Lowry Confirms Major Community Enterprise Funding

Today local TD Michael Lowry has confirmed the sanction of major funding to support job creation initiatives in North Tipperary.

This includes a €450,000 capital grant to establish a new Community Enterprise centre in Thurles that will promote new local businesses under the guidance of the Thurles Chamber of Commerce.

The village of Cloughjordan is to get separate significant capital funding also under the scheme that will support ‘Green’ enterprise initiatives.

Coupled with these grants, a €50,000 allocation will be divided between the above projects, together with the successful food orientated Community Enterprise Centre in the village of Rearcross.

Deputy Lowry expressed his delight in confirming these allocations and said “I am confident that the projects will be instrumental in driving forward local enterprise and entrepreneurship”.

In discussions with Thurles.info, Deputy Lowry complimented Thurles Chamber of Commerce, who sponsored the Thurles initiative and stated “I am looking forward to working with the Chamber and its executive to bring this project to a final and successful conclusion, and to capitalize on the opportunities that will arise from it, over the coming years. Mr Austin Broderick and the members of Thurles Chamber should be rightly proud of their achievement, and I would expect that the new enterprises will link up with Tipperary Institute in the town to create a dynamic and innovative area to exploit high value job opportunities”. He went on to further state “I am delighted to see that even in these difficult economic times, Thurles continues to grow. We continue to see significant investment in the town, such as the recent Dew Valley announcement, and the continuation of major projects such as the upgrade of Liberty square and the advancement of the Ring Road. I am sure with the help of these initiatives that Thurles can look to the future with confidence.”

This funding comes under the Community Enterprise Centre Scheme from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and is managed by Enterprise Ireland.

Today’s announcement is part of the 2007 – 2009 section Community Enterprise Scheme. Since the launch of the first scheme in 1989, a total of €50.8m has been approved and the impact of the programme at a local level, both urban and rural, is significant. Enterprise Ireland has supported 134 communities, and the 105 completed centres are now home to approximately 1,000 successful businesses, employing approximately 5000 people.