Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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49. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if SMEs that qualify for an audited exemption need audited accounts to access Enterprise Ireland funding across all its funding lines; and if so, the specific funding lines for which audited accounts are required. [48614/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland is committed to assisting Irish enterprises to achieve strong export sales in global markets. In this way, they support sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment.

Enterprise Ireland works to balance the needs of companies wishing to avail of their services and their commitment to ensuring a high standard of corporate governance and management of public money.

 In order to qualify for an audit exemption, a company must meet certain criteria. Once a company has satisfied the agency that they have validly claimed the exemption from producing audited accounts, Enterprise Ireland do not require audited accounts as long as the cumulative grant approved (including any proposed new grant and net of any proposed cancellation) to the company in the previous 2 years is less than 100,000 euro. This is subject to the agency’s right to seek audited accounts in any case where it wishes to do so.

Enterprise Ireland will continue to require all companies to furnish an up to date tax clearance before payment of grants.