12th year of National Women’s Enterprise Day aimed at creating global female entrepreneurs

NO REPRO FEE 20/9/2017 Biggest-ever National Women’s Enterprise Day set for October 12 An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D. has launched the biggest-ever programme of events to mark National Women’s Enterprise Day, which is being organised by the Local Enterprise Offices on Thursday, October 12th 2017. All 31 Local Enterprise Offices, which jointly supported over 14,000 female entrepreneurs in 2016, are behind the initiative and they have enlisted the help of established entrepreneurs to act as Local Ambassadors, to share their success stories at fifteen events around the country that day. Event details and tickets are available through www.nwed.ie. An Tánaiste was joined at the programme launch by several NWED Ambassadors and Evelyn Reddin of the Local Enterprise Offices, Sarita Johnston of Enterprise Ireland and Philomena Poole of the local authorities. Pictured with An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., are Evelyn Reddin, Local Enterprise Offices, Sarita Johnston, Enterprise Ireland, Philomena Poole, Local Authorities and NWED Ambassadors Ciara Clancy of Beats Medical in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Deirdre Fee of Medical Mobility in Kerry, Irene Queally of Pip and Pear in Waterford, Oonagh Monahan of Alpha Omega Consultants in Leitrim, Sinead Gillard of Jinny’s Bakery in Leitrim, Margie Burns of Aviation Selection Consultants in Meath, Caitlin O’ Connor of Accelerating Performance in Dublin, Sammy Leslie of Castle Leslie Estate in Monaghan and Fionnuala Ardee of Kilruddery Estate Enterprises Ltd in Wicklow. PHOTO: Mark Stedman

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D., recently launched the programme of events for National Women’s Enterprise Day (NWED) 2018 taking place on Thursday 18th October with 16 major female entrepreneurial events planned across the country.

This initiative is led by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide, and funded by the Government of Ireland, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and Local Authorities. The Local Enterprise Offices have organised a programme of events under the theme “From Local To Global” aimed at inspiring and educating the next generation of female business leaders to take their local ideas and make them a global success.

In 2017 the Local Enterprise Offices played a key role in supporting female entrepreneurs across the country to start, and grow, their business. Over 18,500 female entrepreneurs took part in training, mentoring and networking programmes with their Local Enterprise Office in 2017. The Local Enterprise Offices also supported over 280 female run businesses with funding last year to help them start, and grow their business.

NWED events are taking place in Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow and will attract over 1,000 women in business and female entrepreneurs nationwide.

Some of those who will be speaking at the events across the country include; Mary McKenna (Tour America), Catherine Roycroft (Cartoon Saloon), Marissa Carter (Cocoa Brown), Norah Casey (Harmonia), Vanessa Tierney (Abodoo), Oonagh O’Hagan (Meagher’s Pharmacy), Marie Mohan (Greenfield Foods) and Sarah Slazenger (Powerscourt Estate). They will also be joined by Minister Heather Humphreys, T.D., Minister Pat Breen, T.D. and Julie Sinnamon, Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland.