Business & Finance

PTSB coming to Enniscorthy

n €1m investment will bring Permanent

TSB to former Ulster Bank branch in

Enniscorthy. n Branch will feature full cash services and former Ulster Bank staff. n Customers encouraged to move their current account to Permanent TSB before 6th of January.

Permanent TSB has announced details of its plans to open a new branch in Enniscorthy in early 2023 which will build on Permanent TSB’s existing presence in Co. Wexford (through its branches in Gorey, Wexford and New Ross) as part of a major expansion from 75 to 98 branches in communities across Ireland.

The Bank will open for business in Enniscorthy in late January/early February following the acquisition of the Ulster Bank branch in Enniscorthy as part of its wider acquisition of €7.5 billion in mortgages, SME loans and asset finance business from Ulster Bank.

Permanent TSB is encouraging customers to move their account to Permanent TSB before the Ulster Bank Enniscorthy branch closes on the 6th of January. Customers can open a Permanent TSB current account by downloading the Permanent TSB app and availing of Permanent TSB’s award-winning digital current account opening process, which allows customers open an account in less than 15 minutes. Alternatively customers can make an appointment in one of Permanent TSB’s 75 branches nationwide or in

PTSB's Head of Retail Distribution Eddie Kearney

one of Permanent TSB’s mobile branches. To check the schedule for mobile branches, please visit permanenttsb.ie/inyourcommunity.

Customers can visit Permanent TSB’s dedicated online support hub, permanenttsb.ie/movingbankhub, for more information on how to move their banking relationship to Permanent TSB or for an appointment in branch.

The new Permanent TSB Enniscorthy branch will feature full cash services and will include staff who worked in this branch when it was operated by Ulster Bank. Each branch will offer the full range of Permanent TSB’s award-winning services including mortgages, current accounts, deposit accounts, personal loans, insurance and pensions. Eddie Kearney, Head of Retail Distribution at Permanent TSB, says: “This is a big moment for Permanent TSB... We are delighted to invest in the new Enniscorthy branch and the people who will work in it... For Ulster Bank customers of the Enniscorthy branch we are offering an easy transition to a new bank, with the same people and in the same building as they have been doing their banking business up to now. We want to welcome them and assure them of a great service provided by great people.” n

Congrats to Sully & Juno

Nina and Gillian are best friends who met at the school gates on their children's first day of Junior infants. They got chatting and realised that while they are absolute opposites in some ways, they have loads in common also including the fact that both of our husbands are named Rob!

The pair of friends had always talked about possibly setting up a business together so after a long chat one evening they decided to take the plunge. On the first day of term 2021 they dropped their children off to school and got to work. Three months later they packed and shipped their 1,500th order of their colourful, printed clothing from their design and print studio in Wexford. Their range is colourful, affordable, high quality and unique and accessible and inclusive to those who have sensory needs, making great use of rainbows and everyday Gaeilge in their designs which stand out from the crowd.

There was a fantastic array of Wexford products on the “Taking Care of Business” Special of the Late Late Show last month. Featured on the show were Sully & Juno, along with Nutorious Nutrition, Wexbury Spirits, Yola Bakery, and Scup Gelato. Sully & Juno came away with a bursary prize of €15,000 sponsored by Square. You can watch the full special back on the RTE player at the link below. https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-late-lateshow/SI0000001694?epguid=IH000413655 n

Learn about remote working

Enniscorthy Library Information Session

Are you interested in working remotely or learning more about it? Grow Remote can help you by providing the tools to acquire: Skills to work remotely Progress your career remotely Apply to discounted courses delivered by Grow Remote Find remote jobs online Access Grow Remote events and community Understand benefits and challenges of remote working Booking essential. Please register for your place by phoning 053 9236055. n

Feasibility Study Grants

Feasibility Study Grants are designed to assist the promoter with researching market demand for a product or service and examining its sustainability. It includes assistance with innovation including specific consultancy requirements, hiring of expertise from third level colleges, private specialists, design and prototype development. The maximum Feasibility Study Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €15,000 whichever is the lesser. Expenditure may be considered under the following headings: Market Research - Consultancy Costs - Technical Development/Prototype/ Innovation - Salary/Own Labour Research - Miscellaneous Costs Please contact Wexford LEO for an application form for the Feasibility Study Grant. Phone: 053 919 6020. Email: info@leo.wexfordcoco.ie n

Business supports

The Business Expansion Grant is designed to assist a business in its growth phase after the initial 18 month start-up period. Sole traders, partnerships or limited companies that fulfill the following criteria can apply: - Located and operating within the LEO geographic area. - A business, which, on growth, will have the capacity to progress to the Enterprise Ireland portfolio - A business employing up to 10 employees - A manufacturing or internationally traded service business - A domestically traded service business with the potential to trade internationally. For more information and how to apply click here: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford/Financial-Supports/Business-Expansion-Grant/ The Agile Innovation Fund is now available for small businesses: Introduced by Enterprise Ireland, the Agile fund will help clients of LEO Wexford respond more quickly to market opportunities and challenges like Brexit. Offering fast-track approval and a streamlined online application process, the new Agile Innovation Fund will allow companies to access up to 45% or 50% in support for product, process or service development projects with a total cost of up to €300,000. For more information click: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Wexford/Financial-Supports/Agile%20Innovation%20Fund/ n

Green for Micro

Sign up for The Local Enterprise Office Green For Micro programme – helping your business prepare for the low carbon, more resource efficient economy of the future. Book Now: https://bit.ly/3zW6RBn This FREE initiative is available to companies with up to ten employees, and provides the mentorship and technical support your business needs to go green, covering such as resource efficiency, understanding your carbon footprint, reducing costs and implementing an environmental management system. n

Student Enterprise Programme 2

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Damien English TD, with Andrew Gormley, St. Patrick’s Classical School, Navan,

Abbie Brocklebank with Belle’s Bowtique, from Coláiste na Mí, and Emma Summer with Garden Angels, from St Ciarán’s Community School with their 2023 entries at the launch of the Student Enterprise programme 2022/2023. PIC: JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY. The Student Enterprise Programme launched last month for its 21st year with the addition of three new awards.

Minister Damien English joined last year’s winners Barrelda from St. Patrick’s Classical School and their Principal and Meath GAA manager Colm O’Rourke in Navan for the launch of Ireland’s largest student entrepreneurial programme. An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to encourage entrepreneurship in secondary schools, the Student Enterprise Programme has seen over 325,000 secondary school students take part in the programme since it first began, with over 25,000 participants expected this year. Participating students will compete across three categories, Junior (1st year), Intermediate (2nd and 3rd year) and Senior (4th, 5th and 6th year, LVA, LCA and Youth Outreach). Each student enterprise is challenged with creating, setting up and running their own business, which must show viable sales of their service or product. Following county and regional finals, Student Enterprises from across the country will take part in the Final at Croke Park on Friday 5th May. In addition to the three categories that students will be grouped under by class, students can also submit their business model as part of the further ‘optional competitions’. This year will see the introduction of three additional categories of optional competitions including – the ‘Best Business Website’ sponsored by .IE, the “Green Go Getter Award” sponsored by the EPA, as well as the “Smart Business Idea” award sponsored by Folens. These three new awards categories are in addition to ‘My Entrepreneurial Journey’, ‘Social Stars’ and ‘Intellectual Property’ competitions from previous years. Last year’s winner of the Student Enterprise Programme was “Barrelda” – an eco-innovation created by two young farmers from Co. Meath. Barrelda specialises in revamping old, blue polythene drums and recycling them to create meal silos and teat feeders. The young entrepreneurs have won high praise from eco organisations and farming organisations nationwide for their sustainability-focused project which also addresses the rising cost of farming equipment. The Student Enterprise Programme, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local

2023 is launched

authorities throughout the country, saw over 25,000 students from 464 secondary schools across the country take part in 2021/2022. Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English states: “The Student Enterprise Programme is a hugely valuable initiative by the Local Enterprise Offices. Not only does it encourage and foster a love of entrepreneurship, it also creates understanding of what is involved in starting and running a business from idea right through to making sales. No matter what these students do in later life, they will acquire skills in this programme that they can bring with them into jobs and hopefully their own companies in the years to come. Again this year we look forward to innovative and indeed sustainable businesses that these students will create.”

Michael Nevin, chair of the Education Enterprise Committee of the Local Enterprise Offices, said; “I am delighted to announce that the Student Enterprise Programme will return for 2022 / 2023, now within its 21st year. Each year we receive an overwhelming number of submissions which shows the true appetite amongst Irish school students who wish to learn the skills and

Abbie Brocklebank with ‘Belle’s Bowtique’, from Coláiste na Mí, Co. Meath, at the launch of the Student Enterprise programme 2022/2023. PIC: JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

practices for a successful life in business. In addition to the three national categories, we have added to our optional competitions through our ‘Best Business Website’, ‘Go Green Go Better’ and ‘Smart Business Idea’ competitions, giving more students an opportunity to showcase their strengths and abilities. I would like to take this opportunity to wish every student the best of luck and we look forward to viewing their submissions.” https://www.studententerprise.ie n