Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local enterprise offices are effectively first-stop shops for all such initiatives, but we are also stepping up the advertising of the more than 80 programmes that are available to small and start-up businesses. We have a website, actionplanforjobs.ie, which includes a tool that allows users to input information about the profile of their businesses and obtain information on suitable financing options, whether that be microfinance, for example, a tax break for former PAYE workers setting up a company, or something else. Many of these schemes have take-up way below their capability, and we want to see progress in that regard.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, outlined, the thinking behind the regional enterprise strategy is that there are many opportunities for community enterprise centres to become much more innovative in what they offer their client base. They might tap into institutes of education, for instance, or tap into a chamber of commerce with accountancy support. There is scope to have an entrepreneur in residence or available as an advisory resource. Those little hubs have good potential to step up their performance, and that is what we hope will come out of this regional call. We want people to consider how they can tap into available resources and make more of what they currently have and are doing. One idea might be seek the assistance of a local person who is recognised as an entrepreneur made good and get some momentum behind particular initiatives. There are great ideas out there and there are people doing great things, but we need to tap into them at regional level. That is what we are hoping will come out of this initiative.