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Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English, was in Co. Longford today where he visited the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and met staff and some client companies.
The Minster began his visit at Áras an Chontae where he was greeted by Cllr. Peggy Nolan, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council and Cllr. Uruemu Adejinmi, Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District. He was also joined by Longford Chief Executive, Paddy Mahon and Senator Micheal Carrigy.
Minister English was briefed on enterprise developments and future plans for the county and heard from the LEO team, members of the Evaluation Committee and Local Authority Members.
Minister English said:
"The support of the LEOs has been vital for local businesses all over the country in providing training, mentoring and other practical assistance. Here in Longford the LEO has been hugely important in assisting businesses and providing the key supports that they need. With our new Regional Enterprise Plans now in place the role of the LEO network will be even more important as they help to drive economic growth and job creation."
The Minister then met with some LEO client companies, travelling first to Cooleeny where he visited Cirtex Ltd. Minister English spoke to Rick Earley and David Garland who explained how Cirtex upcycle textiles to produce a wide range of valuable products, including thermal and acoustic insulation for domestic and commercial use. Cirtex are one of Ireland’s leading upcycling companies and a member of the government’s Circuléire initiative, the first cross-sectoral industry led network committed to accelerating the net-zero carbon circular economy in Ireland.
The Minister then met with Brian Egan who is the Managing Director of Purpledecks as well as being the Chief Technical Officer of MapAll.
Purpledecks is a tech company that builds digital products for a range of sectors and are experts in Mobile App Development, Web App Development and Cloud Services.
MapAll is a software company that has developed a complete system to track the build and maintenance of fibre optic networks.
Minister English’s next stop was at Porteus Pods where Managing Director, David Shannon explained how the company specialise in crafting off-site bespoke bathroom pods, which are then installed for the customer in a single day.
The Minister concluded his visit at Fabiani, an award-winning lifestyle boutique, where he met owner Louise Brennan. She told the Minister how the company stocks the latest trends from the best brands in women’s footwear, clothing and accessories. Fabiani was also crowned National Store of the Year in 2021.
Minister English said:
"I am greatly impressed by the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit I encountered in Longford today. There are many talented and ambitious companies looking to grow their business supported by the Longford LEO team. There are some really important developments in upcycling and smart construction as well as some very interesting initiatives in the tech sector. The government will continue to enable and support this creativity and innovation through the support of the LEO network, Regional Enterprise funding and other initiatives to ensure balanced regional development and job creation throughout the country."