A £1.1m business support programme for the Mid Ulster District Council was launched yesterday, to help companies recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19.
Upon a visit to PJD Safety Supplies in Ballygawley, Economy Minister Diane Dodds said: “The three-year support package aims to help micro and small businesses in the area recover from the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and sustain and grow employment in more than 600 local firms.
“Building capacity in key business areas, such as planning, financial management and tendering, innovation, the adoption of new technologies and digital growth, have all been included in the funded programme to help companies sustain and create jobs while competing successfully for new work to increase sales and turnover.”
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Chair of the Council, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan, added: “Mid Ulster’s position as the centre of manufacturing here and its concentration of construction businesses means the district has suffered a substantial and sustained economic shock and is being disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
“It has never been more critical for us all, whether in local or central government, to intervene to support this area’s economic recovery. Economic growth is ultimately what we are striving for, however, we recognise that the immediate need is to sustain the existing economy and existing jobs.
“Tailoring our support programmes to assist the small businesses on which our economy has been founded and from where we derive our economic strength is a central plank of Mid Ulster’s recovery in the long-term.”
This project is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.
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Source: Written from press release
