Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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48. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the targeted supports he is considering to help small and local businesses remain viable in rural towns and areas like Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33214/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) based within the 31 Local Authorities are the first stop shop for local businesses in Ireland. In the first instance LEOs provide a signposting service for all government supports available to all small businesses and can provide information/referrals to other relevant bodies.

LEOs provide training and advice on entrepreneurship and helping businesses to start, grow and deal with the challenges of running a business. LEOs support job creation and provide accessible high-quality supports for small businesses. Aside from business supports, LEOs contribute to the development of economic strategies such as the Local Economic and Community Plans and ensure that an enterprise perspective is brought to bear on various Local Authority and regional plans and frameworks.

To assist small and medium enterprises to become more productive and competitive, the Local Enterprise Offices provide consultancy and grants to small businesses of all sectors, in the areas of Lean, Green, and Digital. These supports focus on enhancing productivity and improving competitiveness in small businesses. Effective and efficient use of materials and resources can make a significant difference to the profitability of a business.

In 2024, the Local Enterprise Office in Mayo paid €424,682 in direct Measure 1 grant support to 201 small businesses in Mayo, helping to support 1,351 jobs and creating 185 new jobs. This does not include the number of small businesses and associated jobs that have received training, mentoring or other supports from the LEO.

In addition to the consultancy and mentoring supports provided by the Lean, Green and Digital programmes, Local Enterprise Offices offer direct support in these transitions. For example, the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) provides grant assistance of up to a maximum of €10,000 with a 75% contribution rate from Government, and through Grow Digital Voucher, offers funding of up to €5,000 or 50% of eligible costs for new cloud-based software subscriptions for 1 year, training and consultancy.

I would recommend that any small business owner contact their Local Enterprise Office and ask to speak to a Business Advisor about the supports available to them. I also encourage any business owners looking to avail of government support to consult the National Enterprise Hub (NEH). The NEH is an all-of-government free service, staffed by expertly trained advisers and is focused on helping business owners access a range of government supports.