West Limerick Resources - "Committed to the Community"

Media Release 28 Oct 2011

There have in the past number of days been various reports in the media concerning an event held on the 19^th of October 2010, jointly hosted by West Limerick Resources (WLR) and Newcastle West & District Chamber of Commerce, called "Positioning your Business for the Future".  The keynote speaker at this event was Mr. Sean Gallagher.

It is unfortunately necessary for WLR to address and correct various inaccuracies in some of these reports arising from comments made by Deputy Patrick O'Donovan T.D. and Cllr. Jerome Scanlon. These comments, in which the parties criticise and seek to distance themselves from the decision to engage Mr Gallagher, are indeed regrettable, all the more so as Cllr. Scanlon is a current board member and Deputy O'Donovan a former board member of WLR and both were fully supportive of the decision. Their comments have been met with great disappointment and bewilderment by the directors and employees of WLR.

"Positioning your Business for the Future" was an event, which stemmed out of an invitation from County Limerick Enterprise Board to WLR to contribute to Mid-West Business Week.

WLR, being a Local Development Company, set about (in tandem with Newcastle West & District Chamber of Commerce) organising an event, which ultimately led to "Positioning your Business for the Future" being held.

The sole aim and objective of this event was to promote enterprise in the West Limerick Region.  To do so, it was felt that a key note speaker should be engaged to maximise the benefit of the event to the local business community. 

WLR considered a number of potential speakers for the event and having examined and evaluated the potential cost of such speakers it was ultimately proposed that, based upon availability, suitability, public profile and cost, Mr Gallagher be engaged.  Mr Gallagher's proposed fee was in line with all other considered potential speakers.

In line with standard WLR procedure a project assessment report, detailing all anticipated costs to host the event was thereafter prepared by WLR.

This project was put to a meeting of the Board of Directors of WLR on Wednesday the 29^th of September 2010.  Minutes show that board members Deputy Patrick O'Donovan and Cllr. Jerome Scanlon attended this meeting.  The project, including all costs and keynote speaker, was reviewed and was unanimously approved by the board at the meeting.

The event itself proceeded on the 19^th of October 2010 and was attended by in excess of 150 local business people.  It was also attended by Deputy Patrick O'Donovan and Cllr. Jerome Scanlon.

Mr Gallagher actively participated in the event from 6.30pm to 11.00 pm and during that time delivered a key note address, engaged in panel discussion and in one to one engagement with particular focus on those at the start up stage.

The event also provided an opportunity for business people to network and to discuss issues affecting their businesses at that time. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive and it was felt that the event achieved, and indeed surpassed, expectations in the stated aim of the promotion of enterprise in the West Limerick Region.

The feedback from attendees on Mr Gallagher's contribution to the event again was overwhelmingly positive and can be perhaps best summed up by a tweet from Deputy Patrick O'Donovan on October 21^st stating succinctly that "Sean Gallagher from Dragon's Den was definitely a force for positivity!"

 

-ENDS-

 

For Further comment or to arrange an interview contact:

Shay Riordan

Manager

West Limerick Resources

069-62222

 

Posted on 28/10/2011 by WLR