Wicklow enterprise office helped create more than 550 jobs in a decade

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

New figures show the Wicklow Local Enterprise Office (LEO) helped to create a net total of 557 jobs in the county over the past decade.

Since their establishment in 2014, the LEOs have provided business advice, training and mentoring, and have helped businesses to transition to Enterprise Ireland, further developing their exporting ability and increasing their growth potential.

The LEOs provide their services directly to small businesses and promote entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the county.

The net jobs reported annually considers any job losses in the portfolio from company amalgamation, transfers from LEOs to Enterprise Ireland, a cessation of trading and an inability to fill vacant rolls.

The LEO Annual Employment Survey reports on the number of small businesses and jobs that are supported through direct financial grant assistance from the LEO network nationwide and does not include the number of small businesses and associated jobs that have received training, mentoring or other financial supports.

Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcom Byrne has welcomed the figures and praised the ongoing work of local entrepreneurs.

“They have built many businesses that help to drive the local economy. Many of these small enterprises have received financial support and advice from the Local Enterprise Office and this office, based in Wicklow County Council, has been critical in helping get many of them of the ground."

"I would certainly encourage anyone with a business idea to chat to the local LEO and see how they can help."

Deputy Byrne said that government policy is shifting more to how small indigenous businesses can be "scaled up" and that this is welcome.

“The Government is committed to supporting small businesses across the country and to supporting job creation, both of which the Local Enterprise Offices play a key role in.”