€150,000 funding boost for ACE Enterprise Centres
By Aideen O'Flaherty
LOCAL enterprise centres have received a funding boost after being approved for government grants under Enterprise Ireland’s Enterprise Centres Fund.
Action Community and Enterprise CLG, trading as ACE Enterprise Park, has centres in Bawnogue and Neilstown in Clondalkin and received a grant of €150,000 from the Enterprise Centres Fund.
ACE Enterprise Centre in Bawnogue
Lisa Rowntree, CEO of ACE Enterprise Park, told The Echo: “Enterprise centres have the potential to really drive economic activity and social prosperity across the country, and ACE are best positioned to do this for the Clondalkin area.
This financial support from Enterprise Ireland will see ACE invest in emerging technologies such as superfast broadband and facilities like a digital hub that will encourage and embrace our new ways of working and learning for all of the community in a post-pandemic environment.”
Partas, which runs Tallaght Enterprise Centre, Bolbrook Enterprise Centre, Killinarden Enterprise Park and Brookfield Enterprise Centre, secured funding of €200,000 as a result of two successful, related applications they submitted for consideration.
John Kearns, CEO of Partas, told The Echo: “Partas is delighted to announce that it has been successful in two related applications to the Enterprise Ireland Recovery Fund for Community Enterprise Centres.
“The total amount granted is €200,000 which must be spent on improvements or adaptations to the centres so as to enhance their sustainability.
“The amounts must be match funded by Partas to an amount of 20 per cent.
“Partas has already submitted its plans for development work in their Tallaght Enterprise Centre and the Brookfield Enterprise Centre, together with finishing fit-out to its almost complete redeveloped centre in Bolbrook to be called ‘The Edge’ and which should be opened early in the New Year.
“Overall, we hope to enrich the facilities available within the overall enterprise ecosystem in Tallaght.
“We have been working with the businesses within our four enterprise centres to assist them as best possible through these difficult times.
“This grant should help maintain our own sustainability as we emerge from the economic impact of Covid-19 and continue to play our part in Tallaght’s overall recovery.”
Other local centres which received funding including the Nutgrove Community Centre in Rathfarnham, which secured a total of €39,896, the Terenure Enterprise Centre is set to receive €54,660, and the Synergy Centre in TUDublin-Tallaght Campus secured €89,390.
After the funding was announced last Friday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said: “I am really pleased to make this funding available through my Department.
“It will help enterprise centres all over the country to modernise their facilities protecting the health and safety of people who work there and helping to secure much needed jobs.”
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