Bright Future for Wicklow County Campus

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton today visited Wicklow County Campus to view the facilities on offer, including the new Local Enterprise Office which replaces the former County Enterprise Board. The Minister took a tour of the campus and heard a presentation which set out the vision for the development of the campus as a Centre for Excellence in enterprise, education & innovation.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Eddie Sheehy, County Manager, reiterated the commitment of Wicklow County Council to supporting enterprise in the County, with the campus serving as a catalyst for economic development.

Ms Sheelagh Daly, Head of Local Enterprise, outlined the work currently being undertaken by the Local Enterprise Office, which includes the provision of services to stimulate, encourage and develop new and existing businesses. Ms Daly noted that County Wicklow has a strong entrepreneurial base and offers real potential as an engine for economic growth.

The Minister welcomed the approach being taken to enterprise by Wicklow County Council which resonated with the Minister’s own commitment to driving economic growth through indigenous enterprise. Combining the strengths of the County Council with the experience and track record of the Enterprise Board and the expertise of Enterprise Ireland was clearly the best way forward to ensure that businesses received the most appropriate supports at local level. Commenting on the importance of new start ups, the Minister emphasized the benefits to the Irish economy of encouraging new small businesses to set up and supporting existing businesses to grow.

Mr Andrew Doyle, TD, highlighted the opportunity for developing knowledge based enterprises on the campus with the support of the Institute of Technology Carlow, which operates part time programmes on the campus. Closing the meeting the Cathaoirleach Jimmy O’Shaughnessy thanked the Minister for his continued commitment to supporting job creation in the County.