Local Enterprise Office Kildare - The highest increase of job creation in the country for 2018
Local Enterprise Office Kildare County Council 2018 jobs figures were announced by Heather Humphreys T.D. Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Pat Breen T.D., Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection on Thursday 14 February.
The figures show that 285 jobs were created by Local Enterprise Office Kildare supported companies last year. This is an increase of up 30% since 2017, meaning Local Enterprise Office Kildare saw the highest increase of job creation in 2018 year on year.
This is the 5th year of employment growth for the Local Enterprise Offices, with 3,656 net jobs created nationwide in 2018. The Local Enterprise Offices now support over 36,000 jobs in 7,000 LEO client companies all over Ireland. Since the LEOs were established in 2014 their clients have created over 18,000 jobs in small businesses across the country. The Local Enterprise Offices also approved €18.2million worth of financial assistance to 1,259 projects.
In 2018 the Local Enterprise Offices worked successfully with 171 of their client companies to help them transfer to Enterprise Ireland along with 796 associated jobs. This was up from 60 companies making the transition in 2017.
Last year was a particularly strong year for Local Enterprise Office Kildare County Council with Agri-business Terra Liquid Minerals being named the overall winner of the National Enterprise Awards and Sonia Deasy co-founder of Pestle and Mortar receiving the Image Businesswoman of the Year Award.
Minister Humphreys T.D. said; “The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are a hugely important part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in this country. They do Trojan work in every county right across the country and these 2018 jobs figures highlight the significant contribution they make to the economy as a whole. This is the 5th year in a row of employment growth for the LEOs, which support our indigenous businesses to create jobs locally. Not only are they helping small businesses to plan, start and grow, but they are also working closely with their 7,164 client companies to minimise their Brexit exposure. The LEOs will continue to play a key role in 2019 and beyond, ensuring that every small business has access to the support it needs. I was delighted to allocate them an additional €5m in Budget 2019 to further support their invaluable work on the ground.”
Minister Breen T.D., said; “Since its inception, the Local Enterprise Office network has been a key element of this Government’s commitment to enterprise development, across all regions in the country. It has been hugely successful. LEO-supported companies now account for over 36,000 jobs throughout the country, across such sectors as food, textiles, manufacturing and computing. It is particularly pleasing to see them grow in ambition and scale. Last year alone, 171 LEO companies transferred to Enterprise Ireland because they have the potential to scale to become internationally- trading companies”.
He added; “The Local Enterprise Offices will continue to support our indigenous companies through the provision of one-to-one mentoring, training, specialist workshops and Brexit preparedness supports.
Peter Carey, CE Kildare County Council said “These figures highlight the important role that Local Enterprise Office Kildare County Councilis playing in creating jobs and sustaining small businesses in the region. The LEOs are the first engagement any entrepreneur or small business owner should have when they want to develop or grow their idea or company. Every day Local Enterprise Offices help small businesses to get off the ground, overcome challenges, hire new staff, fund innovation, prepare for Brexit and plan for the future. The range of supports on offer from the Local Enterprise Office will help anyone seeking to start or grow a small business through highly practical services such as professional business and management training, mentoring, networking opportunities, finance and much more.”
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide, an initiative of the Government of Ireland, are operated in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities. They provide expert training, mentoring and financial assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses who may want to start, develop or grow their company.
The Local Enterprise Offices have played a key role in preparing small businesses in Ireland for Brexit. This includes Brexit Mentoring, Technical Assistance for Micro Exporting grants for small businesses looking to diversify into new markets, the Brexit SME Scorecard, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme for those selling online internationally and LEAN for Micro enabling small companies to trade more effectively and competitively.
The Local Enterprise Offices will also roll out the Brexit Customs Training across the country beginning in February which will enable any small business to learn about the customs import and export procedures that will be required post-Brexit to ensure they can continue to trade effectively with a country outside the single market.
Job Creation in 2018 – Local Enterprise Offices
Border
Cavan – 146 net jobs (up 12% on 2017)
Donegal – 203 net jobs (up 19%)
Leitrim – 24 net jobs (up 6%)
Longford – 70 net jobs (up 6%)
Monaghan – 134 net jobs (up 13%)
Sligo – 33 net jobs (up 4%)
Dublin
Dublin City – 343 net jobs (up 25%)
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown – 145 net jobs (up 9%)
Fingal – 125 net jobs (up 14%)
Dublin South – 153 net jobs (up 11%)
Midlands
Laois – 67 net jobs (up 12%)
Offaly – 68 net jobs (up 7%)
Westmeath – 66 net jobs (up 6%)
Mid-East
Kildare – 285 net jobs (up 30%)
Louth – 98 net jobs (up 11%)
Meath – 143 net jobs (up 13%)
Wicklow – 74 net jobs (up 12%)
Mid-West
Clare – 104 net jobs (up 9%)
Limerick – 213 net jobs (up 12%)
Tipperary – 168 net jobs (up 15%)
South East
Carlow – 57 net jobs (up 5%)
Kilkenny – 103 net jobs (up 9%)
Waterford – 100 net jobs (up 7%)
Wexford – 33 net jobs (up 3%)
South West
Cork City – 88 net jobs (up 12%)
Cork North & West – 68 net jobs (up 5%)
Cork South – 120 net jobs (up 14%)
Kerry – 104 net jobs (up 9%)
West
Galway – 111 net jobs (up 11%)
Mayo – 130 net jobs (up 12%)
Roscommon – 80 net jobs (up 10%)
ENDS
