A total of 91 employers from Mayo have pledged a job as part of a national campaign encouraging small and medium sized businesses to help the economy recover by hiring more staff.
Hireland, a voluntary initiative, was launched in 2012 to create some positivity in the economy. It aims to get businesses to see hiring as a growth strategy rather than cutting jobs as a survival strategy.
Business owners simply go to the website and pledge a job.
Sybil Cope, from Hireland, said the number of hire pledges from Mayo over the past two years is encouraging for a largely rural county.
“It is quite a good figure from Mayo,” she said. “We have found that two-thirds of the jobs pledged are actually converted into jobs so that’s 60 jobs at least.”
More than 7,000 jobs have been pledged nationally, with more than half of those jobs pledged in Dublin.
Hireland is hoping more local businesses outside the capital will sign up and pledge a job because rural towns and communities have been some of the hardest hit in the recession.
“The urban areas are experiencing growth and more positivity and we want to see this same growth and positivity in every county of Ireland, big and small,” said Lucy Masterson, a Hireland founder. “In one final push we want to get this to 10,000 jobs and see a bigger hole knocked into domestic unemployment figures, particularly in rural areas.
“While many business-owners may not be able to commit to generating a job, there are innovative ways to help the campaign and their business at the same time,” added Ms Cope.
“For example, a few businesses could come together and share an employee,” she said. “Even one job can have an impact on the community.”
Employers interested in getting involved can learn more at www.hireland.ie
