Innovative micro enterprise project comes to Ireland

Entrepeneurs 4 Change

- Community groups giving would-be entrepreneurs second chance

Five community organisations have pulled together and pooled resources to bring a new entrepreneurial programme to Ireland, one which has proven a success in the USA in giving social enterprises a start. In January, the programme helped 20 business hopefuls in Wexford and Dublin who initially had loan applications refused.

The ‘Entrepreneurs4change’ programme which may be repeated in other parts of the country began when a community organisation in Co. Wexford and four others from Dublin, including a national Traveller organisation linked up. The organisations are Dublin Simon Community, National Traveller MABS, Job Care, South West Wexford Community Development Programme and (Dublin’s) South Inner City Community Development Association. The latter two are part of the LCDP.

Léargas actively looking for volunteers

Conor Hogan reports

No Irish demographic has been hit harder in the recession than the young. In fact, of the working population under 30, one in three is now unemployed – a statistic that doesn’t bear thinking about. 

Many are hit with the uncomfortable choice of drawing the dole, working for free as an intern or emigrating. There are some interesting options, however, the European Volunteer Service (EVS) being one of them.

When David meets Dermot

'Dublin Valentines' is an annual public conversation between playwright and poet Dermot Bolger and well known Dublin writers, presented by axis in association with Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership and the North Dublin Chamber of Commerce. This year his guest is David McWilliams, the leading economic commentator.

'HORACE MCDERMOTT' KNEW IT ALL ALONG - €3.6 BILLION FOUND

Ireland is €3.6 BILLION better off than we thought!
The Dept of Finance confirmed today that an accounting error took place. Well, if we were to make use of these billions, it would be:
- the same as giving everyone in Ireland €800 in 'luck-money' for Christmas.
- the same as giving 167,000 unemployed people jobs.
- the same as the amount originally earmarked for regeneration of Limerick’s disadvantaged estates.
It's also the same coincidentally as the amount the EU/IMF say we must cut in this year’s budget.
It's all rather curious.
German officials found €55 BILLION that went unnoticed in another "error" last month.
Seriously, Horace McDermott, our fictitious good news correspondent predicted as much in the summer of 2010 when he wrote that officials found €22 million lying in a biscuit tin in Anglo Irish Bank.
Horace never imagined he should be thinking in billions. The incredible becomes reality.

Here's more about the Germans' €55 BILLION