Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local enterprise offices play an important role with micro-enterprises. I am conscious of what the Deputy said about increasing the amount of money available for the trading online voucher scheme. That is something the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, in conjunction with the LEOs, will monitor. It has to be acknowledged that over 4,100 micro-enterprises have availed of the scheme. We need to ensure people know that it is available. It is amazing - both the Minister and I travel around the country all of the time - to realise some people do not know about it. We, therefore, need to continue the awareness programme. There are 31 LEOs and their role is to ensure they administer the scheme through the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. I am conscious that it costs much more than €2,500 to set up a good website. That is something the Department monitors all of the time. Within budgetary constraints, it is something at which we will look in the future.

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