Good News Thursday - 30 July 2009

It has been practically six weeks since I posted the last Good News Thursday. There has been very little good news reported but I know that there has to be good news among the Irish SME population. I read blogs, I read twitter and I know that people are busy so there is good news out there.

Lets start to share it again!

1. Employment is still alive and well……

Econ-Optimist is a great site for telling the world about job creation in Ireland. Fiona O’Neill is an ‘econ-optimist’ who doesn’t want to be inundated by the recession word.

Highlights from the site include:

• French owned Call Centre Teleperformance is to create 240 jobs in Newry and Dublin
• CORK health and safety firm, Olive Safety is planning to create 100 jobs
• Space rocket firm, AMPAC-ISP Group, will create 20 new R&D jobs for Dublin

Heritage Insurance Group, a Dublin-based commercial insurance has recently taken on three new staff. Heritage was set up in 2008 and has been growing and growing since. It offers real value with real insurance advice and cover that suits you and your business.

2. Innovative Ideas to Beat the Recession….

Gifts & Vouchers set up Talkshop.ie - a forum to discuss everything related to shopping. It’s a one stop, all-Ireland information and discussion place on the Internet.

Leo Fogarty of Affiliate Marketing recently launched ‘Promo Tuesday’ - a way to promote products or services that he has had the opportunity to review. A lovely way to support fellow businesses.

A new consumer products & services price comparison site has been launched. Save a few bob (saveafewbob.ie) aims to help provide Irish consumers with the chance to find bargains on everyday spending by providing research, reviews and relevant monthly promotions. The free website features independently-commissioned research on what Irish consumers are currently paying for a particular product or service and determines whether they are getting value for money.

Bru Bar Bistro in Drogheda is engaging with customers by offering them the chance to win a pair of Strutt Couture during its bank holiday ‘Bru-fest’.

3. UCD Offers Free Places to the Un-employed

My old alma-mater, UCD and its undergraduate business school announced during the week that it will provide 40 places for unemployed workers on its Bachelor of Business Studies programme as part of a Government initiative to improve the skills of those who are jobless and speed their return to work.

Unemployed workers taking up these places can continue to draw their job seekers while completing the programme, which is being funded by the Government.

***Looking forward to hearing more stories for August.***