Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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237. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the investment by local enterprise offices in client companies by local authority area in 2015, 2016 and 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14610/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and ‘soft’ supports in the form of training and mentoring to anyone wishing to start or grow a business.

The LEOs can offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors which, over time, have the potential to develop into strong export entities. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the LEOs can provide financial assistance within three main categories: Feasibility Grants (investigating the potential of a business idea); Priming Grants (to part-fund a start-up); and Business Development Grants for existing businesses that want to expand.

Details of investment by LEOs to client companies under the above schemes from 2015 to 2017 are shown in the table below. [Note – The LEOs can also provide ‘soft’ supports e.g. training, mentoring, advice etc. to business operators.]

LEO Payments 2015 – 2017