Business
Galway business woman lashes out at Enterprise Board for lack of support
An impression that women-led business can avail of lucrative financial incentives has been ‘blown out of the water’ by the founder of two Galway enterprises that employ more than 50 people between them.
And she slammed the Galway City and County Enterprise Board for not providing her with meaningful financial assistance despite establishing two businesses in the Tuam area over the past year and a half.
The County Enterprise Board has told her that because she provides a professional service, her businesses do not fall within their remit to provide financial support.
Imelda O’Connor O’Dea has been in business for the past 25 years and apart from receiving €650 towards the establishment of a website, anything she has been involved in has been self-funded.
“There was an article in one of the Sunday newspapers recently which stated that women-led businesses have easier access to funding from state institutions but I am one of those who is certainly the exception”, she said.
Imelda has established a homecare service in Tuam which is being used quite regularly by the HSE West and has 50 homecare assistants on her books as well as providing employment for four full time staff.
She approached the Galway City and County Enterprise Board for funding to help her establish her business and despite meeting with officials, she was told that a service industry would not receive any financial support.
“I have taken people off the live register and now I have just developed a nutritional supplement for the elderly. This product is about to be branded and marketed and I have yet again been verbally refused funding.
“I have been refused for healthcare. I have been refused for consultancy (another company she established) and now I have been verbally refused for manufacturing. Being a woman in business seems to be more of a disadvantage than an advantage”, Imelda added.
She said that she was the co-founder of two companies in the last 18 months and had approached all agencies for funding.
“I received €650 as part funding for a website from the local enterprise board for one of the business but was actually refused the same grant for the second business. This is the only funding I have received,” she said
Imelda established A Ghrá Homecare Services in Tuam and this currently employs four full time staff. It is completely self-funded.
“We have 50 homecare assistants registered with us working on a part time basis with the company. When I went to the local enterprise board for funding for my second company which is a health and safety consultancy business, I was again refused funding.
“While the local enterprise board has offered mentoring, it comes at a cost of €50 an hour. Given my circumstances I cannot afford the cost of the mentoring or the time necessary to avail of it, as it is taking me all my time and funds and energy to make sure all staff and expenses are paid,” Imelda added.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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