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Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD, visited the Kerry Local Enterprise Office (LEO) today as part of a series of similar countrywide visits by the Minister, who is keen to engage with the LEO teams and their client companies. The Minister also took the opportunity to meet companies who have received significant funding under his department’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Transition Scheme.
In Tralee, Minister English met with Kerry County Council Cathaoirleach, Jimmy Moloney, Chief Executive Moira Murrell and other Council representatives as well as the head of the Local Enterprise Office, Tomás Hayes and Senior Development Officer, Victor Sheahan. The Minister was also joined by Minister for Education, Norma Foley and Brendan Griffin TD, where he chaired a group discussion on the issues facing the region and the many positive developments before meeting with some LEO client companies.
Minister English said:
“It was hugely interesting to hear at first-hand what is happening here in the South West - and so much of it is very encouraging. The importance of the Local Enterprise network has never been more apparent than in the last 19 months or so. That closeness to local business has enabled the LEO network to provide timely support, including upskilling, mentoring and training - interventions that have been critical for many businesses. And now that we are in recovery phase local businesses can be reassured that the LEOs are there to provide the necessary support as they stabilise and grow."
The Minister’s first company visit was to Bolger Fabrication in Clash Industrial Estate in Tralee. Jamie Bolger explained that the company is a family run business founded in 1979. They produce a range of welded products from large-scale architectural ironworks to small/medium domestic entrance gates and also undertake restoration projects. The company has mastered traditional blacksmithing techniques and use these skills together with modern technology to create unique individual designs.
Minister English’s next engagement was at Munster Technological University (MTU) where he met with President, Professor Maggie Cusack and Vice President, Brid Mc Elligott. MTU is home to the AgriTech Centre of Excellence (ACE) and manager Sara Morrissey spoke about the Centre which intends to position Ireland at the forefront of the international agritech industry. It uses immersive technologies such as e-learning and virtual reality platforms to deliver learning and development for the sector and aims to support 500 jobs within 3 years.
The ACE project was approved for €1.5 million in funding under the Department of Enterprise’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund which is administered by Enterprise Ireland. It also recently secured just over €200,000 under the department’s Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme.
At MTU, the Minister also met another Local Enterprise Office client, Athena Analytics Ltd, who provide software products/data analytic services to the educational sector. Athena has two products on the market; a report that compares a school’s exam results with National averages and a predictive tracker that estimates how a student should perform in examinations. The products are now used in 350 schools nationally.
Minister English was then briefed on New Frontiers by Programme Manager, Emily Reen. Delivered on behalf of Enterprise Ireland by the Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities, the New Frontiers Programme offers a combination of practical and interactive workshops, personalised mentorship, co-working space, and funding for early-stage entrepreneurs. Ten start up projects are currently participating in the New Frontiers Phase 2 programme in MTU Tralee. This six month programme is being delivered in the Tom Crean Incubation Centre, funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Campus Incubation Programme.
The Minister’s final engagement was at the Kerry Food Hub in Firies village. The Hub opened in 2016 and provides food production facilities to start-up entrepreneurs and food businesses that are seeking the opportunity to expand and develop.
Here Minister English spoke with Jessica Clinton and Michael Lenihan of Ballyhar Foods who recently secured a substantial contract for their produce. They formed the business in 2012 and produce a range of pastry products and cakes, working closely with hotels and the hospitality sector.
The Kerry Food Hub secured €1.1 million under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and more recently €131,000 under the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme. The construction of a new food preparation facility is expected to be completed early next year. The Hub’s new website for Artisan Food Producers from across the region will link customers with 4 and 5 Star Restaurants in Killarney and will provide a one-stop-shop for buyers of high quality food products.
Mark Christal, Divisional Manager, Regions and Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland said:
“Supporting innovative start-ups is a huge focus for Enterprise Ireland and the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Transition Scheme are effective mechanisms of supporting innovation and collaborative projects with the aim of sustainable job creation in the regions. We were delighted to support the development of the Agritech Centre of Excellence and the Kerry Food Hub Food which will help support an increase in value-added activity, collaboration and innovation from enterprises within the food and agri-tech sectors by offering technical support and facilities, and links to training to strengthen the skills of both sectors in the region.”
On the conclusion of his visit to Kerry, Minister English said:
“I am delighted to be in Kerry today and to witness the hugely positive impact our Regional Enterprise funding is having in the area. Over €2.9m has been allocated by my department to two of the projects I visited. This investment and programmes like New Frontiers are all about enabling and developing our regions and encouraging entrepreneurship, job creation and economic growth. From what I have witnessed today I am confident that there will be a great return on this investment that will benefit not just the region but the entire country.”