Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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15. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of female entrepreneurs that have benefitted from the female entrepreneurship competitive feasibility fund; the progress to date in promoting female entrepreneurship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12011/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Both Enterprise Ireland and the County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are actively providing a range of supports to women in business including financial supports, sponsorship of awards, business events, promoting role models and specialised training and networking programmes. 30 female led businesses received Enterprise Ireland’s (EI) Competitive Feasibility funding in 2013. The number of female clients who benefited from the Competitive Start Fund has increased from 8 in 2012 to 27 in 2013 as a result of a more targeted approach taken by EI. High Potential Start-up (HPSU) investments in female led businesses have also increased from 8 in 2012 to 14 in 2013. Enterprise Ireland is currently working closely with 120 female led businesses to help them grow.

A key objective in supporting female entrepreneurship is to ensure that training and development programmes meet the particular needs of female entrepreneurs. A fund of €150,000 was launched by Enterprise Ireland in 2013 towards training and development programmes supporting the key challenges impacting on female entrepreneurs. The following Development Programmes received funding in 2013 following an assessment process:

1. Going for Growth Programme – Fitzsimons Consulting

2. Female Founders Programme - NDRC

3. Women in Business Programme - Cork Institute of Technology

4. Female Propellor Programme - DCU Ryan Academy

It is anticipated that up to 100 female entrepreneurs will benefit from completing these development programmes and the outputs of the programmes will be reviewed in Q4 2014.

In 2013, the CEBs provided €2.44m in grant funding to female led businesses. 74 received business expansion grants, 35 received feasibility/innovation grants and a further 168 received priming grants. Furthermore, over 15,000 female entrepreneurs received training from the CEBs during 2013 with a further 2669 women engaging with mentoring. Many of the CEBs operate Women in Business Networks that provide both training and networking opportunities.

In terms of promoting female entrepreneurship, each year, the CEBs organise a National Women’s Enterprise Day (NWED) with the aim of inspiring, activating and assisting women across Ireland in running their own business. NWED 2013 took place on October 16 & 17 in Co. Laois and was attended by over 300 women. Microfinance Ireland is also actively supporting female led businesses with access to loan finance, and has provided loans to 33 female led businesses to end of Q4 2013.