Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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565.To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports available to encourage and support persons starting new businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32310/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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This Government recognises the important role that our small businesses play in contributing to the Irish economy, not only in their own towns and villages nationwide, but to the country as a whole. My department through the enterprise development agencies are working to create a better business environment, one that encourages entrepreneurs to start-up and grow into exporting entities that have global reach.

The first stop for these new entrepreneurs is their Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), which are located within each of the 31 Local Authorities and are there to help businesses to start up and grow. The LEO Policy Statement, which I launched on May 23rd last, outlines how, through a variety of programmes and campaigns, LEOs foster a strong entrepreneurial culture and promote enterprise nationally. Above all, the Policy Statement shows that LEOs are, and remain, the first stop shop for all businesses regardless of sector.

For those who are considering starting up their own business, I would recommend speaking with a LEO business advisor to discover the range of assistance that is available to them through the LEOs and other government bodies. LEO contact details and information on the full range of Government supports are available at www.localenterprise.ie

I would particularly recommend asking about the Start Your Own Business (SYOB) programme, which guides entrepreneurs through the various aspects of business and business planning. The objective of the SYOB is to assist clients in assessing their business idea, its viability and help them decide if they should proceed or take a step back.

The LEO Mentor Programme is a service open to both new and existing business, allowing clients to work with an experienced mentor or business expert, to identify solutions to areas of exposure within their business. With advice and guidance from their mentor, clients develop strategies that are more robust, which address issues and maximises potential opportunities. All applications for mentor assistance are dealt with individually and are preceded by a business needs analysis to assess the key needs of the business and determine the most imperative mentoring objectives.

LEOs also offer direct grant assistance to small businesses. However, it should be noted that grants that are specifically designed for growth or exporting are aimed at those in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. Grant supports available to new start-ups include:

• Feasibility Grants, which link to the Pre-Start phase, helping 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.
• Priming Grants, specifically designed for businesses in the initial start-up period, helping the business promoter with the associated costs of start-up.