Cavan Enterprise Office officially opened

Sean McMahon

The new Cavan Enterprise Office just off the Dublin Road was officially launched last Thursday by the Minister for Small Business John Perry TD.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Perry said that delivery of services in a one-stop-shop will insure that the sector and high potential start-up companies will have huge potential to grow and develop their business.
“I think the backbone of the Irish economy is the 200,000 small companies employing 700,000 people,” said the Minister.
“We are duty-bound to ensure that there are opportunities in every town and village across the region and that we don’t create a two-tier recovery – that we ensure a sense of both community and social enterprise,” he said.
Minister Perry added that when the new councils are elected, the real focus of local government will be job-creation and the revitalisation of communities in addition to supports given to start-up business.
“It is far better to have a reduced rent – to have the local authority who deals with the stacked-up costs of business – to reduce that cost and where they feel it is beneficial to encourage enterprise, to give a derogation to get someone into a vacant premises. Minister Hogan is also very much advocating that,” he said.

Local provisions
Vincent Reynolds, the head of local enterprise, said that when the Government provided for a major reform of local government, they included supports at local level for enterprise and local economic development.
“The concept was to build on the fantastic success of the County and City Enterprise Boards around the county over the last twenty years – twenty one years this year - and to combine that with more intensive resources being deployed from Enterprise Ireland.”
He said the CEB between 1993 and 2013, invested over €9 million in over 630 projects throughout County Cavan and currently has a client base with 1,300 sustained, full-time jobs in the county.

Confidence
He said that, through various state bodies, provided 100,000 square feet in work space around the county.
He added that in addition to that they had been successful over the past fifteen years in getting €40 million from European and other International sources such as the International Fund for Ireland.
Chairperson of Cavan Town Council Jacqui Lewis said: “I would like to congratulate all who helped in getting the office up and running, including Vincent Reynolds and the staff of the former County Enterprise Board, Ger Finn and his staff in Cavan County Council, assisted by staff in the Minister’s office and Enterprise Ireland. I am confident it will build on the success of the former Cavan CEB and with the direct involvement of the Local Authority, will now be an even stronger force in supporting and assisting enterprise in this county”.
Acting County Manager Ger Finn said: “I welcome the opening of the Local Enterprise Office here in Cavan, and assure the people of Cavan it will be a first class one stop shop for all entrepreneurs and wannabe entrepreneurs.”