Check Against Delivery
Good morning. I’m delighted to be back in Mullingar.
This Government was elected just over three years ago with a mandate to get Ireland working again and to reform our public services.
This programme of reform is best demonstrated by the creation of new Local Enterprise Offices which we are launching here today.
These 31 offices, spread right across the country, are a central element of our plan to support local jobs, regional development and entrepreneurship right across the economy.
Jobs are the top priority of the Government.
There has been progress in the past year with over 1,000 jobs a week being created in the private sector.
The vast majority of these jobs have been created in small local companies such as the ones on exhibition today: Flamers Ltd, Bell Lane Coffee, DG Ventures, Olivia Chocolates, Robotic and Drive Services and Clonmacnoise Pottery.
While big companies make big news it is the smallest and newest companies, employing just a few people, that make the biggest difference in driving a jobs recovery.
Although there are still many serious economic challenges facing the country the economy is now moving in the right direction.
The Government wants to make recovery local.
That means supporting local business and local entrepreneurs to create local jobs.
And we will do this through the new network of Local Enterprise Offices.
As part of our reform programme we took the best of separate services and put them together to offer a better and more co-ordinated service for local business.
They combine the expertise and capacity of the former County Enterprise Boards and the local authority structures.
The LEOs will be the champions for business development and entrepreneurship at the local level.
I would encourage all of you here from the business community to embrace the changes and to use the new supports.
The Government will continue to work to make Ireland the best small country for business.
To that end, we are delivering a wide range of actions through the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work to improve the environment for business and to ensure that people are well placed to take up new jobs as the economy recovers.
The LEOs are uniquely placed to support the development and delivery of these strategies. Through the LEO network we want to hear from you about what works and indeed what could work better.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in delivering the LEOs – here in Westmeath I know that Pat Gallagher and Christine Charlton have worked closely with the relevant Departments and Enterprise Ireland to get this impressive operation off the ground.
The LEOs, in partnership with local business, are on the front line in Ireland’s recovery and this Government will stand fully behind them as we get Ireland working.