We thank Julie Crowley for the excellent pictures and the following Press Release from the Official Launch of E Millstreet Enterprise Centre:
On the 23rd January, the E Millstreet Enterprise Centre was officially launched by the Mayor of the County, Cllr. Barbara Murray. The Centre is supported by Cork County Council, IRD Duhallow and is initiated by the Millstreet Development Association. The Centre has also benefitted from the huge support of O’Keeffe’s Supervalu (in providing refurbished space) and Alps Electric for their support during the start-up phase.
This Centre comes about as part of Cork County Council’s ‘E Centres Initiative’ which is part of the Economic Development Fund. The ambition is to work with local communities in towns and villages all over CorkCounty to provide such facilities for local people to start and grow their business.
The new centre, E Millstreet, is located on the Square in Millstreet and hosts 7 hot desks and a large meeting facility where businesses can base themselves with shared facilities at a low cost with other entrepreneurs.
The Centre has access 24/7, is furnished to a high standard, has broadband, direct-dial telephones, a break-out area and comfortable meeting facilities. It has everything a business would require without any of the hassle of setting up an office or taking out a long term lease. Hot Desks are generally rented out on a month-to-month basis and there is also a flexi-desk option available for those who would like to use the centre for just a day or a half day. The big advantage of the centre is that businesses will meet peers in a similar situation, establish and develop supportive contacts with them and the state enterprise bodies.
Speaking of the initiative, Ger Power, Head of Finance and Economic Development for Cork County Council said ‘We would like to thank O’Keeffe’s Supervalu in Millstreet, IRD Duhallow and the Millstreet Development Association, without whom this project wouldn’t happen’.
Ideal clients for the centre include those who are starting or growing a business, those who wish to use a smaller office space due to the need for downsizing or those who are working remotely from head office and do not wish to work from home. The Centre will also be open to those who wish to book meeting space for training or other meetings.
Speaking on behalf of Millstreet Development Association, Tony McCaul, Chairman of the group gave the large crowd a warm welcome to the new centre. He particularly complimented Veronica Perdisatt for working voluntarily on the project and also the support of Brendan O’Shaughnessy from Alps Electric, Super Valu and Deputy Aine Collins’.
Also speaking at the event, Helen O’Sullivan of IRD Duhallow said that ‘This project is all about a bottom-up approach where local communities want to attract enterprise to come into the town and she wished the project the very best of luck and said IRD would be available to offer ongoing support for this worthwhile project’.
Of the initiative, while speaking at the launch County Manager Martin Riordan said ‘I think this is a very important initiative in terms of Cork County Council assisting communities to develop job opportunities locally. Working with the Millstreet Development Group in partnership with other agencies and state bodies is very important to ongoing success’.
Cllr Gerard Murphy, Chairman of the SPC also spoke at the event and said that ‘the participation of the local community was most important for success. He said that Cork County Council are getting more and more involved with economic development by contributing 1% of their rate base to continue development of initiatives like this one’.
If a business is interested in using the facilities of the E Centre (training room, meeting room, hot desk), they should not hesitate to call to the Centre located on the Square Millstreet.
Funds are available to start enterprise centres in other parts of the County from Cork County Council and if a group is interested in this, they should contact Maeve Bowen on 026-20520.
More information on the E Centres project can be viewed on www.ecentres.ie or from Julie Crowley on 026-20520.
