Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 October 2022
17. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total budget allocated in 2021 to the funding of staff roles at the 31 local enterprise offices that are operated in a partnership between Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53604/22]
View answerThe Local Enterprise Offices are Units within the 31 Local Authorities nationwide and act as a ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and training and consultancy programmes to those wishing to start or grow their own business subject to certain eligibility criteria. The LEOs also provide signposting to all government assistance for SMEs and provide referrals to other relevant bodies such as Revenue, Micro Finance Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, LEADER, and Enterprise Ireland.
The LEOs provide a wide range of high-quality business and management development programmes that are tailored to meet specific business requirements. Whether it is a new start up or growing an existing business there is something suitable for anyone exploring self-employment as an option or for those who are currently operating a business.
In 2021 my Department allocated a budget of €11.98 million to fund the staffing requirements of each of the LEOs, enabling them to deliver on their remit to drive entrepreneurship and enterprise development.
The LEO Impact Report 2021 shows the LEOs are supporting 7,158 small businesses, and 35,729 jobs. 7,440 of these jobs were newly created in 2021 and 2021 represents the 8th year of continuous employment growth for the LEOs since their inception in 2014.
My work as Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, involves regular visits to the LEO network across the country to meet with the Head of Enterprise, members of the LEO team and the Evaluation Committee for a briefing about their ongoing work and their future plans for enterprise development. I also meet with some of their client companies – SMEs who are the heartbeat of the local economy.
Enterprise development is at the core of the LEOs’ work programme, and it is agreed that each Office will be supported to have in place the agreed staff complement, with the necessary business skills and functional competencies, to support delivery of the services in a client centred manner that is of a high quality and consistent standard across the country.
The staffing complement and budget allocation provided to each LEO is based on their Local Authority band, which is in turn based on their population proportion.
