PARTNERSHIP LEADS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

An organisation spawned out of the refusal of a community to sit around and wait for the state agencies to tackle unemployment in the area has enjoyed spectacular success since its inception and the fruits of its work are patently obvious for all to see.

Kilmallock Partnership was formed nine years ago in response to the loss of a major employer in the area. It was the local business and community’s response to help attract other employers and to grow existing employment in the area.

The Partnership comprises of Kilmallock Traders Association who are the main drivers behind the initiative together with local community representatives from Shannon Development, Ballyhoura Development, Limerick County Council, Limerick County Enterprise Board, Fas, the Office of Public Works, Friar’s Gate’s Theatre, County Limerick V.E.C. Enterprise Ireland and the local Community Council amounting to in total to about fifteen partners.

THE BEGINNING

A meeting with the then Minster for Enterprise and Employment Mary Harney, T.D. at the very beginning in response to the job losses was fruitless other than a commitment that if the Partnership led the way, that the agencies would provide the necessary support and that is as progress transpired.” Nobody has said no to us where we have led the way and asked for support” recalled vice chairman John Webb-O’Rourke.

STRUCTURES

The Partnership is made up of a number of sub-committees, the enterprise centre was developed through the expertise of the industrial sub-committee which is mainly made up of business owners that have built their own enterprises and who would have expertise in project management.

A tourism sub- committee which works closely with Ballyhoura, local tourism providers and packages are being prepared to bring people to stay locally through such events as festivals and through maximising the Ballyhoura Mountain Park.

A training and business development committee that is examining the needs of the businesses locally, their training needs and what is on offer for the unemployed. John Fitzgerald of Harmonics is very much involved in this aspect of the committee’s work.

The Partnership has a recently formed green sub-committee. Dingle in Kerry is a recently designated green town and the Partnership is currently engaged with Limerick County council, Ballyhoura Development and the E.P.A. to follow that example with a view to businesses operating in a greener environment.

“We are forever evolving, we always question ourselves if we are doing the right thing and heading in the right direction, is our focus for the next three months in the right area? In another couple of months another sub-committee could be set up to respond to something that Kilmallock should take advantage of” the vice chairman explained.

INITIATIVES

The main initiatives undertaken over the last five years have been the Business Expansion Scheme led development of Kilmallock advance factory extending to 15,000 square feet which is let to a local logistics company.

A fourteen acre expansion to the Shannon Development managed Kilmallock Business Park has been developed comprising of nine one acre sites each extending to approximately one acre each.

The most recent initiative is the development of a €1 million enterprise incubation centre in the park which is being driven by the Partnership. It is a unit that extends to 10,000 square feet and is already the subject of a number of expressions of interest. It consists of four 2,000 square foot units and a 2,000 square foot space of office that is open to subdivision into hot desks for individual businesses. The facility is due for completion before the year end.

ENTERPRISE SEMINAR

Later this month on Tuesday September 21st. Kilmallock partnership is hosting a special enterprise evening at Deebert House Hotel, Kilmallock from 6.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

The seminar will discuss enterprise opportunities for Kilmallock together with the possibility of hosting a LEAP programme in the town. Some leading speakers will be present on the evening and it is geared at entrepreneurs and people with business ideas interested in locating into Kilmallock. According to Mr. Webb-O’Rourke, the Leap programme will be run in conjunction with L.I.T. if ten existing business owners or ten start up businesses will be willing to develop their business through the programme. Confirmed speakers include Ned Toomey of Limerick Enterprise Board; Belinda Spillane of Ballyhoura, Liam Healy of AIB; Colin McClean on Limerick Institute of Technology and Sean Ryan of Galtee Wood Products.

A further seminar related to Tourism and Ballyhoura is scheduled for early November.

THE MESSAGE

The work of the Partnership is a manifestation of concern among the community in Kilmallock at large that they want to develop it into a place can meet and rise above the challenges of the current economic climate, that they will lead the way, will develop Kilmallock, create employment in Kilmallock and not be reliant on others to do it.

Kilmallock Partnership is a paragon for others to follow. It is an example of a community coming together to challenge economic difficulties and disadvantage and leading the way in harnessing the support of local and state agencies for the overall betterment of the economic, social and cultural life of the community.