Minister impressed by entrepreneurial spirit in Westmeath
A minister with responsibility for business and retail completed a visit to the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Westmeath last week impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit he found in the county.
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Neale Richmond, TD, as at LEO Westmeath on Thursday, November 9, where he met council officials and members of the LEO team as well as some of their client companies.
Cllr Liam McDaniel, cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, head of Enterprise, Christine Charlton, and chief executive of Westmeath County Council, Pat Gallagher welcomed the minister to the council chambers.
He said: “I am delighted to visit the Westmeath Local Enterprise Office and meet the LEO team and clients. Meeting businesses across the country is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role and it is great to see the impact of the LEO’s work and meet some amazing entrepreneurs.
“The team in the Westmeath LEO, led by head of Enterprise Christine Charlton, do incredible work, supporting more than 250 companies which employ some 1,400 people across Westmeath. From financial supports to mentorships, the LEO team are working tirelessly to support their local businesses and their success is clear through that of their clients.”
The minister was introduced to Mark Connaughton, a soccer coach whose playing career included spells at Longford town and Shelbourne AFC. Mark founded KlassKickz, selling colour coded football boots, designed by Roscommon based by professional designer, Lorna Burke, that help children learn football through colours and become more confident.
Minister Richmond also met Rosaleen Coates of Rosaleen’s Kitchen, established in 2013. Rosaleen supplies fresh gluten and wheat free homemade products made from locally sourced ingredients to the food service industry and has developed new gluten-free dry-mixes for home baking.
The minister also spoke to Robert Collentine and John Raleigh of Hybrid Engineering, a mechanical contracting and fabrication company based in Mullingar. They design and develop prefabricated and modular mechanical packages. Westmeath LEO team has worked closely with Hybrid since 2019, aiding with start-up costs, business expansion.
The minister then met Jeffrey Lyons of Watt Footprint, an energy management business that reduces energy bills for clients through a one-stop-shop approach. Watt Footprint are developing their own energy monitoring device which will allow them to measure energy consumption and power quality, and send the data to their servers for analysis, giving clients greater control of their energy costs.
On the conclusion of his visit, Minister Richmond said: “The impact of support provide by Local Enterprise Offices across the country cannot be underestimated. The entrepreneurs I met in at Westmeath LEO show the diversity of businesses in the county and are an example of the possibilities that are open to anyone who wants to start or grow their own business. I would strongly encourage all entrepreneurs in Westmeath to contact the LEO team if they have not already.”