Minorities’ entrepreneurship initiative launched

A SCHEME to help entrepreneurs among ethnic minorities to develop their business potential was unveiled yesterday.

The two-year Emerge programme was launched in Cork yesterday by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin.

Over the course of the project entitled ‘Emerge’, 340 ethnic minority entrepreneurs will engage in business programmes in Cork, Galway and Dublin.

Emerge chairman, Kenneth Germaine said: “The Ireland of today is a radically different place to that of 20 years ago. With economic success have come different challenges.

“From an historical aspect of people leaving the country for many decades in search of economic prosperity, we now face the challenge and opportunity of people coming to Ireland in search of the same economic prosperity,” he added.

He said the development of new ethnic minority communities as part of Irish society is relatively new.

“These ethnic communities have come here to make a better life and many wish to be self-employed and self-sufficient,” he added.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Martin said: “As a nation we are very proud to have so many different cultures in our cities and towns.”

“Cork is the European City of Culture this year and as such warmly embraces a vibrant and culturally diverse community. And so it is very appropriate that we launch this innovative business development programme for ethnic minority entrepreneurs here in City Hall.”

Emerge is funded by the Equal Community Initiative through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Chinedu Onyejelem, founder and editor of multicultural newspaper Metro Éireann said the challenges facing ethnic minority entrepreneurs, like himself, in Ireland include the lack of an overall Government policy to deal with ethnic entrepreneurship and difficulties in obtaining finance.

“The need for ‘Emerge’ is clear, there is currently no specifically designed mainstream programme that targets the particular problems encountered by ethnic minority entrepreneurs.”

He said the outcome of the programme will be a best practice model for developing ethnic minority entrepreneurship and opening access to mainstream business models and networks.