Written answers

Thursday, 11 July 2019

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Brexit Preparations

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

428. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the web addresses for each State agency under her remit that have a dedicated web page portal to Brexit that provides information relating to preparing for Brexit, business supports and advice. [31123/19]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In addition to Brexit information on the Enterprise Agency websites, my own Department’s website has a dedicated Getting Business Brexit Ready page at www.dbei.gov.ie/brexit. This page provides information on the steps companies can take to limit the impact of Brexit on their business, including information on issues such as certification, working capital and financing.

Details of the range of Brexit-related advisory and supports across all Departments is available at www.gov.ie/brexit.

Enterprise Ireland provides a range of supports to help companies plan for both the opportunities and challenges that Brexit poses. While the outcome of the Brexit negotiations remains uncertain, Enterprise Ireland is actively supporting Irish companies to prepare and take action.

Enterprise Ireland has established a Prepare for Brexit online portal (www.prepareforbrexit.com). The online portal provides information on the range of Enterprise Ireland supports available to assist Irish companies to respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland has a dedicated Brexit portal on its website (www.nsai.ie/brexit). The development of Brexit portal was central tool in raising awareness of the possible Brexit ramifications in standards and certification for Irish businesses. 

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has dedicated Brexit web pages on both the consumer and business sections of its website, which are:

and

Science Foundation Ireland's website contains information on Brexit at the following address:

The Patents Office has a dedicated Brexit page outlining Intellectual Property information and supports for business at:

The Health and Safety Authority has a Brexit portal at:

The Local Enterprise Offices national website has information on Brexit supports at:

Individual LEOs also have information on Brexit related supports on their respective websites.

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

429. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the national Brexit mentorship and training programmes open to SMEs and which are in operation. [31124/19]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) and Enterprise Ireland provide a range of supports to help companies plan for both the opportunities and challenges that Brexit poses. While the outcome of the Brexit negotiations remains uncertain, the LEOs and Enterprise Ireland are actively supporting Irish companies to prepare and take action.

The LEOs and Enterprise Ireland are providing companies with mentorship and training programmes to prepare for any kind of Brexit. These include:

- The Brexit SME Scorecard online tool is an important first step in helping small businesses think about how their businesses may be impacted by Brexit. Developed by Enterprise Ireland, questions in the scorecard are built around six key business pillars to help SMEs self-diagnose how prepared they are. A comprehensive report is automatically generated to assist with planning and to highlight what further supports are available.

- The Brexit Act On Programme has been developed to focus on three main areas of capability: (1) Financial and Currency Management; (2) Strategic Sourcing; and, (3) Customs and Logistics.  Delivered over the course of two half day sessions with an independent consultant, the initiative assists companies decide on specific actions over a short period to address some of the risks and opportunities from Brexit.

- The Brexit Mentor Programme was developed for businesses to work with an experienced mentor on a one-to-one basis to identify key areas of exposure within their business. With advice and guidance from their mentor, businesses develop strategies that are more robust, which address issues and maximise potential opportunities around Brexit.

- Prepare Your Business for Customs is a one-day interactive workshop, run regionally by Local Enterprise Offices, which provides businesses with a better understanding of the potential impacts, formalities and procedures to be adopted when trading with a country which is outside the Single Market and Custom Unions. Open to all businesses, these workshops cover areas such as what export and import procedures apply, how tariffs work and how to correctly classify goods.

- Customs Insights course from Enterprise Ireland which helps businesses understand the key customs concepts, documentation and processes required to move goods from, to and through the UK. The online course, which is open to companies of all sizes, provides learners with a firm understanding of the customs implications for their business and the options from Revenue to make this process more efficient.

- LEAN for Micro which has been adapted by Enterprise Ireland for Local Enterprise Office clients to help small businesses boost competitiveness, increase performance and profitability as well as building resilience within their companies. Under this programme, clients can avail of five days of consultancy with a Lean Expert (a qualified practitioner), who will work with the company to introduce lean principles, undertake a specific cost reduction project and assist the company in benchmarking its performance.

- Technical Assistance for Micro-Exporters (TAME) Grant supports clients to explore and develop new export market opportunities, such as participation in international trade fairs and development of export related marketing and websites. With a focus on helping companies to diversify, this scheme is a match-funding opportunity with up to €2,500 available.

- The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) which is the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises that have international growth ambitions. The EEN is active in more than 60 countries around the globe, bringing 3,000 experts together from more than 600-member organisations. Through the Local Enterprise Offices, the EEN can help small businesses get expert advice, source technologies and identify trusted business partners.

- Be Prepared Grant, launched in June 2017 by Enterprise Ireland, supports the costs of SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. This grant support, of up to €5,000, can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.