Donegal focus for LookWest.ie Enterprise Campaign |
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The Western Development Commission’s (WDC), LookWest.ie advertising and publicity campaign is, this week, focussing on Donegal. In partnership with Donegal County Council, the campaign will aim to attract enterprises and individuals to County Donegal. It will target business owners in the Greater Dublin Area, the rest of the country and the Irish communities abroad, as well as encouraging Donegal people to promote the county to friends and family who live away. The Donegal business featuring in the advertising campaign is PowerBar, a division of Burnfoot-based E&I Engineering who design and manufacture bespoke switchgear and electrical distribution products. The company was founded and is managed by Philip O’Doherty and now employs 280 people. They have customers throughout Europe and recently relocated their manufacturing facility from Derry. Their products are used throughout a range of industries including telecoms, utilities, medical devices, financial services and marine. The overall LookWest.ie campaign, focuses on a different local authority area over a seven-week period, and was launched by Éamon Ó Cuív TD, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Gillian Buckley, CEO of the WDC. Ms Buckley said, “The focus of the LookWest.ie campaign this year is on enterprise and entrepreneurs by highlighting some of the many successful companies who have decided to locate in the region, attracted by the availability of a highly skilled workforce and a truly attractive business environment. According to Michael McLoone, County Manager at Donegal County Council, “We are delighted to work with the Western Development Commission to promote the county as a business location as we believe that we have everything a modern business could wish for here in County Donegal. The entire connectivity of the North West region is now even better than ever with excellent air connections through Donegal (Carrickfinn) and City of Derry airports to Dublin and beyond. There are more major infrastructure improvements on the way including the upgrading of the N2/A5 Dublin – Donegal – Derry route.” Mr McLoone continued “There is a highly skilled and flexible workforce available which continues to grow each year with increasing opportunities for qualified graduates. The council has made substantial investment through the putting in place of metropolitan area networks to support broadband accessibility in the county. We are unique among counties in the Republic of Ireland in that we now have essentially a full county coverage with wireless broadband which greatly facilitates small business. There is a wide range of agencies to support their development including the County Enterprise Board, Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Údarás na Gaeltachta and our own progressive Local Authority which works to facilitate business in Donegal. “All this is available in a county with great social, leisure and cultural facilities providing a superb quality of life in a stunning natural environment. We are delighted to be part of this campaign and look forward to welcoming many new businesses and residents here as a result of it,” he concluded. Ian Brannigan, Development Manager at the WDC says that one of the real drivers for this year’s LookWest.ie 2008 campaign has been the increasing evidence that people are more than ever valuing quality of life as a determinant for where they live and work. “Our research shows that the Western region has this in spades; 67% of businesses surveyed stated that the Western Region had a better work life balance.” - ENDS - |
