Two Mayo businesswomen are to the fore in launching a comprehensive survey to establish how the EU can assist Irish SMEs to sustain and generate jobs, as well as attracting new business throughout Europe.
Una Murphy from Westport (Network Ireland Sponsorship and Lobbying Officer ) and Caroline Gordon from Breaffy, Castlebar (Network Ireland National Secretary ) were in Brussels last November where they met with European Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. Following on from this meeting, and with the support of the European Commission, Network Ireland have prepared and recently launched the survey entitled ‘The Importance of Europe to Irish SMEs’.
Network Ireland is a forum for women in business, the professions and the arts and these two national executive members have been involved in the organisation at a local level since as far back as 1995, with both of them serving as Network Mayo Presidents and both holding positions on the national executive. Una was also Network Ireland President in 2009.
The survey was drafted with a view to collating the views of Irish business people on the support and assistance available to small and medium sized business in Europe. The outcome and results of the survey will provide the basis on which to furnish the EU with recommendations on how this support and assistance can be improved. The survey results will be announced and presented to Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, on Saturday April 9 at an event to be held in European House, Dawson Street, Dublin.
Network Ireland are looking for the support of SMEs by participating and taking time to complete the survey and by forwarding the survey to their business colleagues and contacts.
You can complete the survey by logging onto www.surveymonkey.com/s/C5NM67V or alternatively access the Network Ireland website. The survey is open to both female and male SMEs in Ireland.
Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn will be working with her colleagues in Europe to act on the findings and the greater response to the survey, the more impact the results will have.
