There’s call for Clare’s Local Enterprise Office to support young people trying to establish a career in farming.
It comes as LEO Clare has revealed it provided funding of over €2.5 million to more than 100 businesses countywide in the last five years.
Unveiling LEO Clare’s Local Enterprise Development Plan for 2026 to 2028, Senior Enterprise Development Officer Theresa Mulvihill Killeen has told Clare’s Economic Development Strategic Policy Committee that the office is now the “first stop shop” for microenterprise in the county.
From 2021 to 2025, the LEO provided over €2.5 million to 107 enterprises across the county while supporting 206 companies employing over 1,360 people.
Additionally, it’s trained more than 4,000 workers and mentored in excess of 1,100 entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the latest Economic SPC meeting, Theresa Mulvihill Killeen says businesses are “agile” and adapting to changing economic circumstances.
The five key strategic priorities of the new plan have been identified as accelerating digital transformation, supporting the locally-traded sector, strengthening the Irish-owned exporting sector, and fostering innovation.
The meeting heard that Clare has a population of 127,900 with a growing labour force and over 9,000 enteprises, the majority of which are micro-enterprises or small and medium-sized enterprises.
Reacting to the presentation, Clonlara Independent Councillor Michael Begley asked if the LEO would be able to support an “enthusiastic young farmer” looking to break into the sector.
In response, the Senior Enterprise Development Officer said this would be possible “as long as he has an open mind”.
Councillor Begley says not all young people interested in a career in agriculture come from farming families.
You can listen to the full interview here:
