Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I absolutely agree with the points the Deputy raises. Financial literacy is a cornerstone of competitiveness and that is why we have the LEOs ensuring small businesses have the tools to manage their finances effectively. They are on hand to assist at county level, including financial mentoring, training workshops and management development programmes. It is important that owners who want to advance their financial planning skills are supported, that any perceived challenges around financial management are demystified and that business owners make informed decisions and avoid common pitfalls. For start-ups, we have the start your own business programme. That has a specific finance module wherein the LEOs provide specialist mentoring to entrepreneurs and owners on strategies around pricing, cash flow and profit and loss.

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