Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the type, nature and level of grants available to persons who wish to set up a business to supply a specialist service in the services area which could conceivably generate employment opportunities for up to ten personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16075/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland, through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses.

The 35 CEBs 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 (details supplied below). In addition, the CEBs deliver a range of non-financial supports 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. All of the CEBs operate to the same criteria in relation to the assistance which they can offer i.e. they can support the establishment and/or the development of enterprises provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability and which over time may develop into strong exporting entities.

However, I would stress that priority is given to projects in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. It is considered inappropriate to support other areas such as retail enterprises, personal services (e.g. hairdressers, gardeners, etc), professional services (accountants, solicitors, etc), construction, as it is considered that these enterprises generally give rise to unacceptable deadweight (where projects would have proceeded anyway) and/or displacement (where the projects simply displace business from other players in the market) concerns.

Anyone with a business idea would be best advised to contact their local CEB to discuss the matter further. Contact details for individual CEBs can be found by accessing the following website: www.enterpriseboards.ie.