My Department is committed to supporting enterprise development throughout the country. Enterprise Ireland (EI), has approved funding to enable community groups throughout the country to develop the entrepreneurial talent in their area and support innovative business ideas to create jobs.
In the period 2016 and to date in 2019, Enterprise Ireland has supported community enterprise centres under the following three competitive schemes:
- Community Enterprise Centre Scheme;
- Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme; and
- Regional Enterprise Development Fund
Community Enterprise Centre Scheme
Enterprise Ireland has co-funded, with local enterprise development groups, a total of 164 Community Enterprise Centres across the country with payments totalling €44 million. There is now a Community Enterprise Centre located in every county. Table One in the following link provides details of each of these Community Enterprise Centres by County.
Table 1 Community Enterprise Centres by County
In January 2012, the agency provided €2m, via competitive competition, to support the role of a Business Development Function/Manager in Community Enterprise Centres.
The CECs collectively employ approximately 6,000 people across 1,200 companies and are key hubs of enterprise activity in many areas.
Payments made by Enterprise Ireland to Community Enterprise Centres under this scheme in the period 2016 to date in 2019 was approximately €1.16 million. Details of payments made by Enterprise Ireland to each centre is outlined in table two.
Table 2: Payments under the Community Enterprise Centre Scheme during the period 2016 to date in 2019.
Community Enterprise Centre
|
County
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 to date
|
Castlecomer Enterprise Group Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Kilkenny
|
|
€30,607.95
|
|
|
Leitrim County Enterprise Fund
|
Leitrim
|
|
€11,112.76
|
|
|
Firies Community Enterprise Development Ltd
|
Kerry
|
|
|
|
€22,723.65
|
Brookpark Enterprise Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Cork County
|
€87,939.49
|
€189,224.39
|
€67,982.84
|
€82,005.81
|
Westport Multi-Agency Enterprise Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Mayo
|
|
€445,536.00
|
|
|
Drogheda Enterprise Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Louth
|
€175,382.85
|
€28,976.47
|
|
|
Mitchelstown Community Forum Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Cork County
|
€25,853.99
|
|
|
|
Enterprise Ireland’s Regional Team monitor the progress of funded Community Enterprise Centres. However, employment figures for each funded centre are not available as Enterprise Ireland does not collect information on the number of jobs per Community Enterprise Centre.
Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme
This competitive scheme was open to new and existing organisations, groups and alliances, who collaboratively seek to promote entrepreneurship, create jobs, foster innovation and enhance export opportunities for small business. In 2016, Enterprise Ireland approved 32 Community Centres for funding under this scheme. A total of €1.9 million has been paid by Enterprise Ireland to community enterprise centres under this scheme during the period 2016 to date in 2019. Table three provides payment details by Centre.
Table 3: Payments under the Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme during the period 2016 to date in 2019.
Community Enterprise Centres
|
County
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 to date
|
Crafts Council Of Ireland Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Kilkenny
|
€60,623
|
€185,377
|
|
|
Ballyhoura Development Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Limerick
|
|
€25,000
|
€18,390
|
|
Ird Kiltimagh Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Mayo
|
€25,000
|
€35,482
|
€8,435
|
|
Bailieborough Development Association Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Cavan
|
€9,152
|
€13,275
|
|
|
Innovate Dublin Communities Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Dublin
|
€50,000
|
€36,142
|
€2,885
|
|
Convoy Enterprise Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Donegal
|
€25,000
|
€25,000
|
|
|
Creative Spark Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Louth
|
€25,000
|
€51,843
|
|
|
Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd
|
Galway
|
€24,500
|
€25,500
|
|
|
Meath Enterprise Centre Company Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Meath
|
|
€50,000
|
|
|
Enniscorthy Enterprise & Technology Centre Ltd
|
Wexford
|
€25,000
|
€35,000
|
|
|
Arklow Business Enterprise Centre Ltd
|
Wicklow
|
€50,000
|
|
|
|
Ferbane Business And Technology Park Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Offaly
|
€17,500
|
€64,421
|
|
|
Sccul Enterprises Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Galway
|
€59,431
|
€25,000
|
€45,907
|
|
Dungarvan Enterprise Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Waterford
|
€45,540
|
€4,668
|
|
|
Hospital Food Units Designated Activity Company
|
Limerick
|
|
€175,017
|
|
|
Kantoher Development Group Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Limerick
|
|
€23,500
|
€23,771
|
|
Action Community & Enterprise Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Dublin
|
€37,630
|
€38,758
|
€13,777
|
|
Limerick City Build (Regen) Limited
|
Limerick
|
|
|
€54,611
|
|
Tipperary Culinary Delights Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Tipperary
|
|
|
€20,488
|
|
U-Casadh Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Kilkenny
|
|
€21,000
|
€21,000
|
|
Irish Smart Ageing Exchange Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Limerick
|
|
€25,000
|
|
|
Kilkee Enterprise Development Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Clare
|
|
|
|
€15,600
|
Offaly Innovation And Design Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Offaly
|
|
€23,010
|
€41,000
|
|
Sustainability Matters Company Ltd By Guarantee
|
Dublin
|
€23,715
|
€23,917
|
|
|
Galway City Innovation District CLG
|
Galway
|
€125,000
|
€25,000
|
€6,273
|
|
Shannon Commercial Enterprises Designated Activity Company
|
Clare
|
|
|
€94,904
|
|
Regional Enterprise Development Fund
Enterprise Ireland has approved funding totalling €59.5 million to 42 projects under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. This fund supports significant collaborative regional initiatives to build on specific industry sectoral strengths and improve enterprise capability, thereby driving job creation. Under Call 1 and Call 2 of this fund, 9 Community Enterprise Centres were approved for funding in 2017 and 2018 respectively. To date over €250,000 has been paid to Community Enterprise Centres by Enterprise Ireland under this fund. Table four outlines details of payments to Community Enterprise Centres.
Table 4: Payments to Community Enterprise Centres under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund during the period 2017 to date in 2019.
Community Enterprise Centres
|
County
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 to date
|
Ardee Community Development Co Ltd
|
Louth
|
|
€8,130
|
|
Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre Ltd (Feasibility)
|
Cavan
|
€9,625
|
|
|
Dublin Enterprise & Technology Centre Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Dublin
|
|
|
€8,107
|
Firies Community Enterprise Development Ltd (Feasibility)
|
Kerry
|
|
|
€3,275
|
Galway City Innovation District CLG
|
Galway
|
|
€5,570
|
|
Galway Technology Centre Designated Activity Company
|
Galway
|
|
€16,650
|
|
Leitrim County Enterprise Fund
|
Leitrim
|
|
€8,213
|
€27,733
|
Meath Enterprise Centre Company Company Limited By Guarantee (Feasibility)
|
Meath
|
|
€11,025
|
|
Monaghan County Enterprise Fund
|
Monaghan
|
|
|
€81,780
|
Mountmellick Development Association Company Limited By Guarantee
|
Laois
|
|
|
€64,934
|
Thurles Community Enterprise Centre Ltd
|
Tipperary
|
€11,600
|
|
|
As part of Enterprise Ireland’s regional strategy Powering the Regions and to build on the agency’s investment in this space to date, the agency has an ambition to support 10,000 co-working and incubation spaces in regional locations.