LIMERICK City and County Council’s Local Enterprise Office (LEO) approved funding of €764,374 for 37 business proposals last year.
The grants are designed to help with innovation costs, labour research, consultancy and other related costs.
To qualify, businesses must employ less than ten staff and show indications of growth.
“I am delighted to see strong figures for our Local Enterprise Office in its first year. I think a more strategic and local focus on enterprise support will reap significant rewards in the long term. We have a responsibility locally to foster a healthy business environment with more of a focus on the small to medium sized business,” said local Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler.
“With €511,026 allocated to 43 approved businesses coupled with the grant aid and refundable aid of €157,000, I hope we see a return on this investment in 2015. We are still in a volatile recovery process nationally and internationally so these investments locally are a key strategy for local economic growth”, he said.
There were 68 training and development events organised, comprising of courses, seminars, networking events and covering topics such as: start your own business, marketing, finance, social media, tendering, and retail development.
“I would encourage local business people to attend these worthwhile events. I know when you have a hectic schedule these events tend to be at the bottom of the to-do list but all businesses need to look at continued development and how to maintain competitiveness,” Cllr Butler concluded.
