Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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317. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there is any support for those engaged in retail-start ups here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25094/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Anyone interested in starting their own business should in the first instance contact their local County and City Enterprise Board (CEB). The CEBs support the indigenous micro-enterprise sector in the start-up and expansion phases and stimulate enterprise potential at local level. They are the first port of call in terms of advice, direction, training and grant support for anyone who wishes to start a business. Contact details for the CEBs are available on .

The Boards are required to give priority to enterprises in the manufacturing or internationally traded services sector, which over time can develop into strong export entities and graduate to the Enterprise Ireland portfolio. Retail enterprises are ineligible for financial support from the CEBs as it is considered that these generally give rise to concerns over displacement (where the projects simply displace business from other players in the market). However they can avail of non-financial assistance in the form of a wide range of business advice and information services, management capability training and development programmes, e-Commerce training initiatives etc. Training courses include such topics as start-your-own-business, taxation for beginners, internet marketing, ideas generation and negotiation skills.

In addition, Microfinance Ireland is providing support in the form of loans of up to €25,000 available to start-up, newly established or growing microenterprises employing less than 10 people with viable business propositions that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by the banks. The Fund has a significant entrepreneurship focus and is open to anyone with a viable business proposal. Applications for the Microfinance Fund should be channelled through the local CEB. The 2013 Action Plan for Jobs also includes a number of measures designed to help the retail sector. These include a project to streamline the application process for business licences in the retail sector, and an initiative to encourage more businesses to trade on-line. Developments on these initiatives will be reported on a quarterly basis on my Department's website, , as part of the Action Plan for Jobs Progress Reports.