Local Enterprise Office (LEO) South Dublin 2018 jobs figures announced by Heather Humphreys T.D. Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Pat Breen T.D., Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, show that 153 jobs were created, this is an increase of 11% since 2017. This is the 5th year of employment growth for the Local Enterprise Offices, with 3,656 net jobs created nationwide in 2018. The LEO’s now support over 36,000 jobs in 7,000 LEO client companies all over Ireland. Since the LEO’s were established in 2014 their clients have created over 18,000 jobs in small businesses across the country. The LEOs also approved €18.2 million worth of financial assistance to 1,259 projects.
In 2018 the Local Enterprise Offices worked successfully with 171 of their client companies to help them transfer to Enterprise Ireland along with 796 associated jobs. This was up from 60 companies making the transition in 2017. Last year was a particularly strong year for Local Enterprise Office South Dublin with the food sector representing significant growth, including in particular DVP and Safa Foods who grew their jobs by 15 and 28 respectively together with new emerging food companies Absolute Nutrition and Artizan Pizza Company and Leisure Company JCN Adventure who grew from 5 to 17 full time employees.
Tom Rooney, Head of Enterprise said; “These figures highlight the important role that LEO South Dublin is playing in creating jobs and sustaining small businesses in the region. The LEOs are the first engagement any entrepreneur or small business owner should have when they want to develop or grow their idea or company. Every day LEO help small businesses to get off the ground, overcome challenges, hire new staff, fund innovation, prepare for Brexit and plan for the future. The range of supports on offer from the Local Enterprise Office will help anyone seeking to start or grow a small business through highly practical services such as professional business and management training, mentoring, networking opportunities, finance and much more.”
Mark Christal, Regions and Entrepreneurship Division, Enterprise Ireland, said; “The Local Enterprise Offices are a key component in local business across the country and have been the success story of the strategic partnership between Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities. The figures announced today show the impact that LEOs make in communities nationwide, enabling small businesses to get off the ground and to grow, helping to create, and support, local jobs. The role that LEOs play in this is getting more and more crucial as many of these companies with global ambition look to build scale and expand reach. The Local Enterprise Office is working with these companies to ensure they are in the best possible position to innovate, compete and diversify in the global market. The fact that the amount of companies transferring from LEOs to Enterprise Ireland has almost trebled in 2018 is a testament to the quality of company the Local Enterprise Offices are helping to create, and this will only continue to grow in the years ahead.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide, an initiative of the Government of Ireland, are operated in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities. They provide expert training, mentoring and financial assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses who may want to start, develop or grow their company. The Local Enterprise Offices have played a key role in preparing small businesses in Ireland for Brexit. This includes Brexit Mentoring, Technical Assistance for Micro Exporting grants for small businesses looking to diversify into new markets, the Brexit SME Scorecard, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme for those selling online internationally and LEAN for Micro enabling small companies to trade more effectively and competitively. The Local Enterprise Offices will also roll out the Brexit Customs Training across the country beginning in February which will enable any small business to learn about the customs import and export procedures that will be required post-Brexit to ensure they can continue to trade effectively with a country outside the single market.
Caption: L to R Ministers Pat Breen T.D., Heather Humphreys T.D. and Tom Rooney, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office South Dublin.
