Council welcomes €128,478 investment in County’s Enterprise Hubs

Carlow County Council has today (20th November 2020) welcomed the announcement by the Tánaiste of €128,478 for two Enterprise Hubs in County Carlow.

Carlow Community Enterprise Centres CLG was awarded €96,478 & the Enterprise & Research Incubation Centre (ERIC) in IT Carlow was awarded €32,000 in funding.

Enterprise Hubs provide space and training for entrepreneurs, allowing them to work remotely, access training and advice, and network with other business leaders and this funding will be utilized to provide enhanced services to the clients of these buildings.

Welcoming the funding Cllr. Tom O’Neill , Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council said “We are fortunate in County Carlow to have organisations like IT Carlow & Carlow Community Enterprise Centres CLG which support the development of enterprise spaces which in turn support our start up and developing enterprises in the County”.

The Cathaoirleach continued to say “Enterprise House which was developed by Carlow Community Enterprise Centres CLG in partnership with the former Carlow Town Council has supported the creation of hundreds of jobs in the local economy and I am personally delighted as a Council that our executive could work in partnership with the voluntary board of the company to gain further investment into the building’s facilities and services under this scheme”.

Speaking about the importance of Enterprise Hubs and acknowledging the support of Enterprise Ireland, Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive with Carlow County Council said “I welcome this further investment by Enterprise Ireland in County Carlow in supporting its business community and the county’s hubs”. The Chief Executive continued to say “since the start of the pandemic and with the looming effects of Brexit , our ongoing relationship with Enterprise Ireland has been critical as a Council and we have received significant financial and advisory support to our Local Enterprise Office to continue to provide relevant programmes to support the business community during these challenging times”.

The Chief Executive continued to say “as a Local Authority we have started the process to prepare a post-Covid economic recovery plan which will provide a future framework for us to continue to leverage resources for key projects and also provide additional supports to the business community”. Concluding , the Chief Executive “commended the Team at the ERIC Centre in IT Carlow and the Board of Carlow Community Enterprise Centres for bidding for this funding” and complimented “Brian Fives & Martin Corkery from Enterprise Ireland for their continued support of County Carlow”.

Ends – For further information contact:

Kieran Comerford

Head of Enterprise

Local Enterprise Office

Carlow County Council

Athy Road

Carlow

Phone: +35359 9129 781

Mobile: +35386 8252037

E-mail: kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie

Web: www.localenterprise.ie/carlow www.carlow.ie

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierancomerford/