Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the nature, type and amount of grants, subsidies or incentives available to employers who wish to recruit potential employees into their businesses, such as the restaurant type business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36576/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not provide direct funding to business or start-ups, it does however provide funding to the enterprise agencies. Assistance for small businesses and services in Ireland is delivered primarily through the County and City Enterprise Boards who are the primary initial contact point for business start-ups. They are responsible for providing support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level.

Subject to certain eligibility criteria, financial assistance to new and developing micro-enterprises may be available for a range of eligible business costs from the CEBs in the form of priming, expansion/development and feasibility/innovation grants. 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) lacking export potential, 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.

Whilst not all projects are eligible for direct financial assistance, CEBs also deliver a range of non-financial supports such as training, mentoring and general business advice services, designed to help new and existing enterprises to operate effectively and efficiently so as to last and grow. I would therefore recommend that potential entrepreneurs or existing business owners contact their local CEB to discuss the particular needs of their business. Contact details for individual CEBs can be found by accessing the following website: www.enterpriseboards.ie .

Furthermore the Government is also encouraging employers to create new jobs through reducing the costs associated with employment through the Employer Jobs (PRSI) Incentive Scheme. For each new eligible job, the scheme gives an 8%-10% saving on employment costs for the first year of employment. For further information regarding this new incentive, a prospective employer should contact the Department of Social Protection at www.welfare.ie