Businesses reap rewards of Local Enterprise Office

Galway’s Local Enterprise Office paid out over a quarter of a million euro in grants to local businesses in 2014; a total of €252,542.50 was provided by the Woodquay-based office on foot of grant approvals of €384,000.

The funding from Galway’s LEO supported the creation of 105 new jobs last year.

And Galway’s Local Enterprise Office is currently working with approximately 240 client companies which are in turn generating over 880 jobs across the city and county.

Welcoming the figures Fine Gael TD for Galway West and Mayo South, Seán Kyne commented:

“Acting as a ‘One Stop Shop’ for advice, support and information as well as targeted training and mentoring, Galway’s LEO at Woodquay is helping start-ups and enterprises of all sizes across Galway to set-up, expand and create jobs.

“The funding of over a quarter of a million euro has directly assisted entrepreneurs and existing businesses in Galway to create local jobs in communities across the city and county.

“Through Galway’s LEO, entrepreneurs and business-owners can easily access the full range of State supports provided by different Government bodies – for example local authorities, Enterprise Ireland, Revenue, the Department of Social Protection, the Credit Review Office, training bodies – in one easily accessible location within the local authority.

“Previously some businesses were considered too large to access supports from City and County Enterprise Boards or as they were not exporting, they did not qualify for Enterprise Ireland supports and so fell between two stools. All categories of business are now benefitting from services provided by the LEOs.

“The LEOs form part of the Government’s strategy to spread the recovery to all regions of the country. This comes alongside the Regional Action Plan for Jobs being launched by the Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton with the launch of the Action Plan for the West imminent.”