Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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147. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he continues to examine the possibility of further enhancement to the role of local enterprise offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45370/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government committed to examining the role of the Local Enterprise Offices in these specific areas:

- Expand the role of the Local Enterprise Offices, so they can go further in supporting local job creation and allow them to provide direct grant support to businesses with more than 10 employees.

- Put in place the structures to enable a seamless transition from the Local Enterprise Offices to Enterprise Ireland, so that ambitious and high-performing companies, regardless of size, are supported in scaling and achieving their potential.

- streamline the process when applying for Local Enterprise Office or Enterprise Ireland support, so that SMEs have a clear roadmap of progression

In response to this Commitment, my Department is ensuring comprehensive and joined up agency support for SMEs. Earlier this year, the Enterprise Ireland strategy 2022-2024 set out a commitment to ensure a continuation of support for enterprises that have grown to ten or more employees, as appropriate to their stage of development and growth ambition. In particular, Enterprise Ireland working with the Local Enterprise Offices, will ensure that companies of all sizes are assisted on their development journey, maximising their growth and job creation potential.

Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices are currently developing a framework to extend financial supports to clients who are manufacturing and internationally traded services companies, employing more than 10 full time employees and are focused on internationalising their products or services.

Building on the existing linkages, work has already begun on putting in place the structures to enable a seamless transition from LEO to Enterprise Ireland and to provide enterprise supports to businesses that have grown to ten or more employees.

Furthermore, GreenStart, introduced under the Climate Enterprise Action Fund, will be offered by the Local Enterprise Offices to two categories of businesses in 2022.

- Businesses with over 10 employees in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector, who are not EI clients

- Businesses with fewer than 10 employees in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector who have already had a GreenforMicro – Green Start will be a follow-on intervention to allow for a deeper dive

It will provide 80% grant support, up to a maximum of €5,000, towards the cost of hiring a Green Service Provider for seven days to undertake an in-company assignment.

DigitalStart is a programme for LEO clients that is also now open to businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors with up to 50 employees in consultation with the LEO. The objective of Digital Start, is to help businesses prepare and implement a plan for the adoption of digital tools and techniques across the business. Digital Start will provide strategic intervention for businesses to work with third party consultants to:

- assist them with identifying where they are on their digital business journey,

- develop a digital adaptation plan based on their identified need,

- implement their digital adaptation plan.