#LocalEnterpriseWeek
2nd March 2020
The Local Enterprise Offices supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation are now supporting 38,535 jobs across 7,400 client companies it was announced today (March 2nd) at the start of Local Enterprise Week 2020. The 2019 figures for the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), operated in partnership by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, show that 3,149 net jobs were created last year across the country.
This is the 6th year of continuous employment growth for the Local Enterprise Offices since their inception in 2014. LEOs saw increases across all supports in 2019 including training, mentoring and funding. The number of those trained in 2019 was up 6.4% last year with 37,306 availing of training through their Local Enterprise Office. There was also an 10.5% increase in mentoring assignments completed, with 10,756 clients benefitting from LEO mentoring.
Over €20million was invested in Local Enterprise Office clients and start-ups last year, up from €18.2million in 2018. In 2019 the Local Enterprise Offices also worked successfully with their clients to assist 162 companies transfer to Enterprise Ireland.
The figures were announced today at the start of Local Enterprise Week 2020, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, now in its 6th year. From today, 2nd March, to Friday 6th March, over 300 events will take place run by the 31 LEO’s across the country. These will focus on everything from starting your own business and financial planning to how to make your business more sustainable and how to pitch for funding, aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small businesses to start and grow.
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D. said: “The Local Enterprise Offices are to the fore in our Future Jobs strategy and make a significant contribution to boosting local economies across the country. They are helping to create jobs in every area across Ireland with funding, supports and expert guidance. Year on year we have increased our support for the Local Enterprise Offices and they have repaid that support with results which have been on the up since they began 6 years ago. We will continue to support them and ensure that training, mentoring and financial support is available to our small businesses and entrepreneurs to help them to plan, start and grow.”
Pictured l-r, (examining some of the herbs grown by Farmony) John Paul Prior, Founder, Farmony, (LEO Fingal), who received financial support from their LEO in 2019; Therese O’Leary, Blinks & Brows, (LEO Cork), who received LEO support in 2019; Declan Sharkey of Fire Door Ireland (LEO Cavan), who received financial assistance from their LEO in 2019 and Susan O’Neill, Blinks & Brows, (LEO Cork), who received LEO support in 2019 at the announcement of the 2019 Local Enterprise Office figures. They are pictured at Farmony in Dublin, an ag tech software company who offer a solution to grow 5 acres of produce from a 55 sq metre footprint. (Photo Julien Behal Photography).
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