Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
29. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the €22 million budget allocation designed to assist local businesses modernise practices (details supplied); the details of same; the timeframe on the way this funding will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53123/21]
View answerThe Local Enterprise Offices will receive an additional €2m under Budget 2022 which represents an almost 5% increase in funding. This additional investment will allow each of the 31 Local Enterprise Offices to enhance the role they already play in assisting local and regional development including the launching of the Regional Enterprise Plans.
The additional funding provided will be focused on the dual challenges of digitalisation of micro and small companies and addressing the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to a low carbon and sustainable economy. Initiatives such as Green for Micro and LEAN for Micro benefit businesses by increasing cost savings, improving resource efficiency, reducing environmental impacts and enhancing competitiveness and productivity.
The ongoing success of the Trading Online Vouchers Scheme will be built upon by continuing to assist enterprises on their digital journey as well as developing further awareness and training programmes to encourage Micro-enterprises to think digital first.
To boost the uptake of digital technology in enterprises, provision has been made in Budget 2022 for a Digital Transition Fund as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This is an €85 million multi-annual fund which will run until 2026. Under Budget 2022, my Department has been allocated €10 million to the Digital Transition Fund.
The Funding will be used to help companies at all stages of their digital journey – from the early days of simply going online to digitalisation of products and business processes, to facilitating exporting and to using digital technologies to develop new markets and business models. My department is currently developing the funding scheme along with our agency Enterprise Ireland and I anticipate that the first call will be announced by mid-2022.
Provision has also been made in Budget 2022 for establishing a Scheme as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Fund to assist in carbon abatement in the enterprise sector and building further capacity to address emerging climate change issues. Over the period 2022-2026 a total amount of €55 million has been allocated to this fund including a €10 million allocation for 2022.
