Wexford County Council's Local Enterprise Office creates 103 JOBS in 2016
28 business projects in County Wexford receive funding totalling almost €400,000
A net total of 3,679 new jobs were delivered in 2016 by the 6,846 small businesses from across the country that have been supported by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), according to the results of the latest LEO annual jobs survey published recently by Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D. At a local level, the Wexford Local Enterprise Office (LEO) based at County Hall Wexford directly created 197 new jobs in gross terms and 103 new jobs in net terms across County Wexford. It supported 28 business projects in County Wexford with grant aid totalling €389,034 and also provided training programmes to 948 people while a further 121 businesses availed of its specialist mentoring support.
The results, compiled by Enterprise Ireland, show that overall in 2016 a total of 7,883 new full and part time jobs were created in gross terms amongst LEO supported companies. A total of 40 LEO client companies became eligible for transfer to the Enterprise Ireland portfolio during 2016, representing a further positive outcome of LEO investment and support. The total number of people employed in LEO-supported small businesses stood at 34,634 at the end of 2016.The 31 LEOs nationwide, run by Ireland’s Local Authorities in partnership with Enterprise Ireland provide a ‘first stop shop’ for enterprise supports and sign-posting to start-ups, micro enterprises and small businesses locally in one easily accessible place.
Commenting on the 2016 LEO results, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D., Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation said: “I very much welcome the creation of 3,679 net new jobs in LEO supported companies during 2016. The LEOs have established themselves as a strong force in job creation in the regions with 10 new jobs created every day on average over the past three years in LEO client companies. As the first-stop-shop for enterprise development in each Local Authority area, the LEOs are ideally placed to support entrepreneurship and job creation in every county and I would urge any budding entrepreneurs out there to make contact with their LEO to explore the full range of supports on offer.”
Welcoming the strong performance figures and paying tribute to the LEO team, Tom Banville, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Wexford said: “The job creation results and strong performance metrics for 2016 demonstrate that the Wexford Local Enterprise Office is making a significant impact in maximising the potential of our micro and small businesses here in the county. Whether you need access to finance, core business training or advice and guidance on overcoming business challenges, we are encouraging even more small businesses and start-ups to take up supports on offer through your Local Enterprise Office”.
The LEO annual jobs survey monitors employment performance amongst micro enterprises employing 10 people or less that have received direct financial assistance through the LEOs. In 2016, 1,040 business projects around the country were directly supported by the LEOs to the value of €11.4 million,
Speaking on behalf of Local Authorities, Anna-Marie Delaney, Offaly Local Authority Chief Executive and Chair of the CCMA Committee on Economic Development & Enterprise said: “The LEOs are playing a central role in local job creation nationwide as these results for 2016 clearly demonstrate. The suite of enterprise supports available to small and microenterprises and start-ups in every county provided through the LEOs complements the broader local economic development remit of the Local Authorities. I believe that with the LEOs in place, the Local Authorities are now better placed to encourage and support enterprise development.” During 2016, the LEOs were again to the forefront in supporting youth entrepreneurship, access to finance initiatives and getting more microenterprises doing business online. 1,842 young entrepreneurs, including 64 young entrepreneurs from Wexford, participated in Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) investment programme in 2016, which was a record number.
The LEOs guided 208 of their clients nationally in securing successful loan applications from Microfinance Ireland (MFI); while a total of 1,161 micro businesses availed of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme through the LEOs last year.
Details on all the supports available for small businesses and microenterprises in the region are available through www.localenterprise.ie or Wexford County Council’s Local Enterprise Office on 053 91 96000.