Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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628. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to increase female entrepreneurship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29537/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in Ireland was launched in October 2014 and sets out the Government’s strategic objectives as a facilitator within the Irish entrepreneurship ecosystem.

One objective of the policy statement is to promote female entrepreneurship through identification and promotion of female role models, targeted events and awards, support for female entrepreneur networks and promotion of a dedicated area on corporate websites.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) has been running female only feasibility and competitive funds since 2012.

During 2015, EI provided €50,000 each to 34 female entrepreneurs who applied for a Competitive Start Funding round, including a call specifically aimed at females. This is a significant increase on the 2014 figure of 25.

EI sponsors a number of key events:

-Women’s Executive Network, Ireland’s Top 25 Women Awards

-Image Business Woman of the Year Awards

-Tatler Business Woman of the Year Awards and Conference

-Network Ireland Awards and Conference

-International Business Women’s Conference Belfast

-Inspirefest, Silicon Republic

The agency also partners with key providers in providing training and capability development for early stage and established entrepreneurs. In 2015 it developed a series of female accelerator programmes in partnership with knowledge providers. These included:

-Going for Growth

-DCU Ryan Academy Female Propeller Programme

-NDRC Female Founders Programme

-CIT Female Exxcel Programme

In addition, EI and Network Ireland are running ‘Fueling Ambition’ roadshows across Ireland, and EI supported the second International Business Women’s Conference in Tralee in August 2016.

Female entrepreneurs seeking to become EI clients can access a dedicated web page: www.enterprise-ireland.com/ambitiouswomen. My Department will shortly have a web page targeted specifically at current and potential female entrepreneurs.

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are also actively engaged in encouraging and inspiring an increase in female-led businesses through initiatives such as the annual National Women’s Enterprise Day and the Women in Business Networks.

An important aspect of the networking programme is the promotion of successful female entrepreneurs as role models and the use of mentoring and networking opportunities which aims to build confidence of newly emerging female entrepreneurs.

Progress has been made. For example, in 2015, 57% of participants attending core training programmes in LEOs were female. Participation by female entrepreneurs in EI’s High Potential Start-Up programme increased to 20% in 2015. The target was 18%.

For information, I am attaching a table on targeted supports for female entrepreneurs.

List of Targeted Supports for Female Entrepreneurs