Pictured at Fingal County Hall, Swords, were; Ciara Sutton, from Fingal County Council with Environment Minister Phil Hogan, Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton and Minister for State for Small Business John Perry
Jobs Minister Richard Bruton, Environment Minister Phil Hogan and Minister of State for Small Business, John Perry today showcased a Local Enterprise Office in Fingal County Council, and announced details of the improved new support service for micro and small enterprises to be provided.
As part of a radical reform of the system of supports for micro and small enterprises, aimed at delivering a world-class service, the first-stop shop service will be delivered through a network of 31 LEOs across the country. Among the improved services delivered will be:
· Mentoring programmes overseen by Enterprise Ireland
· Training and management development programmes overseen by Enterprise Ireland
· Pathway into the range of Enterprise Ireland supports for high-growth companies with ambitions to export
· Advice on and access to a range of services from across Government, including Revenue, Credit Review Office, the Companies Registration Office
· Companies with over 10 employees operating exclusively in the domestic market, which currently in most cases are not supported by the State, will be eligible for supports under the new system
· Access to the range of support services – including planning and licensing – offered by the Business Support units of Local Authorities
· Access to the various training services offered by SOLAS
· Access to the Microfinance Ireland Loan Fund
As part of the reforms the County and City Enterprise Boards – 35 separate legal entities – will be dissolved. This initiative forms a key part of the Government’s programme of public service reform and agency rationalisation. Legislation to dissolve the CEBs is on the Government’s A List for the current Dáil session.
The LEOs will draw and build on the successful County Enterprise Board (CEB) model which supports 33,000 jobs across the country, and support 900 new projects per annum as well as approximately 25,000 training participants. However it will bring together for the first time in a structured and coherent manner the skills, experience and resources of Enterprise Ireland, the CEBs and the Local Authorities to micro and small businesses.