Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2006

Community enterprise centres receive €7 million funding boost

• Homepage
• Chairman’s statement
• Chief Executive Officer’s report

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• Section 1
  Achieving export sales
• Section 2
  Industry-led research and innovation
• Section 3
  World class productivity and management development
• Section 4
  Starting and scaling companies
• Section 5
  Driving regional enterprise
  • Foamlite Ltd
  • Nephin Games Ltd
  • Community Enterprise Centre Scheme

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• Membership of the Board and Committees
• Organisation structure
• Corporate governance
• Financial statements
• Office network

Enterprise Ireland approved grants of €7 million for Community Enterprise Centre Scheme projects in 2006.

A total of 24 community enterprise centre (CEC) projects gained approval under the scheme, including 14 new-builds and 10 extensions to existing centres.

The approved projects, which will make a significant impact in regional economies, involve an overall build cost of €26 million.

Enterprise Ireland's Community Enterprise Centre Scheme is designed to promote community enterprise in areas that need or want to strengthen enterprise development.

It is a community-led initiative, allowing communities to form a partnership with the State to develop CECs within and for their local communities.

The scheme provides enterprise space in a supportive environment for fledgling businesses and budding entrepreneurs in rural and urban locations throughout the country. It is a practical measure in support of identifying, establishing and developing entrepreneurs and high potential start-up companies.

One of the successful applicants in 2006 was Carlow Enterprise Centre, which will more than double in size as a result of securing funding of €300,000.

Already providing space and support for eight companies, the centre will house a further eight to ten new businesses on completion of its 6,000 sq ft extension.

The extended centre will provide suitable and affordable units ranging from 500 to 1,000 sq feet for entrepreneurs and young companies, mainly in ICT and services.

The centre's anchor tenant is Carlow County Enterprise Board, which led the funding application.

CEO Michael Kelly says:

"The need for this additional space reflects the increasing local interest in starting a business and the general growth of the Carlow region, so we are delighted to be among the 24 successful CEC projects this year. All going well we should be up and running by mid 2008."

To date 104 CECs have been built and 32 are currently either under construction or recently approved. Between them, the centres house approximately 840 businesses which employ over 3,800 people.

Six new centres and three expansions to existing centres were completed in 2006, funded by the Community Enterprise Centre Scheme in previous years.

Community Enterprise Centres
Funded under the Enterprise Ireland Community Enterprise Centre Scheme

Region	Centres	Under Construction
01 Midlands	Athlone Longford Mountmellick Mullingar	Granard Portarlington
02 South East	Cappoquin Carlow Carrick-on-Suir Clonmel Dunhill (Munsfield) Enniscorthy Kilkenny (Abbey) Kilkenny (Info Age) Lismore Pilltown Tagoat Yola Tallow Tipperary Waterford Wexford	Dungarvan
03 South West	Allihes Killarney Knockgriffin Midleton Macroom Mitchelstown (Ballyhoura Dev.)	Youghal
04 West	Arigna Ballina Ballinasloe (BACD) Ballyhaunis Brickens Castlebar Claremorris (Clar IRD) Clonberne Dunmore Foxford Galway (Eastside) S.C.C.U.L. Galway (Westside) Fionnt Teo Killala Kiltimagh Tuam (Phase 1)	Ballaghderreen Boyle Roscommon Castlerea Crossmolina Letterfrack Roscommon
05 Mid East	Allenwood Arklow Athy Clane Kells Navan Trim Wicklow
06 Dublin	Avonbeg Balbriggan Ballymun BASE (Blanchardstown) Bawnogue Clondalkin (Neilstown) Coolock Darndale Dun Laoghaire Fingal Development Group Get Tallaght Working (Bolbrook) Get Tallaght Working (Brookfield) Killinarden Liberty Corner Nutgrove (Phase 1) St. Kierans Enterprise Centre St. Pauls (SPADE) Stepping Stone (Clondalkin) Terenure Enterprise Centre The Bolton Trust
07 North East	Ardee Baileborough Ballybay Castleblaney – Dundalk Road Cavan (Killigarry) Cavan Inn & Tech Centre Cootehill Drogheda Dundalk Emyvale Food Centre Castleblaney Killeshandra Kingscourt Louth Egish Food Park Monaghan – Mtec Knocklaconny	Carrickmacross Cavan
08 North West	Ballinamore Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Ballymote Ballyshannon – Erne Enterprise Centre Ballyshannon IT Centre Carrick-on-Shannon Leitrim Ent. Fund Carrick-on-Shannon MRD Convoy Drumkeerin Drumshanbo Easkey Letterkenny Lifford Lough Allen - Drumshanbo Mohill Moville (Inishowen) Sligo Taughboyne	Carndonagh Donegal Coollooney Donegal Town Glenties
09 Mid West	Bruree Ennistymon+B82 Ferbane Limerick, Roxboro Rd.	Kantoher Kilcormac Kilkee Rearcross Southill