This article is from page 6 of the 2009-10-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
FIVE separate Ennis-based busi- nesses are working together in a new venture aimed at protecting as many as 80 local jobs.
The businesses, FSG – Fire, Stove and Gas, Colleran Fitted Furniture, Stone Ware Tiles, Ennis Carpets and Ryan’s Window Attire, are all based near the Quin Road business park and are all involved in the home fin- ishings industry.
As ameans of countering the effects of the economic slowdown, five local business people – Dermot Whelan (FSG), John Colleran, Simon Whe- lan (Stoneware), Pat McDaid (Ennis Carpets) and Olive Ryan, decided to eroup together to market their serv- ices on a joint basis.
Their aim is to boost local business- es and by doing so they also hope to protect the futures of 80 direct jobs and potentially more in related serv- (eon
“I suppose like many businesses we were feeling the effect of the eco- nomic downturn. I sat down with Si- mon and John Colleran and then we spoke with Olive and Pat to look and see if we could do something togeth- er. We’ve all been in business in En- nis for a long time and we’re trying boost local business and protect jobs. Basically its businesses doing it for themselves and not getting sucked into all the negativity that’s out there,” explained Dermot Whelan.
He continued, “Collectively we
would employ almost 80 people but you would have a good few more when you take into account the fact that huge investment has been put into our showrooms. You have trades people that would be employed in that side of it and other non-direct jobs. You’re looking initially at 80 direct jobs but there are more defi- nitely added on to that”.
Whelan also believes that local businesses play an active role in sup-
porting the local community.
‘“T’ve been in business for 13 years, and I hope to be in it for 13 more. As local enterprises, we would sponsor jerseys, sponsor teams, things like that. We would have ties to the com- munity. Its wider I suppose than the 80 jobs because when you look at it, all our contracts are local. We get our diesel and petrol locally. We buy our vans locally”, said Dermot.
“Its not just about these five busi-
nesses either. We see this hopefully, as rippling out to help maybe 20 other local businesses. Things may be tough but its easier to go around with a smile on your face than being grumpy all the time’, he added.