The Centre’s History
The Centre’s History
Terenure Enterprise Centre is a voluntary organisation with charitable status established in 1984. The directors all live locally and are strongly committed to supporting economic development in the South City area of Dublin.
- Established 1984 on a voluntary basis following a public meeting in Terenure College organised by Fr Eltin Griffin
- Terenure Enterprise Centre officially opened in 1987 by President Hillery
- First Community enterprise initiative of its kind in Ireland
- Twenty serviced incubator units (including 3 approved for food preparation)
- Hosted visits from International Community Groups from countries such as Scotland, Belarus, Nigeria, Poland, Slovenia and Hungary.
- Refurbishment of premises, formerly the Classic Cinema, funded by combination of community donations, grants from FAS and the IDA, corporate sponsorship and a bank loan
- Achieved charitable status in 1990
- In 1997, at the request of ADM, launched and managed the successful establishment of the Rathmines Information Centre to administer Rathmines/Terenure Integrated Development Plan. This was handed over to local community management in 2002
- In 2001, in conjunction with FÁS, Terenure Enterprise Centre hosted a specially tailored programme, ‘Assessing Business Opportunities in Ireland’, filling a gap for non-nationals seeking self-employment.
- Terenure Enterprise Centre Publishes: Enterprise Supports, Training & Start-Up Assistance for Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs, Combat Poverty 2003
- An application to FAS to expand its services as a social economy project was approved in December 2002
- Launched new Computer Training Service & Achieved FAS Excellence Through People Award in 2004 – President Mary McAleese visits to mark our 20th Anniversary
- From 2005 Terenure Enterprise Centre was approved to deliver services under the Community Services Programme which extended computer and training services to older people and people with disabilities.
- Launched the Active Senior IT Society with an original group of 45 local older people in 2006
- Collaborated with First Step Microfinance to research and author the report Immigrant Micro-Entrepreneurs in Ireland 2006, A Contextual Report & Focus Group Summary First Step Microfinance, 2006
- Piloted ‘Publishing a Newsletter’ training programme with Enable Ireland service users in 2008
- Delivered computer training to 360 people through collaboration with the Community Services Programme and Benefit Scheme via Dept of Energy, Communications & Natural Resources in 2009