Address by Mr. Noel Treacy, T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce at the launch of the Laois County Enterprise Board’s "Annual Review 2000" Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, 30th January, 2001 at 12 noon

It gives me great pleasure to be here today to launch the Laois County Enterprise Board’s "Annual Review 2000". This Review has special significance as it is the first review of the Enterprise Board’s Activities under the Border, Midlands and Western Operational Programme for 2000-2006.

The past year has seen many new developments for our Enterprise Boards. Under the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Operational Programme, the role of the Enterprise Boards in job creation will continue to be their primary task together with the promotion of entrepreneurial and capability development.

The National Development Plan recognised the special circumstances of countries in the BMW Region, which are outside the locations which primarily benefit from foreign direct investment, and aims to promote the benefits of e-commerce and communications technology in those counties.

The Enterprise Boards’ e-commerce initiative, "Empower", which I had the pleasure of launching last July, will significantly advance enterprise capabilities in all of these areas. In fact, I chose to locate the national cost centre for the management of the IR£3m Empower initiative, here within the Laois County Enterprise Board. I would like to take this public opportunity, on behalf of both our Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Government, to express our deepest gratitude to Maria Callinan and her staff for their excellent work in this area. Maria’s ability, skill, professionalism and qualifications, ensures that the Irish and European taxpayers get value for money and a highly efficient service.

Laois, of course, has many advantages, with its central location, easy access on two national primary routes, attractive landscape and environment, in addition to a skilled workforce. I know that the Laois Enterprise Board is continuing to act to exploit these advantages to generate economic wealth for this county and its people and are also working to promote the continuous upgrading of skills to develop added value jobs in this beautiful county.

The Operating Agreement for the County Enterprise Boards requires all Enterprise Boards to ensure that the measures supported by them comply with, and where appropriate, help to promote national and European Union policy objectives and legislation on equal opportunities for men and women.

Consideration must also be given by the Enterprise Boards to the development of a targeted strategy to increase the number of women entrepreneurs and encourage the provision of childcare service.

Our Department has recently notified the Enterprise Boards of an allocation of £1 million in funding for employment grants to childcare workers this year. This money was provided under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme announced last October by my Government colleague, Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

In Ireland today, there are more vibrant young people working and studying proportionately than in most of the rest of the developed world. If we are serious about developing an enterprise culture, it is imperative that we start with our young people. From their inception, the Enterprise Boards were assigned the responsibility for the development of an enterprise culture, not least among second level schools and colleges. The Laois Enterprise Board has participated in the second-level Young Entrepreneurs Scheme and innovated the Most Enterprising Student Scheme in primary schools.

Your Enterprise Board recognise that schemes such as these, are invaluable as they provide an opportunity for students to research ideas, design products and implement business strategies. These scheme’s also enable young people to learn about business by doing it for themselves and most importantly, it cultivates a spirit of enterprise and innovation amongst our young people, which in the long term is vital for national economic development.

Laois County Enterprise Board must also be congratulated for devising and operating a comprehensive Business Growth Programme, which resulted in 112 entrepreneurs availing of counselling in business planning, marketing and exporting. The Enterprise Board offered 25 training programmes during the year and 180 people availed of these programmes.

During the past year Ireland has experienced continued success in economic development. Today, there is virtually full employment with just over 4% unemployed compared to over 15% of our workforce unemployed in 1993.

Ireland is also in transition from being net beneficiaries to net contributors to the E.U. budget. We can look with pride to the future when we contribute to the development of poorer countries in the expanding European Union. This Government’s National Development Plan for 2000-2006 announced an investment of over forty billion pounds to continue to build on our success to date.

All thirty-five County Enterprise Boards have played their part in Ireland’s renaissance.

They have shown themselves to be firmly committed to stimulating and influencing the growth and development of the micro enterprise sector by offering for many, a first point of contact, and an integrated package of supports, geared towards the development needs of Laois County’s aspiring entrepreneurs.

Under the Operational Programme for Local, Urban and Rural Development 1994-1999, the 35 Enterprise Boards exceeded all expectations and targets and the Laois Enterprise Board has played its part in this success story having:-

• Approved almost £2.5m in grant assistance to 303 projects, and
• assisted in the creation of 649 full time jobs.

Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, the County Enterprise Boards of the future must work together towards achieving a common purpose, adhering to a shared set of values, thus defining a definite role for themselves in the micro enterprise sector.

I have every confidence that Laois Enterprise Board will continue to use their undoubted local knowledge in maximising the economic impact of the Laois Board in the challenging and exciting Millennium ahead.

I would like to pay tribute to the Directors, Chairman, Chief Executive and staff of this Enterprise Board for all of their hard work during the year. I would also like to compliment the many entrepreneurs in Laois who availed of the assistance on offer from your Enterprise Board. I herby declare this report formally launched and I wish both the Enterprise Board and the people of Laois every success in the years ahead.