Address by Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce, on the Occasion of his Presentation of The Shell Livewire Awards, Croke Park on Thursday 18th May 2000, 11.00 am

It is a great pleasure for me to be here today to officially present for the second successive year, the Shell Live Wire Business Start-up Awards.

These awards are part of the internationally successful Shell LiveWire programme which I launched in Ireland last year. Indeed the extension of the Live Wire project to Ireland was wholeheartedly welcomed by me when I first met Mr. Colin Wilson, the Shell Live Wire Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1999.

This programme, supported by the Bank of Ireland and the City County Enterprise Boards, encourages enterprise and new business starts among our young people and complements the existing supports which our Government and Business give to new enterprises here in Ireland.

Fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship is what will drive the creation of jobs, investment and growth, which in my view is critical to the long term prosperity of the Irish economy. Developing a thriving enterprise economy is a key goal for this Government. At every level we need to encourage enterprise and innovation, open up opportunity, strip away unnecessary regulation, build on our strengths and competitive advantages, reward excellence, be prepared to experiment, and in particular tolerate the failures that will inevitably arise on the road to success.

To maintain Ireland’s current economic success, it is vital that we anticipate and adjust to environmental changes that are likely to affect our competitive position. It is important, therefore, that we invest in the continuous development and training of our workforce to sustain our strong economic performance and to compete in global markets.

While the national climate for enterprise has been helpful, due acknowledgement must be paid to all of the people who take the risks, the people who put their hearts and souls into starting a small business. These Awards provide valuable recognition to many small businesses. They highlight the importance to our national economy and to our business culture of the need for people to be willing and able to start their own business. They are also a gateway to the public acknowledgement so richly deserved by Ireland’s small entrepreneurs and help to promote "Role Models" which are important to encourage entrepreneurship as a career path.

I understand that in LiveWire’s very first year in Ireland over 500 young people between 16 and 30 years of age have registered into the scheme to receive help on setting up in business for themselves. In addition, over 50 entrepreneurs have already undergone free intensive management training courtesy of the Bank of Ireland and this year LiveWire intend to offer these training programmes to another 75 young owner managers to help ensure the success of their individual businesses.

Shell has shown through their support for community programmes in the fields of enterprise, education and the environment, that they are firmly committed to promoting and encouraging an enterprise environment.

I would like to pay special tribute to the City and County Enterprise Boards who have made a very significant contribution to the upsurge in new business activity. They have played a pivotal role in fostering and developing small business at local level and their active participation in pioneering this Shell initiative has been invaluable. Prior to the inception of the Enterprise Boards, small enterprises had many barriers and few supports. Now with the help of the Enterprise Boards, and initiatives like LiveWire, micro enterprise activity is a vibrant and growing sector which is very focused, flexible and innovative.

The LiveWire programme has also this year brought in additional sponsors whom I warmly welcome here today. Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Ocean and Skills Group International will each play their own part in helping Ireland’s young entrepreneurs to achieve their goals. Bank of Ireland must also be congratulated for their ongoing sponsorship and proactive role in developing a favourable business environment.

I am particularly pleased to note the varied and innovative businesses which have been set up by the participants, all of which clearly demonstrates the very real and positive entrepreneurial spirit in the Ireland of today.

Finally I would like to take this opportunity to commend all of the sixty-five nominee’s and in particular the twelve finalists. Your hard work, diligence and determination is not only a credit to yourselves but an inspiration to us all. I wish each of you continued success in the future and I will be watching your career paths with great interest.