Enterprise boards supported more than 16,000 businesswomen last year

More than 16,000 businesswomen were supported by county and city enterprise boards last year.

It represents a rise of about 1,000 on 2011, when just over 15,000 women were encouraged to become entrepreneurs by the enterprise board network.

Women accounted for 55.4% of the 29,828 business owners and managers who received support last year.

The enterprise board network provides training, grant aid, mentoring, networking, and other supports to small businesses.

The enterprise boards are inviting women with a business or thinking of starting one to attend National Women’s Enterprise Day in October.

The two-day event will take place on Oct 16 and 17 at the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, Co Laois, where advice, networking, and mentoring sessions will be offered.

Keynote speakers include Ramona Nicholas who runs Cara Pharmacies, which has 13 stores, including two in the North.

Other notable attendees include Rosaria Piseri of AlgAran in Co Donegal, which produces organic seaweed products; Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout Farm in Co Kilkenny; Davina Lynch from Co Cavan, an internationally acclaimed milliner; and Pauline Naughton of P&G Cards, Co Roscommon.

“National Women’s Enterprise Day is open to all female entrepreneurs who are interested in networking, hearing from role models and receiving mentoring,” said the chairman of the boards’ organising committee, Eamon Ryan.

Co-funded by the European Social Fund with support from the Department of Justice and Equality through the Equality for Women measure, the aim of National Women’s Enterprise Day is to give national recognition to the role of female entrepreneurship.

The €100 conference fee includes supper at the end of first half-day session and lunch on the second full day. Those attending can also pre-book a 30 minute mentor session, free of charge.

Meanwhile, under legislation to be published later this year, all of the 35 enterprise boards, co-funded by the Government and EU structural funds, are to be dissolved, with local authorities delivering the services on behalf of Enterprise Ireland.

Jobs and Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton said the new system of 31 local enterprise offices would deliver improved supports, in a better location, to more businesses.

lnwed.ie