The LEOs are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports if you intend to start or grow your own business.
The LEOs can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the LEOs can provide financial assistance within three main categories: Feasibility Grants; Priming Grants and Business Development Grants for existing businesses that want to expand. In addition, there is a Technical Assistance Grant available for eligible micro-exporter applicants who are seeking to explore alternative markets for their product or service.
For anyone interested in starting or growing a business, the LEOs may be able to offer ‘soft’ support in the form of training (e.g. a Start Your Own Business course); a mentor to work with the business proposer; or targeted programmes such as Lean for Micro (to help boost business productivity and competitiveness).
The LEOs will continue to support and promote micro-enterprises throughout the country the table below details the budget allocation for each individual local enterprise office; the value of grants provided by each office in 2017
Local Enterprise Office Budget 2017 & Grants Approved 2017
LEO
|
2017 Budget
Allocation € (notes 1-4)
|
2017 Grant Approved
Amount €(note 5)
|
Carlow
|
861,927
|
449,411
|
Cavan
|
741,251
|
473,225
|
Clare
|
882,971
|
664,008
|
Cork City
|
1,011,136
|
519,562
|
Cork North & West
|
1,372,223
|
783,770
|
Cork South
|
1,197,217
|
403,500
|
Donegal
|
1,092,856
|
683,462
|
Dublin City
|
1,517,035
|
966,896
|
Dublin South
|
1,114,094
|
648,368
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown
|
1,055,007
|
821,122
|
Fingal
|
1,129,795
|
886,440
|
Galway
|
1,211,286
|
680,371
|
Kerry
|
877,972
|
361,464
|
Kildare
|
1,063,287
|
934,625
|
Kilkenny
|
965,151
|
452,576
|
Laois
|
746,012
|
390,634
|
Leitrim
|
739,808
|
252,296
|
Limerick
|
1,504,573
|
891,103
|
Longford
|
714,419
|
294,585
|
Louth
|
779,899
|
453,200
|
Mayo
|
883,450
|
387,343
|
Meath
|
944,242
|
526,799
|
Monaghan
|
814,752
|
432,105
|
Offaly
|
765,869
|
368,827
|
Roscommon
|
742,070
|
548,214
|
Sligo
|
825,987
|
533,466
|
Tipperary
|
1,166,190
|
969,581
|
Waterford
|
1,265,667
|
596,165
|
Westmeath
|
1,079,804
|
456,720
|
Wexford
|
815,849
|
411,723
|
Wicklow
|
779,370
|
598,781
|
Totals
|
30,661,168
|
17,840,342
|
Notes:
The Local Enterprise Office Budget allocation was collated based on the formal allocations of funding offered to each Local Authority i.e. where a funding letter of offer was issued to a Local Authority.
It does not include allocations to LEOs to procure services or run programmes on behalf of the network of LEOs
The Local Enterprise Office Budget allocation includes the Administration (pay and non-pay) allocation.
It does not include the LEO Innovation Investment Fund as this was a competitive scheme which did not include a specific allocation to each LEO.
The 2017 Grants Approved Amount includes the LEO Innovation Investment Fund approved amount.