19th September 2017
An Tánaiste officially opens the Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships and meets with 31 local businesses from around the country, all supported by the Local Enterprise Offices
The ‘Local Enterprise Village’ was today officially opened by An Tánaiste and Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD.
Supported by their Local Enterprise Office, 31 micro-enterprises from every county in Ireland, are located within the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at the National Ploughing Championships in Offaly for the next three days (19th – 21st September). The companies, which include artisan food and drink producers, agri-tech and machinery manufacturers, will use the Village to launch new products and services to the massive number of visitors expected.
An Tánaiste was joined at the Local Enterprise Village by Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen TD and Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan TD.
The ‘Local Enterprise Village,’ designed and built by the Local Enterprise Offices, provides these business owners with a unique opportunity where they can meet up to 280,000 visitors, make valuable sales and receive vital feedback on new products and services.
Speaking at the official opening of the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at the National Ploughing Championships, An Tánaiste and Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD, said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to officially open the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at the National Ploughing Championships, and to meet with these dynamic business owners and start-ups, each of whom are working extremely hard and bringing fantastic products and services to the market. Businesses such as these are the backbone of our economy, providing local jobs for people nationwide, and many have the potential to drive export growth. The Government, through the Local Enterprise Offices, is committed to supporting small businesses and I encourage all small business owners throughout the country to talk to their local LEO about supports that are available to them in their locality.”
Minister Breen said: “It has been wonderful to see first-hand these innovative companies in the ‘Local Enterprise Village’, each of whom have been supported by their Local Enterprise Office. What better way is there to celebrate and support local Irish products than at the National Ploughing Championships. With 280,000 expected visitors over the next three days, the exposure these small companies will achieve, cannot be underestimated. Large events and festivals of this scale are invaluable, both to the local economy but also to small companies, as they act as a catalyst for the promotion of Irish business.”
Minister Halligan said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many diverse small companies from all across the country at the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ today. It’s testament to their hard work, and their dedication that they’re here presenting their products at the National Ploughing Championships, and that they have made their dreams of starting their own business a reality. Their commitment reminds us of the creativity and energy that we have in abundance here in Ireland. I wish them all the best in their future endeavours and the Local Enterprise Offices will continue to support them in whatever way they can.”
An Tánaiste, Minister Breen and Minister Halligan were welcomed to the Local Enterprise Village by Orla Martin of the Local Enterprise Offices. Speaking about the opportunity for many to make business breakthroughs this week, Martin said: “The National Ploughing Championships, Europe’s largest outdoor event, is the place to be this week, especially for small businesses and start-ups looking to make a big impact. LEOs have been preparing the 31 small business owners for their involvement at the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ for months. They’ve undergone training and mentoring, and have been provided with ‘Exhibition Essentials’ so that they can maximise their sales and marketing opportunities and really get the most out of their ‘Local Enterprise Village’ involvement. We want the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ to be impactful, leading to sales growth and business breakthroughs for them all.”
While officially opening the doors to the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ in Tullamore, An Tánaiste talked to many of the 31 small business owners, including Colm Connolly of Rucksnacks in Monaghan, which manufacture dried Irish beef snacks. Colm won the county category in the 2016 Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition, and received IBYE investment funding from Local Enterprise Office Monaghan. Connolly spoke with An Tánaiste about the impact that winning investment funding through IBYE has had on his business saying: “Thanks to the IBYE competition, we were able to invest in a new production facility in County Monaghan, hire new staff and develop new flavours in the range. IBYE was a brilliant help, and I would strongly encourage any entrepreneur with either an established business or a good idea to enter this year’s IBYE competition before the deadline of September 29th”.
Entries for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur, which has a €2 million investment fund, are open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 35 and submissions can be made via www.ibye.ie
More details around the Local Enterprise Village and the supports on offer through the Local Enterprise Offices are available at www.localenterprise.ie.
ENDS
For all media information, please contact Engage Ireland
Carol Donaghy at Tel: 087 912 5804 / Email: cdonaghy@engageireland.com
Sarah Bohan at Tel: 087 65 39936 / Email: sbohan@engageireland.com
Notes to Editor:
Photography Note: High resolution photography is available from this launch, reproduction-free, through Photographer, Jeff Harvey 086 89 28 350 / jeff@hrphoto.ie
LEO Clients taking part in Local Enterprise Village 2017 (September 19th – 21st)
Inside the Local Enterprise Village, a third of companies are coming from the food and drink sector, offering visitors a ‘taste’ of new ranges such as chilled coffees, smoked fish pates, low-calorie beef, granola, herbal drinks, ready to bake mixes and high protein snacks.
The village is also home to small businesses that manufacture locally for the home and farm, such as rainwater gutters, architectural joinery, blasting machines, push-pull cables and sprayer attachments.
In addition to agri-tech products for farmers, visitors will also be able to meet the makers behind furniture, fashion, craft, skincare and sports equipment companies, all based in Ireland.
Carlow: J & J Services Ltd www.jandjservices.ie
Cavan: Elena Brennan Jewellery www.elenabrennan.com
Clare: Wilde Irish Chocolates www.wildeirishchocolates.com
Cork North and West: Agri-txt www.agritxt.ie
Dublin City: Wild by Water www.wildbywater.com
Fingal: Fresh from… www.freshfrom.ie
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown: ROC Protection www.rocprotection.com
Galway: Mulrooney Joinery Ltd www.mulrooneyjoinery.com
Galway: Kite Sports www.kitesports.ie
Kerry: The Busy Botanist www.thebusybotanist.com
Kildare: Wooly Apple Knits Facebook @WoolyAppleKnits
Kilkenny: Aim2Golf Ltd www.profitstick.com
Laois: PaddyO's Cereal www.granola.ie
Leitrim: Magiflo Gutters Ltd www.magiflo.com
Limerick: Irish Artisan Charcoal Company Ltd www.irishcharcoal.com
Longford: Vobe Nitro Coffee www.corecomponents.ie
Louth: KooKee www.kookee.ie
Mayo: Monaghan Bros Bar Furniture Manufacturers www.barfurniture.net
Meath: The Farmer's Daughter www.tfdaughter.com
Monaghan: Rucksnacks www.rucksnacks.com
Offaly: Applied Concepts Ltd www.appliedpi.com
Roscommon: Costello personalised gifts and novelty items
Sligo: SUIP Manufacturing www.suipco.ie
Tipperary: Hickeys Bakery Ltd www.hickeysbakery.com
Tipperary: Irish Piedmontese Beef www.irishpiedmontesebeef.ie
Waterford: VirtualVet www.virtualvet.eu
Waterford: Criostal na Rinne www.criostal.com
Westmeath: Watt Footprint www.wattfootprint.com
Westmeath: Yeates Natural Skincare Products www.yeatesnaturalproducts.com
Wexford: Coatek www.coatek.ie
Wicklow: Toby Wagons www.tobywagons.com
About the Local Enterprise Offices (www.localenterprise.ie):
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), which are run in partnership by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business.
The LEOs provide a ‘signposting’ service in relation to all relevant state supports available through agencies such as Revenue, the Department of Social Protection, Education and Training Boards, the Credit Review Office and Microfinance Ireland. The LEOs can also offer advice and guidance in areas such as Local Authority rates, Public Procurement and other regulations affecting business.
The LEOs can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally-traded services sector which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the LEOs can provide financial assistance within three main categories, i.e., Feasibility Grants, Priming Grants and Business Development grants for existing businesses that want to expand. For anyone interested in starting or growing a business, the LEOs also offer ‘soft’ support in the form of training (e.g. a Start Your Own Business course) or can provide a mentor to work with the business proposer.
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