Minister announces local company among National Enterprise Award Finalists

Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate 30 small business success stories on June 9th

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D., has announced the Irish small businesses that have reached the National Enterprise Awards Final on June 9th, which includes a local company Sing-Li Foods from Dundalk, Co Louth.

Thousands of small businesses from across the country were supported by Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network last year and 32 of those businesses have now reached the National Final. The nominee for Local Enterprise Office Louth is Sing-Li Foods, which manufacture a range of curry sauces including a number of new products such as ‘free from’ and slimmers options.

The competition has a prize fund of €40,000 and was set up two decades ago to celebrate Ireland’s small businesses and micro-enterprises. Representatives from Local Enterprise Office Louth and Louth County Council will be supporting the local finalists at the Aviva Stadium in June, and the company is headed up by Gerry King and Owen Fee, who founded the business over twenty years ago.

*The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD (2nd from left) is joined by (from left) Kieran Comerford of the Local Enterprise Offices, Mark Christal of Enterprise Ireland, last year's Overall Winner, Linda Nolan of MyBio in Kilkenny, and Paul Reid, Chair of the Local Government Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Committee. Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland*

Twelve awards will be presented on the night including eight new regional trophies and the overall winner will receive €10,000 to invest in their business.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “Getting to the final of the National Enterprise Awards is a great achievement. As part of my role as Minister I want to engage with small business, they are the backbone of Ireland and I want to ensure that I can put in place the right conditions for small businesses to thrive. Two thirds of all new jobs are created by start-ups and I want to encourage more people to start new businesses. The Local Enterprise Offices are at the core of this. They work towards embedding an enterprise culture at local level. These awards showcase the innovation, creativity and the development potential across the micro and small business sectors. By highlighting all these success stories, the National Enterprise Awards give well deserved recognition to Ireland’s small business champions. I wish all Finalists the very best of luck in the final.”

Thomas McEvoy, Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office Louth paid tribute to the local small business community, saying: “Small businesses, sole traders and start-ups are becoming the heroes of the economic recovery here locally and we want to celebrate their successes and talents. The Local Enterprise Offices, through the Local Authorities Network, support thousands of small businesses in the community every year and the National Enterprise Awards recognise their remarkable achievements.”

The announcement of finalists was made at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in Dublin by Minister Mitchell O’ Connor, accompanied by Kieran Comerford of the Local Enterprise Offices, Mark Christal of Enterprise Ireland, Paul Reid, Chair of the Local Government Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Committee and last year’s Overall Winner, Linda Nolan of MyBio in Kilkenny.

MyBio supplies specialist products and technologies to the life sciences sector and other former winners have included Irish Yoghurts, Innovate, Grouse Recording Studios, Simtech Aviation and Design Pro.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Thursday, June 9th. Updates will be available through www.localenterprise.ie and by following #NEAwards16 on social media.