Following the meeting Minister Perry said: “The recently launched Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Ireland for 2010, recognised that fewer women than men are active as entrepreneurs with the rate of early stage entrepreneurship among men at 9.5% compared to 3.9% for women.

“It is therefore vitally important that we provide the right environment to foster the development of this untapped female entrepreneurial talent across all sectors of Irish business.

“I believe that the Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship can play an important role in stimulating growth in our economy and this government will play its part in providing support to small and medium business and encouraging female entrepreneurship.”

Commenting after the meeting, Carmel Brennan, President Galway Chamber (Lead partners in this initiative) said:“Too few women are taking the step to starting their own business and there is huge untapped entrepreneurial potential. The Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative will help boost the entrepreneurial activity in our regions.

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to meet with Minister John Perry to introduce the Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative and discuss the challenges facing female entrepreneurs. We had a very engaging discussion on the issues which affect entrepreneurs considering starting a business as well as a very open dialogue on recommendations to make the environment for female entrepreneurship more favorable.”

Concluding Minister Perry said: “I have asked the Ambassadors to attend meetings of the Small Business Advisory Group, as appropriate and I have assured them of an "open door" policy in terms of meeting them on a regular basis. I also have asked them to identify the three most important issues impacting on female entrepreneurs.”

* The European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors was launched in 2009 with a network of 270 entrepreneurs from 22 countries. The ambassadors work with women from all backgrounds with an interest in innovation, manufacturing or research and development.

Three Chambers of Commerce in Galway, Dublin and Cork run the Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship initiative and there are currently ten Ambassadors.

www.facebook.com/ambassadorsforfemaleentrepreneurship