Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment announces €7m for 24 Community Enterprise Centres

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin T.D., today (14^th June 2006) announced that Enterprise Ireland has approved grants of €7m to 24 Community Enterprise Centre projects throughout the country.

Announcing details of the twenty-four projects at a meeting of the Enterprise Ireland Board in Galway, Minister Martin said, "The 2006 Community Enterprise Scheme is aimed at promoting community enterprise in areas that lack existing enterprise space, have experienced significant job losses, or have a poor history of enterprise development.

"The programme is a community led initiative in the form of a partnership between the local community and the State. The objective is to enhance the development of an enterprise climate through the provision of infrastructural facilities.

"I am happy to announce that 15 of the projects approved are located within the Border Midlands and West (BMW) region. This reflects the quality of proposals received form the BMW community enterprise groups and the government's recognition, through Enterprise Ireland, of the need for sustained investment in enterprise infrastructure in the region.

"Community involvement is a key element in developing an enterprise culture. The recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report (GEM report) ranked Ireland first in the world in terms of our cultural perception of entrepreneurship. The provision of these Community Enterprise Centres in areas that were previously under-represented in start-up business activity will ensure that this positive disposition towards entrepreneurship is strengthened and embedded in rural and urban areas throughout the country.

"I wish the communities approved funding today every success in the development of their Community Enterprise Centres" Minister Martin said.

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said "Community groups competed for funding under this scheme with forty-six applications and twenty-four successful proposals. Of the 24 approved projects, 14 new community enterprise centres are to be developed and a further 10 were approved funding for the expansion of existing centres. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to support these 24 local communities who demonstrated a strong interest and ability in enhancing local enterprise".