Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the supports in place for persons who wish to set up a business. [8796/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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State assistance for micro and small businesses and services in Ireland is currently delivered principally by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland (EI), operating as agencies under the aegis of my Department. Contact details for each of the CEBs can be obtained through their national website www.enterpriseboards.ie. Enterprise Ireland's HPSU Team is located at The Plaza, Eastpoint Business Park, Dublin 3. Early Stage Start-Up enquiries to EI should be directed to Phone No. 01 7272885, Fax No: 01 7272020 or e-mail: client.service@enterprise-ireland.com; Website: www.enterprise-ireland.com

In addition, I have been reviewing the structure of enterprise supports in recent months and, in particular, the role of the CEBs. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Action Plan for Jobs it is proposed that a new "one-stop-shop" micro enterprise support structure be established through the dissolution of the existing CEB structures and the creation of a new Micro Enterprise and Small Business Unit in EI. EI will work with the Local Authorities to establish a new network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in each Local Authority. The LEOs will combine the enterprise support service of the previous CEBs and the business support work of the Business Support Units in the Local Authorities, offering an enhanced service because of their seamless access to both EI expertise and the broader business services of the Local Authority.

The intention is that the new LEOs will act as a focal point for a series of important new policy initiatives aimed at small businesses. The Deputy may wish to access the full details of the Action Plan for Jobs on my Department's website www.djei.ie. However with regard to the crucial micro and small business sectors – from which many of our new jobs will come – my objective is to ensure that there is a continued clear focus of Government policy and supports.