Matthews Coach Hire wins the award for Environmental Sustainability with The SFA
Small Businesses demonstrate how achievement, innovation and excellence can lead Ireland out of recession.
An Taoiseach presents SFA National Small Business Awards 2010.
An Taoiseach presents SFA National Small Business Awards 2010.
Matthews Coach Hire has won the award for Environmental Sustainability with The SFA. The presentation of the award was made by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, TD, the patron on the awards, at Awards Ceremony in the Trinity College Dining Hall, today Thursday, 4th March. This is the sixth year of the SFA National Small Business Awards, which are organised by the Small Firms Association.
Category: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (up to 50 employees); sponsored by Sustainable Energy Ireland
The Winner of this category was Matthews Coach Hire (Co Monaghan).
Matthews Coach Hire, Winner of the Environmental Sustainability Award sponsored by Sustainable Energy Ireland. Matthews, Founded in 1995 and based in Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, Matthews Coach Hire, founded and run by Paddy Matthews, shows constant innovation in the service it provides, and this is reflected in Matthew’s attitude to the environment also. In the past the company has teamed up with Sustainable Energy Ireland in order to reduce the amount of fuel its coaches use and it also promotes an environmentally friendly ethos among staff members in terms of lighting, heating and water usage.
Speaking at the awards An Taoiseach stated: “The SFA’s National Small Business Awards provide welcome opportunity to acknowledge the crucial role played by small business in creating and sustaining wealth and jobs in the Irish economy. It is an opportunity that is all the more significant given the challenges currently facing us. These are challenges to which our response has been clear. Following the tough decisions taken last year, there are early signs of economic stabilisation – in tax revenues, in the unemployment figures, and in the recovery of consumer sentiment to levels last seen in the beginning of 2008. The National Small Business Awards continue to showcase the best of innovation and ingenuity in Irish enterprise. I sincerely congratulate all of the 2010 finalists and wish you every continued success for the future.”
Announcing the winner, Dr Aidan O’Boyle, SFA Chairman and Chair of the Judging Panel stated that: “This is a fine example of an Irish family owned company, with a commitment to organic farming, that has managed through innovation and product development to grow their business even in the darkest recession. Glenisk are a true an inspiration to other small businesses.”
Awards were also presented to six category winners (details beneath). The awards are sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, Sustainable Energy Ireland, Chartered Accountants Ireland, AIB, eircom and the County and City Enterprise Boards.
Speaking at the event Dr Aidan O’Boyle also said to the awards finalists: “You have shown in your submissions not only innovation and flair but also a determination to address the competitiveness threats which we all currently face as small businesses. But your actions at company level must be supported by actions at Government level to:
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Get credit flowing again to viable small businesses.
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To extend the Government decision of 2009 that Central Government Departments would pay their suppliers within 15 days, to cover also the HSE and Local Authorities.
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Reduce local authority charges in 2010 by 10%.
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Further reduce electricity and gas prices to small business users by using ESB and An Bord Gais’ dividends as rebates to business customers on their energy bills.
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The establishment of a National Entrepreneurship Policy to target the growth in the number of innovative small businesses with a Ministerial champion to head it up.”
“Taoiseach, delivering on the above 5 actions would assist dynamic small businesses such as we have with us this evening to lead us forward out of the current recession” concluded Dr O’Boyle.
Ends
