143 jobs created in businesses supported by Local Enterprise Office Wexford in 2017

Minister Heather Humphreys and Minister Pat Breen welcome 2017 employment and performance figures from Local Enterprise Offices, as they meet start-ups and small business owners during ‘Local Enterprise Week’

2017 highlights from all 31 Local Enterprise Offices show that collectively:

• 7,135 new jobs (gross) and 3,760 jobs (net) created by LEO-backed client companies, with jobs growth across every county.
• 30,373 people participated in LEO business training programmes.
• 8,393 mentoring assignments were provided to small business owners to give guidance and advice around key business issues.
• 1,179 business projects received direct financial assistance from LEOs.

In County Wexford, 143 net new jobs were created by local companies in 2017, all backed by Local Enterprise Office Wexford. In addition, 1,112 local people took part in LEO Wexford-run training programmes last year and 216 mentor sessions for local entrepreneurs and businesses were facilitated and subsidised by LEO Wexford.

A further 20 business projects received direct financial assistance from LEO Wexford, such as business priming and expansion grants to help start and expand their operations.

Nationally, the results from the Annual Employment Survey, compiled by Enterprise Ireland, show that there are now 37,485 people employed by 7,182 small businesses and start-ups that have received support from the Local Enterprise Offices.

30,373 people participated in 1,891 different training programmes with the LEOs, including ‘Start Your Own Business’ and ‘Management Development’ courses.

8,393 mentoring assignments took place between small business owners and a panel of 713 business mentors in 2017. A total of 1,179 business projects were approved for direct financial assistance.

The 31 LEOs nationwide, run in partnership by Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, provide a ‘first stop shop’ for the supports available to entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses.

Welcoming the figures, Minister Humphreys and Minister Breen met with four small business owners that benefitted from LEO supports in 2017. They included Patrick McLaughlin from Silver Strand Rope Works in Donegal, Kelda Clermont from Urban Artisan in Dublin City, Neil Wisdom from Intellicom in Offaly and Alan Jackson of Qualitas Electronics in Meath.

Speaking during ‘Local Enterprise Week,’ Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys and Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen congratulated the Local Enterprise Offices for the support they gave to small businesses across the country and for supporting job creation in every county.

Minister Humphreys said: “Local Enterprise Offices helped many thousands of people last year to start-up or grow their own businesses by delivering a suite of financial, training and information supports across every county and region, resulting in the creation of 7,135 jobs right across the country. This Government has a clear focus on regional jobs and investment, and the LEOs play a crucial role in this effort, particularly through the Regional Actions Plans for Jobs. I am delighted that the job results for 2017 are so strong, and look forward to further collaboration with the LEOs in 2018.”

Minister Breen also welcomed the performance figures, saying: “I want to congratulate the LEOs on another tremendous performance in 2017. In a challenging business environment, LEO clients have contributed substantially to economic development throughout the country, especially outside of the main urban centers. As we celebrate Local Enterprise Week, I want to pay tribute to the achievements of small businesses, micro-enterprises and LEO teams, as they work together, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, to develop local enterprise opportunities and create sustainable jobs.”

Tom Banville, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Wexford said: “The key message we would like to get across during Local Enterprise Week is that if you want to either start or grow your own business in 2018, come and talk to your Local Enterprise Office. Through the network of 31 LEO offices in local authorities, we helped more than 30,000 people last year alone through training, mentoring, microfinance loans and direct financial assistance.”

Brendan Flood, Divisional Manager, Regions and Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland said; “As these figures show, LEOs are helping an increasing number of businesses with global ambition to scale up and grow internationally through a range of new supports and programmes. Enterprise Ireland will continue to work closely with the LEOs and our Local Authority partners to achieve balanced growth throughout every region and to help more small businesses prepare for Brexit.”

For more information on LEO Wexford’s range of supports for local businesses, please visit www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford.