Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Maria Byrne on behalf of Limerick and other counties. It is important that we have such conversations. She touched on some of the programmes that are offered through LEOs. I forgot to mention in my earlier contribution the success of the mentoring programme. It is working extremely well in Limerick too. I know there is a strong panel of mentors there and I thank them for their efforts.

It is important that if entrepreneurs are thinking of starting their own business back themselves and have the confidence to take a chance. They should engage with the LEOs to give an extra layer of security, back the confidence and put them in a stronger position. They can find out what programmes will suit them at different stages of their journey. As well as the mentoring programme being key, the start your own business programme is also extremely important. The lean for micro programme is operated through the LEOs as well to help make businesses that are up and running more cost-effective and also to minimise any waste in how a company is run and ensure people run companies to the best of their ability and sustain the competition.

Various grants are available to businesses that are in manufacturing or internationally traded services. The trading online voucher is key and has been very successful. Applications increased by more than 1,000% in nearly every county, including Limerick in the past year. We want to build on that success. We will be having more conversations with LEO clients about digital supports and supports for going green and taking on climate change as well. There is much interest in that regard. Microfinance Ireland is another useful resource. There is access to high potential start-up programme through LEOs and Enterprise Ireland. A very strong relationship is developing between LEOs and Enterprise Ireland. They are working very well together and businesses are growing, expanding and moving from one to the other as well. There is a lot of opportunity in that regard.

In Limerick, access to the educational facilities is key, given the work that can happen through the New Frontiers entrepreneurship development programme in conjunction with the education stakeholders. There is a lot of opportunity.Many of the companies I have met around Limerick have benefitted from that involvement in the education system, the combination of education and enterprise supports and working together as well. The key to all that is the local authorities coming together to make it happen. That will also be reflected in the regional enterprise plans coming through. There are massive plans for the area the Senator is covering, comprising counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. There are many issues there.

I am conscious it is a difficult time. The Senator mentioned the hospitality sector. That sector and many others are under pressure now between trying to keep staff through a difficult time and finding enough staff when they have the business. We will work directly with that sector in the weeks and months ahead to get it through this difficult time and hopefully get back to a very sound, solid footing.