Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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181. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports and programmes that he has in place or is developing to support Ukrainian refugees to establish enterprises. [19154/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Just this week the Ukrainian President addressed a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad and shared the heart-breaking and inspiring story of his people’s courage and endurance in the face of a grotesque and appalling aggression they are facing. Members of the House were united in our support for the people of Ukraine as we open our country to them for refuge.

In the first instance, I would draw attention to the comprehensive FAQ document for Ukraine Nationals and Residents of Ukraine on the Department of Justice website which provides the most up to date arrangements for Ukrainian citizens and their family members wishing to travel to Ireland or already in Ireland. It can be accessed at: www.irishimmigration.ie/faqs-for-ukraine-nationals-and-residents-of-ukraine/

This document advises inter alia that Ukrainian refugees are entitled to seek employment or self-employment and vocational training education activities in Ireland.

In general, anyone can set up a business in Ireland (sole trader etc) subject to their visa status.

Therefore, I would encourage anyone wishing to start a business to make contact with their Local Enterprise Office.

Local Enterprise Offices 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. In particular the Local Enterprise Offices offer Feasibility Grants, which help start-up companies or individual entrepreneurs with the cost of researching their proposed business or new business idea to see if it could be viable and sustainable, and Priming Grants, which aim to help with the associated costs of start-up. However, it should be noted that the Local Enterprise Offices do not provide direct grant-aid to areas such as retail, personal services, local professional services or local building services, as it may give rise to the displacement of existing businesses.

The above supports along with a host of others can also be found on the supportingsmes.gov.ie website. This is a cross-governmental guide to help small businesses know which of the over 170 Government supports could fit their business. By completing the questionnaire, a small business will, in one location find out which of the over 170 Government business supports from 27 different Government Departments, Agencies and initiatives are available; find information on the range of Government supports for accessing credit; and find contact details for their nearest Local Enterprise Office.

The Local Enterprise Offices also provide a wide range of high-quality business and management development programmes that are tailored to meet specific business requirements. Whether it is starting a business or growing a business there is something suitable for anyone exploring self-employment as an option.

In particular, I would encourage any person starting a business to enquire about the Start Your Own Business Programme. The objective is to assist clients in assessing their business idea, its viability and helps them decide if they should proceed or take a step back. The programme covers topics such as starting up / getting started, identifying, understanding, and researching your target market, developing your business plan amongst other vital areas of interest to a new business.

I would also suggest seeking the advice of a LEO Business Mentor; the Mentor programme is open to both new and existing businesses located within the Local Enterprise Office region and is designed to match up the knowledge, skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of experienced business practitioners with small business owner/ managers who need practical and strategic one to one advice and guidance. The mentor contributes independent, informed observation and advice to aid decision making.