€645,000 worth of sales generated through the Local Enterprise Village last year, with the help of the Local Enterprise Offices

Plans for the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at the National Ploughing Championships have been unveiled by the Local Enterprise Offices and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Ms. Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D.

The Local Enterprise Village (#localenterprise) will be home to 84 small businesses from around the country for the three days of the National Ploughing Championships.

Managed and funded by the Local Enterprise Offices, the Local Enterprise Village opens its doors from September 20^th to 22^nd at Screggan in Tullamore, offering Irish start-ups and small businesses a launch-pad for new products and services, giving them the chance to impress the 280,000 visitors expected at European’s largest outdoor event.

Last year, small businesses inside the Local Enterprise Village generated sales and orders worth €645,000*. Supported by Local Enterprise Office Westmeath, local companies that are showcasing their products and services at this year’s Local Enterprise Village include: Orla Brady of Soul Snacks, producing a range of hand made healthy appetising snacks, Dolores Keaveny of DB Press, Author and Illustrator of Children’s Books.

The plans for the 2016 Local Enterprise Village include a new product launch and demonstration area, where small businesses and start-ups can invite visitors to preview and sample new Irish brands. A new award scheme, the Local Enterprise Village Awards, is also being introduced for the first time, to highlight ‘up-and-coming’ brands and companies.

The Minister unveiled the plans at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in Dublin with the help of the Local Enterprise Offices, the National Ploughing Association, Local Authorities Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and some of the small businesses that will be re-locating to the Local Enterprise Village in September.

The 85^th Annual National Ploughing Championships runs from September 20^th to 22^nd 2016 at Screggan in Tullamore in County Offaly with tickets on sale from August through www.npa.ie.

*Source: Local Enterprise Offices' research, 2015

ENDS

For all media information, please contact your Local Enterprise Office.

Notes to Editor:

*Source: Local Enterprise Offices' research, 2015

Research conducted by the Local Enterprise Offices in 2015, shows that collectively, the small businesses within the Local Enterprise Village generated sales and orders worth €645,000 as a direct result of their participation in the National Ploughing Championships in September 2015.

List of all small businesses taking part in Local Enterprise Village 2016