus at the moment for me is yes, this is difficult. We're managing each situation, from a work point of view, each site differently, depending on where it is, but from a future work point of view, there seems to be a lot of positivity there still. Obviously it depends on how long this goes on and the financial implications it has in the world, that might change things but at the moment the appetite to keep going afterwards, you know, I think most people are realistic, not being too greedy saying I want to go now. My answer is at the moment, we can only work with the legislation. that’s given to us by each government in the countries that were working and operating in and try to work within that . Also do the right thing for people, do the right thing for humanity, not forget that, just because you're told in X, Y, Z country it's okay. If it doesn't feel right and you're putting someone's life in danger, well, then don't do it. You know maybe think twice about it.
Garry: That's the key thing what you've just said there and it's consistent with what we spoke about in the early part of this discussion, the humanity aspect of it. That's a new sort of…. the budget, the programme…. used to be the driving objectives, now it's nearly being gazumped by humanity because, to your point, you may not be going on a site, somebody else might be going on site. They may be of the category that isn't likely to develop difficulties, but they may have a grandmother, or a mother, or whatever. So in terms of three words. I know it's hard but is there three words that you've thought of or do think of, that you would like the listeners of this and the viewers of this session to take away.
Cathal: The thing for me, I'm probably going to go extremely old school cliché, but because it's something that I do try to live by all the time and I think no matter where you are in this right now whether there's something impacting your personal life, whether it's business, whatever, the old-school one - P.M.A. Positive Mental Attitude. I live by it. it's important because it gets us through everything it can be relative to whatever is going on as well. Just if you think positively, it's a lot easier to deal with what's going to come around the corner none of us know, even preparing for this I was thinking about the challenges and all that kind of stuff. The biggest challenge I have right now is not understanding what challenge. I'm prepared for around the corner.
Garry: Thanks so much for taking your time. Thank you so much.
Cathal: No bother Garry.
Garry: Thank you so much in Easter week to have that halo around you. It wasn't on purpose. Stay safe. Look after your kids, look after your wife and will see you very soon. Thank you so much.
Cathal: Thanks Garry. Take care.
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