Twenty-four companies have been shortlisted across three categories for the coveted 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

More than 125 entries were received by Ernst & Young. They will be assessed by an 11-strong panel of judges, chaired by telecoms entrepreneur Denis O'Brien, who won the award in 1998, over a two-month period.

Eight companies have been chosen in each of the categories - international, emerging and industry.

All 24 shortlisted groups, along with finalists from previous years, will travel to Haiti to take part in events to raise awareness of corporate social responsibility. The awards are run in association with The Irish Times, RTÉ, Ulster Bank, Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland and Digicel.

Enda Kelly, Ernst & Young's partner in charge of the event, said: "Our captains of industry are conquering the global marketplace and are acting as role models for a new generation of entrepreneurs." The finalists will be profiled in The Irish Times over the next three weeks, starting with the international category on May 28th. They will also be interviewed for a three-part series on RTÉ television in October.