Local Enterprise Office Sligo now supporting over 215 Small Businesses and 995 jobs according to new figures
LEO Sligo Clients Create over 200 Jobs
Local Enterprise Office Sligo Clients Created Over 200 Jobs In 2021
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- 212 new jobs created in 2021
- 24% jobs increase from 2020
- Net employment gain of 99 in 2021 (11% gain on 2020)
- 216 small businesses employing 995 people supported by LEO Sligo
- 1,100 places on LEO Sligo training, mentoring, and other business initiatives were taken up by LEO Sligo clients during 2021.
Today, at a live virtual event, An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD, announced the annual results of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) for 2021 which showed that Local Enterprise Office Sligo supported 216 businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded sectors that between them created an additional 212 jobs in 2021. This figure was up significantly from the 131 additional jobs that were created by its client businesses in 2020. It does not include jobs sustained and created by the large number of LEO Sligo client businesses operating in other sectors.
The net jobs created by the Local Enterprise Office supported clients in 2021 was 99, which takes into account companies that amalgamated and ceased trading but excludes those that transferred on to Enterprise Ireland. In 2021 there were 131 transfers nationally by Local Enterprise Office companies to Enterprise Ireland. LEO Sligo transferred 5 businesses to Enterprise Ireland over the past 3 years.
Local Enterprise Offices nationally are now supporting 35,729 jobs across 7,158 companies. In 2021 there were 7,440 new jobs created by LEO clients companies with a net jobs creation figure of 2,999 or 9% on 2020 figures. Furthermore, 85% of those employed in LEO supported companies are outside the Dublin region. The LEOs also provide substantial funded supports to thousands of other small businesses across the country with programmes such as the Trading Online Voucher, Lean for Micro and Green for Micro along with training and mentoring. Jobs created or sustained in these businesses are not included in today’s announcement.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said:
“Over 35,000 people employed in small businesses around the country have been helped in some way by our Local Enterprise Offices. They are at the heart of communities in every county, always on hand to provide advice, training or financial backing and have proved invaluable throughout the pandemic, during which I know a huge amount of people relied on their local office.
“Last year, businesses supported by LEOs created nearly 3,000 net new jobs, which is remarkable given the year we just had. I’m really pleased to see that 85% of these jobs were outside of Dublin, indicating the Government’s focus on balanced regional development is working.
These numbers a real boost today and will contribute to our overall target of having 2.5m people in work by 2024. Thank you to all our LEO staff for your phenomenal work over the past year.”
The Local Enterprise Offices were to the fore in supporting small businesses across the country in 2021, helping thousands to pivot online or adapt their products and services through a large suite of supports. The Local Enterprise Offices offer training and mentoring in a range of areas from financial skills and product innovation to starting your own business and maximising your presence online.
John Reilly, Head of Enterprise, Sligo County Council, said;
“The results announced today are a testament to Ireland’s small business community. When faced with adversity, they have adapted, pivoted, upskilled and did whatever it took to sustain themselves. The figures show that companies have seen the opportunities in the challenging trading conditions they have faced. The Local Enterprise Offices across the country have gone above and beyond in their support of small businesses but there is renewed optimism. We are seeing new opportunities for Irish businesses here and as always with tough economic periods we see new ideas and companies emerge and flourish. This year will be no different and as we continue to work closely with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities to ensure our small businesses get the best possible supports there are certainly green shoots emerging across the country.”
Welcoming the strong employment results, Enterprise Ireland CEO, Leo Clancy said;
“2021 was another very positive year for job creation in companies supported by the Local Enterprise Offices. Companies supported by the Local Enterprise Offices are creating good quality employment across the Country and play a vital role in vibrant local economies. “Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy ‘Leading in a Changing World’ will see the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland continue to work closely together over the next three years to ensure that companies of all sizes have the best possible support to back their growth and development.”
Since their establishment in 2014 the Local Enterprise Offices have been the first stop shop for entrepreneurs and small businesses, providing a range of supports including financial, mentoring, training and sector specific expertise to help guide businesses at any stage of their development. For more information on the Local Enterprise Offices go to www.localenterprise.ie