Twenty job creation projects in Mayo will receive funding before the end of the year following the announcement of a €3.8 million grant by the Minister for Small Business John Perry this week.
Mayo County Enterprise Board will receive €105,000 from the grant which was provided in response to specific requests from CEBs to meet identified demand.
The funding is in addition to the €15 million already provided to CEBs this year.
Welcoming the news Mayo Deputy John O’Mahony endorsed the view of Minister Perry that a huge proportion of jobs in this country are held in small, local, enterprises. “These companies are the lifeblood that is playing a key role in helping to restore our economy to a healthier footing. The Government has recognised the importance of this role and the Department has secured additional capital funding to support and encourage companies to either start up or expand their services,” he said.
He added it was the second year that additional funding had been provided and that was an indication of the importance of the role played by the CEBs in the country. “The Mayo County Enterprise Board is very proactive and they are constantly encouraging and supporting young and small businesses in Mayo. This extra funding will go towards the creation of 20 jobs and that is significant and welcome news,” he said.
Making the announcement, Minister Perry said: “The Government recognises the importance of this role and so my Department has secured additional capital funding for the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs ) that will support and encourage these companies to start-up or expand their services and thereby create and sustain jobs around the country.”
The Minister added: “This is the second year in succession that the CEBs have indicated that the demand for their services is so strong that they need additional funding to respond to the needs of micro-enterprises in their area. This is a clear demonstration that Ireland has a vibrant entrepreneurial sector and the Government is committed to supporting those involved in their endeavours.”
This announcement follows an exercise in which each CEB was asked to examine the funding it currently has available and to determine whether this was sufficient to cover the project proposals coming to them over the rest of the year. Arising from this exercise, five boards concluded that their existing allocation of funds in 2012 was sufficient to meet their needs.
