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Future of small rural business on agenda for Rural and Community Development Committee

2 Oct 2018, 10:12

The incoming chairman of community support agency Pobal and officials focused on improving business opportunities in rural Ireland will address Wednesday’s meeting of the Joint Committee on Rural and Community Development. 

The meeting at 10:30 a.m. in Committee Room 4 can be viewed live here and on Android and Apple devices using the Houses of the Oireachtas app.

Dr. Deiric Ó Broin, chairman-designate of Pobal, will outline his strategic priorities for the role. Pobal works on behalf of the State, and in conjunction with communities and local agencies, to support social inclusion and local and community development.

In the second part of the meeting the Committee will meet:

  • Chairman Darragh Walshe and Secretary James O’Donnell of the Rural Business Committee of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society. ICOS is a representative body for the cooperative movement in Ireland aimed at strengthening cooperatives and their associated companies. Membership and associates exceed 150,000.
  • Paula Fitzsimons, director of the Rural Female Entrepreneurs Initiative for ACORNS. Accelerating Creation of Rural Nascent Start-Ups (ACORNS) is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Rural Innovation and Development Fund designed to support early stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
  • Garrett Stokes, chief executive of Microfinance Ireland. Uses the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund to provide small loans to businesses employing fewer than 10 people.
  • Chief Executive Denis Leamy and Paul Skinnader, executive director of community supports and services, for Pobal. Provides support for 23 programmes in Social Inclusion and Equality, Inclusive Employment and Enterprise, and Early Years and Young People.

“The Committee is asking stakeholders to help us identify new ways to sustain and grow business opportunities in our small towns, villages and farms,” said Committee Chairman Joe Carey TD.

“Each of these organisations appearing on Wednesday have their own stories to tell about harnessing resources and talent in rural Ireland – stories of novel farming partnerships, female business empowerment and newfound sources of investment. The Committee looks forward to learning more.”

Media enquiries

Shawn Pogatchnik
Houses of the Oireachtas
Communications Unit
Leinster House
Dublin 2
+353 1 618 4203
+353 86 701 3295
shawn.pogatchnik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: @OireachtasNews

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