Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 141: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will support the small business sector on the north side of Dublin. [43034/08]

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), Enterprise Ireland, and FÁS, through whom assistance is delivered directly to small businesses in the North Dublin region. Enterprise Ireland's activity is focussed on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs in manufacturing and internationally traded service companies who are setting up New High Potential Start up Companies i.e. technically innovative companies with high quality management and the capability to reach a turnover of over €1m and employ over 10 people within three years.

In conjunction with Fás Enterprise Ireland organise the Enterprise Start Programme aimed at people with management experience and a desire to develop a technology intensive business with growth and export potential. Two of these programmes have been delivered in Blanchardstown IT in 2008 and had over 30 potential promoters in attendance. Enterprise Ireland has also invested significant funds in Community Enterprise Centres in the north of Dublin City to support the establishment and expansion of micro enterprises through local community participation. Over the years EI has financially supported community enterprise centres in Ballymun, Coolock, Darndale, Balbriggan, North King Street, Eastwall road , Manor Street and Gloucester Place and under the 2008 tranche of CEC funding Enterprise Ireland has approved financial assistance towards the new community enterprise centre at Drinan, Swords. As part of its remit in Regional Development, Enterprise Ireland is also represented on the evaluation committee and the boards of Dublin City and Fingal County Enterprise Boards.

The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards provide a source of support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. Subject to certain eligibility criteria new and developing enterprises may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the form of feasibility, employment and capital grants. In addition, the CEBs deliver a range of non-financial supports such as Programmes covering Business Management, Mentoring, E-commerce, Enterprise Education and Women in Business networks to improve management capability development within micro-enterprises designed to help new and existing enterprises to operate effectively and efficiently so as to last and grow. During 2007 Dublin City Enterprise Board and Fingal County Enterprise Board, who's remit is inclusive of the North Dublin region, paid out €1.38m in grant assistance to 96 clients. This intervention has assisted in the creation of 159 jobs. 2,427 people participated in CEB training programmes during the period.

The Government has already made very considerable progress on the implementation of the Small Business Forum Report's recommendations. This progress is reflected through a substantial package of financial measures and Schemes introduced to assist the small business sector over the last two years, including fiscal measures in the 2007 and 2008 Finance Acts. These measures were designed to help all small and medium sized businesses across the country and include:

The extension and radical improvement of the Business Expansion and Seed Capital Schemes up to 2013.

Important increases in the VAT Cash Accounting — now €1m and VAT Registration Turnover Thresholds — now €75,000 have been introduced in order to simplify administration and reduce working capital requirements on small businesses.

Changes to the preliminary tax obligations of certain companies so that small companies are now permitted to calculate their preliminary tax payments based on 100% of the prior-period tax liability if their tax liability for the prior period did not exceed a certain threshold — now €200,000.

New companies, which do not expect their tax liability for the first year to exceed €200,000, are no longer obliged to pay preliminary tax in that first year.

The 2009 Budget in October announced tax relief measures for start up businesses by way of remission in Corporation Tax and Capital Gains Tax in the first 3 years for new and start-up businesses. These measures will help to grow small business and promote an entrepreneurial culture.

I am confident that the development agencies under my Department's remit will continue to be well placed to support good quality projects that may present themselves in the northside of Dublin for the remainder of 2008 and going forward into 2009.