Ann Phelan TD Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Rural Economic Development (implementation of the CEDRA Report) has today welcomed the first participants on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Acorns programme. 

The 48 female entrepreneurs at today’s forum have been competitively selected from nearly 200 applications for Acorns, and represent rural areas in twenty-one out of twenty-six counties.  The participants will be mentored by 6 highly successful “leads”, all of whom bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the programme.

The Minister explained that she has “a personal and ministerial role in energising rural communities and is aware of the many challenges they face”

The Minister went on to acknowledge the potential of the business women in attendance to not only grow their business to help themselves, but that this development would also support their family, would create jobs which would support the wider community and would ultimately prove the viability of rural Ireland.

The Minister said that “looking around the at the quality of the business women here today, we can see proof that rural Ireland can thrive and is a viable place to do business”

Minister Phelan wished all the participants the best of luck with their participation on the Acorns programme.

Notes for the Editor

• “Acorns” is a programme specifically designed to promote female entrepreneurs from rural areas.  The programme is funded from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s €1million Rural Innovation and Development Fund, which was designed to support innovative and small scale pilot initiatives.

View Press Release as a PDF:  DAFMPR 172/2015 (pdf 436Kb) 

Date Released: 30 September 2015