Fingal’s Future Entrepreneurs primed to participate in Ireland’s Largest Enterprise Programme

Fingal’s Student Entrepreneurs gathered at County Hall today to launch the 2022/23 Fingal Student Enterprise Programme. 20 Second level schools with over 1,000 students across Fingal have already signed up to participate in this year’s programme.  The savvy students will develop their own actual businesses, researching, resourcing, trading services and products, with the guidance of business mentors.

Joining the Mayor of Fingal Cllr Howard Mahony were Chief Executive of Fingal County Council AnnMarie Farrelly and Head of Enterprise Oisin Geoghegan to launch this year’s programme included last year’s Fingal Student winners as well as sponsors of the Fingal competition.

Fingal boasts the largest enterprise programme prize fund for second level students in the country with an international educational trip to Spain or Portugal for senior category winning student and teachers. Every year around 25,000 students take part from almost 500 schools all across the country, competing in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories, this year sees the programme in its 21^st year with a record of over 300,000 students having taken part since it began.   Participants learn how to create and run their own business, picking up key skills along the way such as ideation, marketing, finance and sales and is open to all secondary schools.  Recent ambassadors for the programme have included Derval O’Rourke, Josh Van Der Flier and Limerick All-Ireland winner Sean Finn.   

The programme is run through the network of Local Enterprise Offices, supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, with local coordinators in every area to support teachers and students through the year of the programme, which helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life. Supported by sponsors including One4All, Simtech Aviation, Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, and Dublin & Dun Laoghaire Education & Training Board [DDLETB], the programme is open to all secondary school students from 1^st year through to 6^th year.   

Fingal has had success at National level over the years with students Emily Carroll, Lucy Barnwell, and Hannah Barnwell of Loreto Balbriggan winning the Special Merit prize in Intermediate category in 2020/2021 with their product Bee Happy. Ava Gilmartin from Malahide-Portmarnock Educate Together also took the first prize in the Junior category at the National Student Enterprise Programme back in 2019. Aoife Ni Chuanaigh from Colaiste Ghlor na Mara won the Merit Prize in the Intermediate category, with her book "Make Every Step Count" in 2017.

Mayor of Fingal Councillor Howard Mahony spoke about the positive contribution of the SEP to Fingal: “Since the Student Enterprise Programme began, countless local students have benefitted and we want to continue to offer supports to local entrepreneurs and business leaders. Entrepreneurship is a key component of our economy and initiatives such as the Student Enterprise Programme play a vital role in sustaining a strong enterprising culture. I would encourage principals and teachers to participate in the forthcoming Student Enterprise Programme.”

Speaking about the Student Enterprise Programme, AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council adds " The Student Enterprise Programme provides the next generation of entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity to transform their ideas into a fully-fledged business with the support and encouragement of their teachers. The Programme helps to promote a strong entrepreneurial culture in Fingal which we value immensely here at Fingal County Council.”

Also speaking at the launch of the Student Enterprise Programme, Oisín Geoghegan, Head of Enterprise of Local Enterprise Office Fingal refers to how “Every year it is fantastic to see local students in Fingal bring their business ideas to life through the Student Enterprise Programme. Fingal schools and students are leading the way with the highest take-up of the initiative in Ireland. I would like to acknowledge our sponsors: Dublin & Dun Laoghaire Education & Training Board, One4All, Simtech Aviation, and Blanchardstown Centre. Incentives and prizes provided to the competition by our sponsors plays an important role in helping to create a very strong competition in Fingal.”