Click here to download LEO Carlow Impact Report 2014-2021
Press Release for Immediate Release – 7th March 2022
Local Enterprise Office publishes Impact Report 2014-2021
Today (7th March 2022), Carlow County Council and its Local Enterprise Office, a partnership with Enterprise Ireland established in 2014, published its first Impact Report, covering the period from 2014 to 2021, to highlight and acknowledge the support it has provided to the business community and wider eco-system in County Carlow since its establishment.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Carlow is the ‘first stop shop’ for anyone thinking about starting or growing a business in Carlow. While the enterprise environment has been radically altered since the establishment of the LEOs in 2014, LEO Carlow continues its commitment to a single mission: to provide new and existing small businesses with the expert advice, tailored training and financial supports they need to help them thrive. One of the fundamental principles behind the design and operation of the LEOs is that they are uniquely placed to be both key stakeholders in the national enterprise strategy to create jobs in Ireland and at the same time remain closely connected to the local enterprise ecosystem.
Launching the report, Cllr. Fintan Phelan, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council said “Today marks the first day of Local Enterprise Week 2022 and we wanted to start the week by showcasing some of the work of the Local Enterprise Office which has been delivered for the business community in County Carlow over its first 7 years”. The Cathaoirleach continued to say “since 2014, over €20m of funding has been attracted to the County which has delivered everything from grants to help start, develop and grow small business; over 600 events and programmes which had over 12,300 participants and a variety of local supports for every part of society who want to start and develop a business”. The Cathaoirleach stated that “this was separate to the pandemic supports such as Restart Grants which were operated by the wider Council”. The Cathaoirleach concluded by saying “our focus and message is clear, if you want to start, develop or grow a business in County Carlow or work with us on the development of the wider enterprise and economic development eco-system do engage with our team in Enterprise House”.
The Local Enterprise Office was established by Carlow County Council as part of a partnership with Enterprise Ireland. Commenting on the supports provided by the office, Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive with Carlow County Council said “The development of a specialist Department within Carlow County Carlow which brought together business support, economic development and special project development, including EU Funding, has provided us as a Local Authority with an opportunity to build new partnerships which have resulted in not just the delivery of the National Programme of supports in partnership with Enterprise Ireland but also a variety of new supports and projects”. She added “The key to the delivery of a successful Local Enterprise Office programme is for us as a local authority to play a supportive and leadership role in the brokering the development of relationships at an eco-system level while coupling that with direct support and guidance to the business community via a specialist team in Enterprise House”. The Chief Executive concluded by saying “I’d like to thank the Team in Enterprise Ireland in particular Brian Fives, Richard Murphy and Martin Corkery for their ongoing support of the County Carlow programme and we look forward to continuing the development of the service over the coming years”.
Partnership has been a key feature in the work of the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow since its establishment in 2014. Commenting on this theme Michael Rainey, Director of Services with Carlow County Council said “We have developed and fostered a variety of partnerships at Local, National and International Level since the establishment of the Local Enterprise Office in order to develop a collective vision for the County and to support the wider Enterprise Eco-system.” The Director continued to say “Through these partnerships and with the support of our elected members our team can deliver for County Carlow and also pitch Carlow as an ideal place to start, develop and grow a business”. Michael concluded by saying “I’d like to thank all our partners who have worked with us since the establishment of the offices and look forward to developing new projects and programmes to support the visions of a brave people who decide to start and develop their own business and make County Carlow their home”.
For further information on the Local Enterprise Office services contact 059-9129783 or log onto www.localenterprise.ie/carlow
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For Media Queries Contact – Kieran Comerford on 086-8252037 / kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie
Caption Photo: Melissa Doyle , Business Advisor (Acting) , Michael Rainey , Director of Services , Kieran Comerford , Head of Economic Development & Enterprise , Cllr. Fintan Phelan, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council , Kathleen Holohan , Chief Executive , Seamus Doran , Assistant Head of Economic Development & Enterprise , Jim Woods , Business Advisor
