Fingal businesses to receive financial supports totalling over €55,000
Local Enterprise Office Fingal has announced that it has approved the first four grants to local business, worth €55,250.
Since opening its doors at Fingal County Council in May 2014, the Local Enterprise Office in Fingal (formerly the Fingal County Enterprise Board) has become the “first stop shop” for all start-ups and businesses seeking supports from state agencies.
The four Fingal businesses are in receipt of two Priming and two Feasibility Grants, following the establishment of a new grant approvals process. They are now in the position to create employment in Fingal as well as initiate business development plans and market research.
Operating in the areas of IT, the food industry and baby gifts market, the four businesses include a producer of a range of South African beef jerky; a designer of a baby products range; an IT product targeting the online dating industry and a digital food safety concept.
At the official presentation awarding the first grants to be approved by the LEO, Paul Reid, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council said: ‘Today’s announcement highlights how, since integrating with Fingal County Council, the Fingal LEO has hit the ground running as the go-to location for micro enterprises. Through financial support, management training and mentoring services, the Fingal LEO is helping to strengthen the local business environment by enabling them to overcome those barriers to success that often cause entrepreneurs to falter at an early stage.’
Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Local Enterprise Office Fingal, said: ‘Bringing new business and job creation to the locality is a key goal of Local Enterprise Office Fingal. We are therefore delighted to announce the provision of grant supports that will help create new employment locally in innovative start-up businesses in the County.’
He added: ‘There are many great new business ideas emerging in recent times and part of our role is to encourage people with a good business idea to explore its potential. If the business proposal qualifies, we can assist by providing funding to invest in the idea at an early stage.’
Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Mags Murray, also speaking at the official presentation, said: ‘Fingal is uniquely placed to take a key role in leading Ireland’s economic recovery, with an educated workforce, infrastructure and business environment that is second to none. The Fingal LEO is a vital component of this, helping to nurture an entrepreneurial culture that will support future growth and employment in the County and beyond.’
A ‘Feasibility Grant’ is designed to financially assist those with a qualifying innovative business idea who wish to examine its sustainability (up to €20,000), while a ‘Priming Grant’ is a business start-up grant available to qualifying small businesses (up to €80,000).
Further information about the enterprise supports available to small businesses and new start-ups in Fingal is available from http://www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal
Recipients of the first Feasibility and Priming Grants from Fingal Local Enterprise Office, Jacques du Toit of Excellence Butchers; Rena Maycock of IFJ Technologies; Sheree Martyn, representing Enda Martyn and Carol Hegarty, representing Christine Carolan of Happynest with (back row) Paul Reid, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council; Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Local Enterprise Office and Cllr. Mags Murray, Mayor of Fingal at the official presentation held in Fingal Local Enterprise Office. Four grants were presented on the day, worth a total of €55,250. The four Fingal-based individuals, all of whom have businesses in the County, are now in the position to create employment in Fingal as well as initiate business development plans and market research. Further information about the enterprise supports available to small businesses and new start-ups in Fingal is available from http://www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal. PIC Joe Keogh.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
For all media queries, please contact Adrienne Ferguson at Engage Ireland on Tel: 01 8855162 / 086 355 2974/ office@engageireland.com
Photography Note: Joe Keogh from Joe Keogh Photography has been commissioned by Local Enterprise Office Fingal to syndicate images from the presentation ceremony.
Business Priming Grant recipients:
Jacques Du Toit, Excellence Butchers, producer of a range of South African beef jerky
Christine Carolan, Happynest, a designer of a baby products range
Feasibility Grant recipients
Rena Maycock and Feargal Harrington, RFJ Technologies, an IT product targeting the online dating industry
Enda Martyn, developer of a digital food safety concept
Feasibility Grant
A Feasibility Grant is designed to financially assist small businesses that wish to conduct market research for a product or service and that need to examine its sustainability. This grant includes assistance with innovation costs including specific consultancy requirements, hiring of expertise from third level colleges, private specialists, design, patent costs and prototype development.
Priming Grant
A Priming Grant is a business start-up grant available to qualifying small businesses within the first 18 months of start-up. It may be available for sole traders, partnerships, community groups or limited companies established within the last 18 months. The following criteria apply:
The Business must be located within Fingal
A business employing up to 10 employees
A manufacturing or internationally traded services business
A domestically traded services business with the potential to trade internationally
A domestically traded services business being established by a female returning to the workforce or unemployed persons where the potential for deadweight and displacement does not exist
For all queries regarding grant supports, please go to Fingal LEO website: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal/Contact/Dublin-Fingal-Local-Enterprise-Office.html
About Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs):
As set out in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, on 15th April 2014, “Local Enterprise Offices” (or “LEOs”), replaced the 35 County Enterprise Boards around the country. The LEOs have an expanded role in the provision of business supports and are based within the Local Authorities (www.localenterprise.ie)
The activities of the Fingal County Enterprise Board were taken over by Local Enterprise Office Fingal, which is based in County Hall in Swords. Oisín Geoghegan, former CEO of the Fingal County Enterprise Board, is now the new Head of Local Enterprise Office Fingal (www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal).
