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The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, TD, today highlighted the Government supports available to small businesses at home and overseas.

Speaking at Bank of Ireland on College Green, where he addressed business leaders attending an event as part of “National Enterprise Week”, the Tánaiste said:

“The theme of this week’s events, “Enabling Enterprise”, is particularly apt. Government cannot create the jobs of the future. But we can create the best possible conditions for businesses to succeed, and that is where we are focusing our energies across all of Government.

“We have been working, through the Action Plan for Jobs, to analyse all aspects of the interaction between Government and business, with one key consideration in mind: How can we make it easier to do business in Ireland? This work has produced initiatives such as the Microenterprise Loan Fund and Credit Guarantee Schemes which have been key to supporting businesses to work their way through the recession and access the finance they need to grow.”

The Tánaiste also highlighted the recent establishment of Local Enterprise Offices which, he said, will put local micro and small business at the heart of national enterprise policy.

He assured businesses that Ireland’s embassy network will continue to work in close collaboration with relevant Departments and the State agencies to open doors for them and support their expansion into new markets.

“I am pleased to say that, this year, we are expanding our network of Embassies and Consulates overseas, opening eight new missions to cover new and emerging markets such as Indonesia, as well as deepening our relationships in the US by opening a consulate in Austin, Texas. Enterprise Ireland and the IDA are also now expanding their presence overseas after several years of staffing and budget cuts.”

“National Enterprise Week” is organised by Bank of Ireland.