Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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48. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a breakdown for the current and capital budget allocations for the Skills for Better Business Initiative of the Revised Estimates for 2023; the number of staff required to support the delivery of the initiative; the current pay scale of the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26443/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Budget Allocation for Skills for Better Business.

Skills for Better Business was launched on in November 2022. It comprises an Online Tool for SME management skills assessment, complemented by a sign-posting resource providing quick contact information for management education and training.

The upskilling of SMEs is a high priority for my Department. In particular, research has shown that the firms that invest in management development have higher productivity, better survival rates and innovate more. In October 2020, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) published Leading the Way, a report on SME Management Skills and Practices. The report points to the need for management development to become a real strategic priority for SMEs if they are to grow and prosper.

The Online Tool is designed to make it easy for time-poor SME owners and managers to carry out an initial assessment of their own management skills. Once they complete the questionnaire, they receive a short report detailing where they may need to focus. They are then directed to the Skills for Better Business: Courses and Contacts pages on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website to find a training or education provider to support them in the next steps of their journey.

14 project partners are involved in delivering Skills for Better Business : the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Skillnet Ireland; Enterprise Ireland; SOLAS; the Small Firms Association (SFA); ISME; the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs); the Regional Skills Fora; the Higher Education Authority (HEA); the Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA); Chambers Ireland; Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI); the Irish Universities Association (IUA); and the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA).

The direct cost of supporting the Online Tool and website as reflected in the allocation above is only part of the resource input into the project. The 14 partners involved in the project each assign their own resources to support the project including promotion of the tool and ensuring the information provided remains up to date.

It is important that the message gets out to SME owners and managers across Ireland that Skills for Better Business is now launched and its resources are available. We want SMEs to make use of the Online Tool and engage with management education and training providers to identify the courses they need to improve their management skills and practices.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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49. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a breakdown for the current and capital budget allocations for the Digital Start Initiative of the Revised Estimates for 2023; the number of staff required to support the delivery of the initiative; the pay scale of the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26444/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Digital Start scheme is administered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices. It is designed to help businesses prepare and implement a plan for the adoption of digital tools and techniques across the business. Digital Start will provide strategic interventions for businesses to work with third party consultants to:

• assist them in identifying where they are on their digital business journey,
• develop a digital adaptation plan based on their identified need,
• implement their digital adaptation plan.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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50. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a breakdown for the current and capital budget allocations for the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher Scheme of the Revised Estimates for 2023; the number of staff required to support the operation of the scheme; the pay scale of the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26445/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Innovation Voucher Programme was developed to build links between Ireland's publicly funded knowledge providers (i.e. higher education institutes, public research bodies) and small and medium-sized businesses. Innovation Vouchers worth €5,000 are available to assist a company or companies to explore a business opportunity or problem with a registered knowledge provider.

Innovation is essential if companies want to stay ahead in competitive and fast-changing markets. Each Innovation Voucher gives a company €5,000 worth of time with an expert, third-level researcher to help them tease out an idea, develop a new product, or address an important business or technical challenge.

Innovation Vouchers are paid by Enterprise Ireland through Subhead B4, Capital only. The 2023 Budget allocation is €1,872,000. The Innovation Vouchers Scheme is managed within Enterprise Ireland’s Technology Infrastructure and Collaboration Department, Research and Innovation Division and a Level E (€74,701 to €91,745) per annum or equivalent grade is assigned within that Department who is also supported by Enterprise Ireland’s Grants Management Department.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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51. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a breakdown for the current and capital budget allocations for the Enterprise Ireland National Graduate Programme 2023-2025 of the Revised Estimates for 2023; the number of staff required to support the operation of the programme; the pay scale of the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26446/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The information sought by the Deputy is not available within the time frame available but will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.