Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have contacted the Enterprise Europe Network in 2017. [26560/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The European Commission launched the Enterprise Europe Network in 2008.  It is a project co-funded under the “COSME” - an EU funding programme designed to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. 

The Enterprise Europe Network in Ireland is a 4-partner consortium consisting of Enterprise Ireland (as the coordinator) along with Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Cork Chamber of Commerce and the Local Enterprise Offices.  It helps business innovate and grow through tailored support, new business and technology partnerships, commercial opportunities, licensing deals, and partners searches for EU funded R&D.  Its services are tailored to SMEs but also available to all other businesses, universities and research centres.  It provides free services including; identifying international partnerships, advice for international growth and support for business innovation. 

The number of businesses that have contacted Enterprise Ireland EEN to date in 2017 is 83.  Figures in respect of the Local Enterprise Offices are not available until the end of 2017.   However, 1,396 SMEs/clients received individual advisory support from the LEOs in 2016.

My Department does not have the required data for the other members of the EEN in Ireland, i.e. Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the Cork Chamber of Commerce.

The EEN is active in over 60 countries and brings together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations including innovation support organisations, universities and research institutes, regional development organisations and chambers of commerce and industry, throughout the world.  It’s the biggest SME support network and combines international business expertise with local knowledge to help companies move into new markets.