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Bringing Supports for Small Businesses Under One Roof

A Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation initiative, Taking Care of Business will bring up to 30 State bodies together to offer advice to small businesses
• More than 500 business people to attend event showcasing the advice and supports available to small businesses from a diverse mix of State bodies
• Half day event will allow businesses to meet experts from a range of public bodies
• Opportunity for small business owners to get advice on how to strengthen their business in light of Brexit

An Tánaiste and Minister for Business Enterprise and Innovation Frances Fitzgerald TD, together with Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection Pat Breen TD, will today, 8th November, address the Taking Care of Business event at the Printworks Conference Centre in Dublin Castle where more than 500 businesses people are expected to attend.
The free half-day event is specifically targeted at people thinking of starting a business as well as small business owners and managers. In the context of Brexit, it is also an opportunity for businesses to seek advice from a range of experts on how to diversify and expand into new markets.
An initiative of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Taking Care of Business brings together up to 30 State bodies, agencies and units, and builds on the success of previous events in recent years, which have been attended by more than 2000 people from across the country.
The event has will have two separate strands:
• In one part of the conference centre, State bodies will give presentations focusing on the key regulatory requirements for operating a business in Ireland, as well as on the supports available to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses;
• Meanwhile in another part of the conference centre, staff from the State bodies will man information stands, talking directly to attendees and answering any questions they may have.
An Tánaiste, who will give the keynote speech at the conference, commented “This Government through my Department is supporting companies as they innovate, compete and trade in the face of Brexit and beyond. We are encouraging businesses to take the necessary initiatives to protect their organisations from the impact of Brexit through a range of Government supports available.
“This Taking Care of Business event will help SMEs and potential business owners better understand what they need to do, how they can do it most easily and what supports are available to them. It is an ideal opportunity for them to get the information they need about those supports, along with guidance around regulation."
This event will help SMEs and potential business owners better understand what they need to do, how they can do it most easily and what supports are available to them.
Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business, Pat Breen TD said: “This event is a further demonstration of our commitment to reach out to the business community, and to promote awareness of the full range of supports available to the SME sector, start-ups and entrepreneurs.
“We should all be aware of how important the SME sector is to the economy, how much it contributes to the economic lifeblood of the nation as it accounts for nearly 250,000 enterprises in Ireland.”
The State offices and agencies represented will provide information across a wide range of areas, including:
• Tax, employment and Health & Safety obligations;
• Legal requirements for setting up and running a business;
• Requirements in areas such as food and environmental safety;
• Advice on government procurement and intellectual property; and
• Assistance and supports from enterprise agencies.
A number of representative bodies from industry are also supporting the event and will also be available to talk to attendees.

Notes for Editors
The State offices, agencies and services represented at the event will be:

• Local Enterprise Offices
• Revenue Commissioners
• Enterprise Ireland
• Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
• Companies Registration Office
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Food Safety Authority of Ireland
• Health and Safety Authority
• Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement
• Workplace Relations Commission
• Office of Government Procurement
• Department of Social Protection / Intreo
• Data Protection Commissioner
• National Standards Authority of Ireland
• Microfinance Ireland
• Credit Review Office
• Solvit (informal problem-solving network for EU citizens and businesses)
• Patents Office
• InterTradeIreland
• Enterprise Europe Network
• European Commission
• Supporting SMEs online tool (Access to Finance)
• Skillnets
• Ecollege/Solas
• The Pensions Authority
• The Personal Injuries Assessment Board
• Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland
• Science Foundation Ireland
• Prompt Payment Code
‘Taking Care of Business’ is supported by SFA, Chambers Ireland, ISME, RGDATA, ACCA, IBEC, IDA Ireland, Construction Industry Federation, Dublin Chamber and the Hardware Association of Ireland.
The twitter hashtag for the event is #supportforbusiness.