The Minister for Small Business, Mr John Perry TD, has highlighted the importance of encouraging more women who have the motivation, skills and ability to start their own business.
The Minister was speaking following his meeting with the Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship, who have been appointed by the European Commission to promote and encourage more women to become entrepreneurs and set up businesses.
Following the meeting, Minister Perry said: “The recently launched Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Ireland for 2010 recognised that fewer women than men are active as entrepreneurs, with the rate of early stage entrepreneurship among men at 9.5 per cent, compared to 3.9 per cent for women. It is therefore vitally important that we provide the right environment to foster the development of this untapped female entrepreneurial talent across all sectors of Irish business.”
Mr Perry said that he believes that the Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship can play an important role in stimulating growth in our economy, and he said the government will play its part in providing support to small and medium businesses and in encouraging female entrepreneurship.
Commenting after the meeting, Ms Carmel Brennan, President of the Galway Chamber of Commerce, who are lead partners in this initiative, said: “Too few women are taking the step to start their own business, and there is huge untapped entrepreneurial potential. The Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative will help boost the entrepreneurial activity in our regions.
“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to meet with Minister John Perry to introduce the Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative and discuss the challenges facing female entrepreneurs. We had a very engaging discussion on the issues which affect entrepreneurs considering starting a business, as well as a very open dialogue on recommendations to make the environment for female entrepreneurship more favourable,” she said.
Minister Perry said he will maintain an “open door” policy in terms of meeting with the Female Entrepreneurship groups on a regular basis.
The European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors was launched in 2009, with a network of 270 entrepreneurs from 22 countries. The ambassadors work with women from all backgrounds with an interest in innovation, manufacturing or research and development.
Three Irish Chambers of Commerce (in Galway, Dublin and Cork) run the Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative, and there are currently ten Ambassadors.
