Cork Airport is getting a €100,000 marketing boost after celebrating another string of route announcements yesterday.

Cork County Council has helped create 240 jobs in the past 17 months through its work with Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs).

Two huge fully equipped industrial ‘kitchens’ being developed by Cork County Council for start-up artisan food producers will be available for rental on a 24-hour basis and should be opened in the next few weeks.

Small businesses in Co Cork, especially those paying less than €3,000 annually in rates, are set get a reduction in the charge and also to benefit from a new fund set up encourage regeneration of some economically-decimated town centres.

Businesses owe Cork County Council €94.4m in commercial rates over the past four years, with arrears steadily increasing.

There may still be six months to go to Christmas, but Cork County Council is already thinking of providing towns with a festive treat.

Cork County Council and Port of Cork officials will next month meet with the 10 biggest cruise line operators visiting Ireland in an attempt to sell them more shore excursions to West Cork.

A new plan to help businesses capitalise on their early growth and become established firms has been launched.

Cork County Council is to open two industrial-sized kitchens in Carrigaline before the year end which will be available to small-scale artisan food producers.

There are many sources start-ups can try for funds, so explore the many avenues, writes John Finn.

More start-up “cocoon centres” for businesses are to be created in Co Cork towns and villages — where a fully equipped office can be rented for just €50 a week.

Cork will host the country’s largest international business networking event next year as part of The Gathering.

A research and innovation centre which will be the first of its type in the country for testing new products is to be created in Cork.

THE people of a West Cork town have received a boost on the job creation front after Cork County Council announced it is to provide a significant amount of money to construct a community enterprise centre.