Kildare County Council Welcomes Slovenian Ambassador and Highlights Kildare’s International SME Links
26 June 2026: Kildare County Council had the honour of welcoming the Ambassador of Slovenia to Ireland, His Excellency Matej Marn and his wife, Mrs Ajda Marn, to Áras Chill Dara for discussions on enterprise, innovation and international cooperation.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Liam Moloney, Honorary Consul for Slovenia in the Republic of Ireland.
The visit commenced with a meeting attended by the Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Councillor Carmel Kelly, Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council and Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise, Economic Development and Tourism, Kildare County Council.
The meeting provided an opportunity to further strengthen the already strong partnership between Ireland and Slovenia and to explore opportunities for collaboration in areas including tourism, enterprise development and international business engagement.
Following the meeting in Áras Chill Dara, Ambassador Marn visited MERITS where he met with a selection of Kildare-based businesses including Tim Farmer, founder of iSquared, Ryan McGloin, founder of Blocshop, and Magda Seymour, founder of Pure Oskar. The delegation also met with Chris Fogarty, MERITS Hub Manager and Michael Timmons, EU Project Coordinator, who provided an overview of the European supports available through the Enterprise European Network (EEN).
The visit showcased Kildare’s enterprise ecosystem in practice, highlighting how local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are supported to scale, innovate and access international markets through initiatives such as the EEN, which connects businesses across more than 40 countries.
Following the visit, the Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Councillor Carmel Kelly said: "It was a pleasure to welcome Ambassador Marn and Mrs Marn to County Kildare for the first time and to showcase the many strengths of our county. This visit provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties and explore future opportunities for international collaboration. I hope this is the first of many visits for Ambassador Marn and Mrs Marn and we look forward to welcoming them back to Kildare again in the years ahead.”
Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council added: “I was delighted to meet Ambassador Marn and Mrs Marn and to have the opportunity to showcase the strength of County Kildare's enterprise community. Ireland and Slovenia share a strong partnership and many similarities as SME-driven economies. Through investment in facilities such as MERITS and our engagement with international networks like the Enterprise Europe Network, Kildare County Council will continue to create opportunities for local enterprises to build connections and compete on a global stage."
Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise, Economic Development and Tourism, Kildare County Council said: “Kildare County Council is committed to fostering international partnerships that create opportunities for businesses across the county. We welcome opportunities to work with Slovenian companies, consultants and investors and look forward to exploring collaborations that support innovation, investment and economic growth in County Kildare."
