Speech by Minister McGuinness at the Launch of Carlow Enterprise Week

Monday 1^st October 2007

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to be here with you this evening to launch The Spirit ofEnterprise Week in Carlow.

As part of the initiative of the South - East Regional Authority’s Spirit of Enterprise Forum, Carlow Enterprise Week aims to raise the profile and recognise the importance of small business to the local economy. This ‘festival of enterprise’ encouraging entrepreneurial and innovative activity, is being co-ordinated with similar Enterprise Week events being held in the other participating counties of Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford.

I congratulate the South-East Regional Authority for this concentrated and united approach to this entrepreneurial development across the South-East Region.

During the week ahead, Carlow County Enterprise Board will focus on the needs of our entrepreneurs. A wide range of seminars and public events will be held in venues across Carlow, showcasing the possibilities for participation among those already in business or those who would like to develop business ideas.

‘Enterprise’ and ‘Entrepreneurship’ will be constant themes throughout – from starting up a business, to business development, networking and mentoring, through to website development and maintaining a profitable and sustainable business for the future.

Showcase events such as this, play an important role in reinforcing a positive attitude towards enterprise and entrepreneurship. The benefits, both economically and socially, of entrepreneurship are well established, particularly in terms of driving regional economies and regional development.

“Enterprise Week” aims to bring together local business, agencies and relevant organisations in order to promote as well as celebrate Enterprise in Carlow.

In Ireland we have a generally favourable disposition toward entrepreneurs. Their endeavours are seen as beneficial to the community. The successes of businesses also contribute to the general sense of confidence and ambitions of a community at a local level.

The level of entrepreneurship in Ireland is relatively strong as measure d against our counterparts in Europe. It is becoming ever more necessary to foster and develop a strong and vibrant entrepreneurial enterprise sector to support this. IDA Ireland, as one of my Department’s Agencies, is focused on attracting large-scale investment in companies in the knowledge-based and service industries. In particular the new Carlow Business and Technology Park will attract this type of investment to Carlow.

We need to take proactive measures to ensure that the spirit of enterprise becomes deeply embedded in the consciousness of Irish people, and in particular among the young. For this reason ‘Enterprise Week’ in Carlow will be especially aimed at second- and third- Level students. Carlow’s two third level colleges, the Institute of Technology Carlow and St. Patrick’s College are an important seedbed of our future entrepreneurial endeavour.

The County Enterprise Board in Co-operation with Enterprise Ireland are actively promoting entrepreneurship and enterprise in Carlow and throughout the South-East Region.

Finally I would like to congratulate Carlow County Enterprise Board and in particular their Chief Executive Officer Mr Michael Kelly, who unreservedly took the lead with this initiate.

My gratitude must also be extended to Carlow County Council, Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Leader, FAS, Carlow IT and Carlow Tourism who all greatly assisted the County Enterprise Board in bringing such a wonderful schedule of events together. I wish you all every success for the coming week and I look forward to this becoming an Annual Event.

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