Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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304. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the supports open to small businesses to offset the significant tax step effect experienced by businesses supplying services as their turnover rises above the €37,500 VAT registration threshold. [31346/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I provide a range of supports to micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through my Department and its Agencies. The full range of Government supports for SMEs can be found on the supporting SMEs online tool – www.supportingsmes.ie.

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first stop shop’ for small businesses. Information on tax and training programmes run by the LEOs can be found on www.localenterprise.ie.

My colleague the Minister for Finance is responsible for all matters in relation to VAT. I understand from him that Ireland’s VAT registration threshold for small enterprises supplying services is the seventh highest in the EU, while the goods threshold is the third highest. I also understand that VAT is governed by the EU VAT Directive (Council Directive 2006/ 112/EC), with which Irish VAT law must comply.