Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions being taken to enable locally trading sectors to thrive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30035/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Government is acutely aware that businesses in all sectors, including the locally traded sector, are concerned about the impact of rising costs.

The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant was introduced in Budget 2024 package to help businesses with their increasing overheads. The Local Authorities are administering the ICOB scheme on behalf of my Department and the priority is to get payments to businesses as soon as possible.

In total, as of 9 July, there have been 72,576 registrations representing 81,366 businesses. In total €141 million has already having been paid out to over 62,000 businesses. This includes €129 million to businesses as a first payment, and €11.9 million in second payments to businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors.

The new online National Enterprise Hub for SMEs is the best way to access information on the wide range of Government business supports. The launch of the National Innovation Hub took place yesterday and it includes a dedicated website and phone line with Hub Advisors to help businesses access Government supports. Any business can contact the Hub for direct help in navigating the comprehensive suite of supports that are being offered to business throughout Ireland.

Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services directly to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. LEOs are the first-stop-shop locally for every business in the country.

The past four years has seen the remit of the LEOs expanded into the heart of our locally traded sector and have a greater focus on developing new exporters. The recently launched LEO Policy Statement 2024 – 2030 reaffirms the centrality of LEOs in promoting a pro-business and pro-enterprise environment in every county, and in championing local business development priorities.

The SME Package I announced on 14 May also included adjustments to schemes and programmes operated by the LEOs, making these supports available to a wider range of small businesses, including those operating in the retail, hospitality and locally trading services sectors.

• The maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme is being increased from €5,000 to €10,000 and the business contribution rate will be reduced from 50% to 25%.
• Eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher scheme is being extended to all sectors with up to 50 employees, eligible expenditure is being modernised and the grant is being doubled from €2,500 to €5,000. The scheme will be renamed the Grow Digital Voucher.