Local businessman's pledge to UNICEF Ireland

Dunshaughlin businessman Padraig Brady, a director of the Obelisk Group, has signed a three-year commitment with UNICEF Ireland, pledging to raise €75,000 for the charity. Obelisk Group, founded in 1996 by Brady and Cavan man Colm Murphy, specialises in the telecommunications, and more recently expanded into the renewable energy sector, setting up subsidiary company Obelisk Energy. Dromard, Co Longford, native Padraig Brady moved to Meath with his family five years ago. He started up the Obelisk Group, which has its headquarters in Cavan, specialising in providing towers, masts and pylons to the telecommunications sector. Obelisk Energy, the subsidiary company, focuses on providing energy solutions and maintenance services to renewable installations in Ireland, UK and further afield. The companies currently employ nearly 200 people nationwide, and customers include all of the household names in the industry: 02, Vodafone, Meteor, Eircom and Ericsson. UNICEF Ireland and Obelisk's commitment was formalised when Obelisk directors Brady and Murphy hosted a football fundraiser, celebrating the UNICEF partnership. Obelisk has guaranteed that any money raised by their employees for UNICEF will be matched cent for cent by the company. Padraig Brady said: "We are thankful to all our employees for helping us raise this money. It is about building on our corporate social responsibility and bolstering employee morale. UNICEF Ireland has corporate partners such as Aer Lingus and Topaz Energy. Obelisk Group, a small and medium enterprise, is proud to stand next to such businesses, demonstrating our deep commitment to social responsibility, guided by core business values that fit with UNICEF's advocacy and fundraising goals." Employees of Obelisk have been raising money since the Haiti disaster in January and have already raised a substantial €15,000 for UNICEF. UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organisation in the world. Working in over 150 countries, it provides children with healthcare, clean water, nutrition, education and emergency relief. UNICEF Ireland supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in Ireland. It receives no funding from the United Nations but is supported entirely by the voluntary contributions.