Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2019
321. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if information (details supplied) regarding mentoring supports since the UK referendum to leave the EU in June 2016 will be provided. [53308/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocated in the Local Authorities nationwide, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) Network is the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports for anyone intending to start or grow a business.
The LEOs continue to help companies to plan for both the opportunities and challenges that Brexit poses. The LEOs are actively supporting Irish companies to prepare and take action for Brexit through a range of supports and mentoring programmes.
Under the LEO Brexit Mentor Programme, clients work with an experienced mentor on a one-to-one basis to identify key areas of exposure within their business. With advice and guidance from their mentor, clients develop strategies that are more robust, which address issues and maximise potential opportunities around Brexit. The LEO Grant Management Information System was amended in August 2018 to record Brexit related mentoring information separately. Therefore, it is not possible to provide Brexit specific detail on mentoring participation prior to 22nd August 2018. The Brexit Mentor participation is as follows:
|
Period |
Brexit Mentoring Participants |
|
22nd August to 31st December 2018 |
471 |
|
1st January to 13th December 2019 |
806 |
|
Total |
1,277 |
The broader LEO Mentor Programme is designed to match up the knowledge, skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of experienced business practitioners with small business owner/ managers who need practical and strategic one to one advice and guidance. The mentor contributes independent, informed observation and advice to aid decision making. While mentoring participants in the period 2016 to August 2018 may not have been formally recorded as Brexit mentoring participants, it is assumed that a proportion of the LEO mentoring participants dealt with issues related to Brexit. The following are the total LEO mentoring participants for the years 2016 – 2019:
LEO Mentoring Participants:
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
1st Jan to 16th Dec 2019 |
|
7,494 |
8,393 |
9,625 |
9,860 |
The number of participants attending Brexit Related Events from the 24th June 2016 to the 31st December 2018 was 4,054 with 2,709 participants to date in 2019. These Brexit Events included:
- Is Your Business Ready for Brexit
- Brexit Programme - MEET THE USA BUYERS - PROGRAMME
- Brexit Strategy Development Workshop 1
- Beyond Local - Why making your marketplace international makes total sense
- Exporting to Germany - Opportunities for food producers
- Get your Business Brexit Ready
- Brexit Preparatory Seminar
- Brexit Proof Your Business
The LEOs will continue to provide an extensive range of programmes and supports for core clients and individuals who engage with the LEO network. They will build on its Brexit supports enabling business to deal with the challenges Brexit will bring. The LEOS will continue to monitor their client companies and those individuals who engage the LEO network to ensure those programmes and supports meet and exceed the demands into the future.
