Cllr. Kieran Dennison: February 2014

Plato Recruiting Now for New Small Business Programme

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Plato is commencing a 12 months Plato Small Business Development Programme in March 2014. PLATO is a non-profit initiative supported by the four Dublin Enterprise Boards and dedicated to the successful development of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in the Dublin region.

At Code for Ireland launched in Dublin Castle, Dominic Byrne, Deputy Head IT Fingal Co. Council; Mayor of Fingal, Councillor Kieran Dennison; Catherine Bracy, Code For America and Jonathan Reichental CIO City of Paolo Alto, USA

PLATO offers owner managers a business support forum where they can tackle the challenges and issues of today’s business world. Through a unique partnership with large “parent” companies, PLATO creates a confidential and safe environment where SMEs can benefit from facilitated group learning, business counseling and support so that you acquire the skills necessary to help your business grow and prosper. It provides an environment for owner managers to learn from one another and share their experiences at a monthly meeting for 12 months – facilitated by large company Managers from Ericsson, Diageo, Microsoft, Pfizer etc.

Jobs & Advice Fair in Blanchardstown Centre

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The International Employment Services Unit of the Department of Social Protection, together with Employment Services Dublin Central is working in association with Blanchardstown Centre to organise a Regional/National and European Jobs and Advice Fair.

Former US Congressman Bruce Morrison, Linda Curran CEO and Cllr. Kieran Dennison Chairman Blanchardstown Area Partnership

The event will take place in the Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin on Friday 28th February 2014 from 12pm to 7pm. Admission is Free.

Irish Company start-ups at pre-recession levels

Friday, February 7, 2014

Irish company start-ups recorded this January matched pre-recession totals with over 1,500 new companies being incorporated according to Business Barometer.

As Mayor and a director of the Fingal County Enterprise Board I am not surprised by these figures. We are witnessing an increasing level of activity across the county among businesses of all sizes.

Karen Lawlor, Country Manager for Ireland at Regus; Cllr. Kieran Dennison, Mayor of Fingal; Siobhan O'Donnell, President Fingal Chamber; Austin McCabe, Vice President Symantec.

Latest figures show that 1,511 Irish company start-ups were incorporated in January 2014 – this is the first time start-ups have reached the 1,500 mark, in a calendar month, since April of 2008 when 1,541 were set up.

Innefficient Bus Company to run Dublin's new Rapid Transit

Monday, February 3, 2014

Three Bus Rapid Transit routes, costing up to €650 million, have been proposed for Fingal by the National Transport Authority.

The system, which will be called Swiftway, would operate as a Luas on wheels with the capacity to carry between 2,400 and 3,600 passengers per hour.

Each route could be put in place at about a third of the cost of a light rail line, and less than one tenth of the estimated cost of Metro North or Metro West. The lines would run from Swords and Dublin Airport to the city centre, Blanchardstown to UCD, and Clongriffin to Tallaght.

The Blanchardstown to UCD route will likely cost between €150 and €200 million to set up and would have a journey time of approximately 40 minutes. At a briefing for Fingsl County Council I asked Hugh Creegan of the National Transport Authority who would run the service and was told that Dublin Bus had been selected. This surely is bad news for commuters and the tax payer as Dublin Bus are not the most efficient operators of transport systems and this will be likely be reflected in the fares to be charged.

Linkbar