Praise for enterprise boards’ job creation record
Such an achievement is often overlooked, as they often employ ten or less people, the minister said as he presented the seventh National Enterprise Awards at a reception in Portlaoise, Co Laois.
The enterprise boards have also delivered strong value-for-money as the cost to the State of each job created has averaged less than 6,350. They were set up at a time when tackling unemployment was a huge issue for Irish society, with many of those on the live register having been out of work for prolonged periods.
"The Ireland of a decade ago would be barely recognisable to those only familiar with the more recent period of tremendous economic growth and almost full employment.
"The City and County Enterprise Boards throughout the State played a very significant and, to my mind, often underestimated role in not only reducing unemployment, but also providing opportunities for the thousands of additional workers who joined the labour force in the last decade.
"A review of the relevant economic data shows the scale of the jobs crisis we faced in 1993. In April of that year, the total number of persons signing on the register for 12 months and over was 132,102, of these 85,428 were signing for two years or over and 58,312 were signing for three years or more something that is almost impossible to imagine even at this point when the Celtic Tiger boom period is generally accepted to have passed its intense phase," Mr Smith added.
The overall winners of the 2003 awards were Grouse Lodge Recording Studio Ltd of Westmeath, while the runners-up were Sheelin Meats Ltd of Cavan.
The export award was presented to Ballinadee Engineering Ltd of West Cork, while the technology award went to Infacta Ltd of Sligo. A special merit award was presented to Co Kildare company, Lifting & Handling Services Ltd, while the best new business award went to MBC Timber Frame Ltd, based in Tipperary South.
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