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Brexit Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018

Tuesday, 18 December 2018

Questions (315)

Micheál Martin

Question:

315. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she is satisfied with the uptake of grants by businesses to tackle the challenge of Brexit. [53190/18]

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Written answers

My Department and its agencies are providing extensive supports, including grants, to enable companies to prepare for Brexit and succeed into the future.

For 2019, I have allocated an extra €8 million to the enterprise agencies and regulatory bodies under my Department for various Brexit supports and grant schemes.

In terms of the effectiveness of these supports, a recent survey of 2,400 Enterprise Ireland (EI) clients found that 85% of them are taking Brexit-related actions. This is a substantial increase from 38% this time last year, and is a positive indication that companies are undertaking Brexit preparedness actions. I am satisfied that businesses are increasing their preparation efforts for Brexit, and that EI’s suite of grants is helping them to achieve this.

In the first 6 months of this year alone, 43% of the 1,600 most exposed EI client companies received grant aid. It is important to note that each company has individual needs, which is why EI encourages its clients to choose from the full suite of supports that it makes available.

For instance, EI’s Be Prepared Grant offers SME clients a grant of up to €5,000 to assist them in preparing an action plan for economic shocks such as Brexit. 148 Be Prepared Grants have so far been approved with a strong pipeline in place for new applications.

In addition, EI’s Strategic Consultancy Grant can support the cost of hiring Strategic Consultants to assist in the development and/or implementation of strategic initiatives. 920 projects have received funding to date under the scheme.

It is important to note that EI grants are demand-led. EI has undertaken a number of promotional initiatives to raise awareness of their comprehensive range of grants and supports. This includes eleven Brexit Advisory Clinics held throughout the country in 2018.

Representatives from all the enterprise agencies under my remit were present at the Government’s series of six “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” seminars, which were held recently around the country, and spoke to attendees and informed them of the range of grants and supports available.

Local Enterprise Office (LEO) funding has been increased and is being used to assist micro-enterprises in becoming more competitive and better able to cope with the changing environment in which they are operating. There were 622 Technical Assistance for Micro Enterprise (TAME) Grants approved by the LEO Network from 1 June 2017 – 13 December 2018. These grants help LEO Clients to tackle the challenges of Brexit.

InterTrade Ireland (ITI) is working to minimise the impact of Brexit on north-south trade. In Budget 2019, ITI received an additional €1 million in capital funding. ITI’s Start to Plan vouchers offer 100% financial support up to €2,250 towards professional advice in relation to Brexit matters. This support can assist businesses get advice on specific technical and specialist advice on issues such as movement of labour, goods, services and currency management. So far in 2018 ITI has approved 644 vouchers.

While I am encouraged by the fact that businesses are engaging in high numbers with these and other supports on offer, not everyone is engaging. With Brexit around the corner, I want businesses to know we are here to help. I will continue to engage with businesses to inform them of the grants and supports on offer to tackle the challenge of Brexit.

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