475 Kilkenny businesses get €1.7m in grants to help them through crisis

Almost 500 Kilkenny businesses have received supports totalling over €1,700,000 from Kilkenny County Council to help pull them through the Covid-19 crisis.

The local authority, through Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Kilkenny, has approved €696,719 for 291 local businesses. This money will be used to help cover consultancy costs to develop short and long term business strategies.

Some €385,452 has been provided to 168 more local companies to assist them with online visibility and to develop new markets.

A further 16 Kilkenny businesses have received a total of €319,190 in financial assistance in the form of business expansion grants and feasibility/innovation grants. The council said this funding will help to create 111 new jobs over the next three years.

Separately, the council confirmed 633 business people from Kilkenny city and county have participated in 43 online training courses and webinars during the Covid-19 crisis.

Kilkenny LEO Head of Enterprise Fiona Deegan acknowledged we are living through extraordinary times, and that “survival” is the chief concern for local businesses right now.

“Everyone, regardless of age, gender or nationality is affected by the current global crisis. But many small business owners have the added concern that they can weather the storm,” Ms Deegan said.

“For a huge number of small businesses, survival is the over-riding objective at this time but despite the very real fears facing many business owners, there are supports available which are designed for businesses across every sector.

“Over the last number of months, the LEO has provided a range of supports to many businesses across a range of sectors including business advisory sessions, training, one-to-one mentoring, financial assistance including Feasibility/Innovation Grants, Business Expansions Grants, Trading On-line Vouchers and Business Continuity Vouchers.”