Local Enterprise Office Kerry now supporting over 285 small businesses and 1,272 jobs according to new figures.
- 313 new jobs created in 2021.
- 12% job increase from 2020.
- Net employment gain of 145 in 2021.
- 285 total small businesses employing 1,272 people supported by LEO Kerry.
The net jobs created by Local Enterprise Office Kerry supported clients in 2021 was 145, which takes into account companies that amalgamated, ceased trading and those that transferred on to Enterprise Ireland. In 2021 there were 131 transfers nationally by Local Enterprise Office companies to Enterprise Ireland.
The total national figures for the Local Enterprise Offices across the country were announced with the LEOs 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. This was up 9% nationally on 2020. From those figures, 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.
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. They Local Enterprise Offices offering training and mentoring in a range of areas from financial skills and product innovation to starting your own business and maximising your presence online.
Moira Murrell, Chief Executive of Kerry County Council said, “the results announced today are a testament to the resilience and adaptability of Kerry’s small and medium enterprise community. Throughout the pandemic, they have adapted, pivoted, upskilled and embraced new technologies. The figures show that companies have seen the opportunities in the challenging trading conditions they have faced. The Kerry Local Enterprise Office has been to the fore in supporting companies through this difficult period. We are seeing new opportunities for Kerry 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 Kerry County Council continues to work closely with Enterprise Agency colleagues to ensure our small businesses get the best possible supports there are.”
Welcoming the strong employment results, Director of Services, Michael Scannell said,“2021 was another positive year for job creation in companies supported by the Local Enterprise Office. Companies supported by the Local Enterprise Offices are creating good quality employment across the county, lay a foundation for growth and play a vital role in vibrant local economies. We have an obligation to support our local businesses and I ask that all shop local as much as possible”.
Tomás Hayes, Head of Local Enterprise Office, Kerry County Council commented, “2021 was a difficult year for many businesses and hopefully, we will see a rebound in the local services and hospitality sectors in 2022. Many businesses have undergone a transformation in adapting to changing business environments through digitalisation and remote working but this has not been easy or practical for other businesses. Our job numbers reflect a rebound from the difficult and unstable business environment of 2020 and I hope this trend continues over 2022.”
The Local Enterprise Offices located in the local authorities and funded through Enterprise Ireland support over 7,158 small Irish businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide. Since their establishment in 2014 they have been for the first stop shop for entrepreneurs and small businesses and providing a range of supports including financial, mentoring, training and sector specific expertise to help guide businesses at any stage of their development.
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