The Kilkenny County Enterprise Board continues to provide supports to facilitate the establishment, development and growth of micro-enterprises in the county. The Board, chaired by the County Manager , Mr. Michael Malone, comprises representatives of a wide range of state and semi-state organisations along with local business and community interests. The Board also has four elected representatives, nominating by Kilkenny County Council, giving democratic legitimacy and accountability to the Board.

The Board provides a range of financial and non-financial supports to facilitate the establishment, development and growth of small businesses in County Kilkenny. The Board in particular is keen to improve the entrepreneurial environment, as well as the viability and management development capability of small businesses. The Board is now firmly established as the first point of contact for small businesses, offering a wide range of customised supports from basic information and advice through to grant-aid.

The Board approved financial assistance totalling circa €485,000 to an additional 32 business projects in 2005. These projects have the potential to create an additional 58 full-time jobs when fully operational. This brings the total number of jobs created by the Board in the last 10 years to over 900, at a cost per job of just €5,600, which represents excellent value for EU and Exchequer funding.

A total of 519 people participated in over 46 training & management development programmes organised and delivered by the Board in 2005. These ranged from Start Your Own Business Training Courses through to Computerised Accounts Training to Financial Training and Sales & Marketing Programmes for Business Owners. A further 117 people were supported by the Board through its Technical Assistance and Mentoring Programmes.

The more successful small businesses tend to be promoted by owners that pay particular attention to detail, that have proper management controls and business planning techniques in place and that have an ability to respond quickly to change. In this regard, the CEBs provide a "ladder" of supports, that take account of the various stages of development and circumstances of their clients, while at the same time encouraging and facilitating them to "step-up" to the next level.

The Board also signed local agreements with community groups in Castlecomer and Callan for the retention of a Business Development Executive to help each community prepare and implement a plan of locally based enterprise actions.

The Board in conjunction with the Kilkenny Industrial Development Company Limited (KIDCo) and the Waterford Institute of Technology, continued to sponsor a Research Studentto undertake a major economic survey of targeted business sectors in Kilkenny and its surrounding hinterland, which will include a labour force and skills survey.