Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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372. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the additional supports that have been put in place to date to assist businesses that are heavily or totally dependent on Northern Ireland or the British market, in view of the uncertainty that has arisen due to Brexit and currency fluctuations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19079/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In Budget 2017, I secured additional monies, both current and capital, to support Enterprise Ireland’s strategic response to Brexit, including 39 targeted posts, both at home and abroad to support its clients across all markets.

There are 1,500 Enterprise Ireland (EI) client companies recording exports to the UK.  They employ 100,000 people across the country and have exports of over €7 billion. Enterprise Ireland is particularly working with companies in the UK market who are most exposed in areas such as engineering, food, construction and timber to maintain their market share.

Enterprise Ireland’s #PrepareforBrexit communications campaign featuring the ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’ on was launched in March. The ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’ is a new interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies, whether they are EI clients or not, to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars. 

The Scorecard generates an immediate report which provides advice as well as information on supports and resources to Irish businesses preparing for Brexit.  The Prepare for Brexit website also includes case studies of clients who have achieved export success in a range of key sectors and markets and features tips and advice. Enterprise Ireland is also running a series of Brexit events featuring expert speakers throughout the country to promote the tool and encourage companies to prepare for Brexit.

Enterprise Ireland has introduced a ‘Be Prepared Grant’ which offers up to €5,000 in funding to support exporting client companies develop a Brexit Action Plan. It is designed for SMEs who would benefit from further research and the use of external expertise in developing this plan.

Training and supports in terms of management capability, leadership, marketing/sales skills, innovation and R&D is being intensified to help companies to build market share and create new market opportunities.

Enterprise Ireland is also delivering a suite of supports that help clients reduce supply-chain costs and drive efficiencies and cost reductions as a means of improving operating margins, thereby increasing competitiveness.

Furthermore a range of measures are being put in place to supplement the existing Local Enterprise Office (LEO) supports, including:

- Supports to facilitate micro enterprises to develop new internationalisation opportunities;

- Roll out of a national Lean for Micro initiative to drive firm level competitiveness;

- Brexit-focused mentoring and training initiatives; and

- Local level awareness raising and information sharing about Brexit, including; seminars, workshops and cross-border business networking.

In Budget 2017 I was also able to provide additional funding to InterTrade Ireland, the Cross Border Body which has specific responsibility for developing Cross Border Trade. InterTrade Ireland is undertaking a range of initiatives for SMEs trading across the border to help them adapt to the changed circumstances. Assistance will include the provision of factual advice, supports for capability building and the provision of other specialist expertise. In addition, this funding will enable a study to be undertaken by the ESRI which will improve our understanding of the impact of different trade and tariff regimes which might be imposed following Brexit. Work is currently underway on this project.