Regional "Going North" Initiative Participants head across the Border

Five Local businesses supported by the Local Enterprise Office Offaly travelled across the border to explore and target new business opportunities in Northern Ireland. They were joined by eight businesses supported by the Local Enterprise Offices from Laois and Westmeath.

The businesses travelled to Northern Ireland for the 3-day group visit from the 25th to 27th September 2018. The Local Enterprise Office delivery agents for this Initiative – Full Circle in Belfast - arranged up to 5 meetings with potential customers in Northern Ireland. The feedback has been very positive. Our clients are very happy with how their meetings progressed and have identified viable business prospects in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has population of 1.75 million people, a small but attractive market for many Irish businesses. Last year, over €1.1 billion of products and services were sold by Irish businesses to customers in Northern Ireland and cross-border sales have increased significantly in the last few years. The Going North Initiative offered our businesses in Counties Offaly, Laois and Westmeath the connections to explore and target new business opportunities in Northern Ireland.

The Going North initiative is just one of a range of supports available from your Local Enterprise Office aimed at limiting the effects of Brexit. For information on how the Local Enterprise Office can help your business prepare for Brexit, join us for a free lunchtime seminar on November 22nd. Get Your Business Brexit Ready is available to book now. Numbers are strictly limited and by pre-booking only.