County & City Enterprise Boards - Public Consultation

The Government this week gave the go-ahead to begin drafting primary legislation to dissolve the existing County & City Enterprise Boards and to create an enhanced national micro enterprise support model. This will be delivered through Local Enterprise Offices to be established in each Local Authority office.

 A four week public consultation on the Government’s reforms of supports for the micro-enterprise and small business sector has been launched by Ministers Bruton and Perry and the views of all stakeholders, in particular small businesspeople and small business representative groups, are being sought.

The key elements include:
· A Centre of Excellence for micro and small business supports to be established within Enterprise Ireland
· A network of Local Enterprise Offices in Local Authorities to be established
· The best possible local environment for small business to be created by combining enterprise support for business at local level (ie a 'one-stop-shop' for local support) with the business support service and expertise of Local Authorities
· A strong network for entrepreneurships to be developed by working with local business and the wider community
Other measures due to be delivered in the coming months include:
· Early December – establishment of Micro and Small Business Division in Enterprise Ireland to develop a Centre of Excellence
· January 2013 – launch advance Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)
· April 2013 – establish all LEOs on an administrative basis
· Summer 2013 – enact enabling legislation

Minister Bruton said: 'Micro and small businesses are the backbone of the Irish economy, and employ over a third of all people working in Ireland today. If we are going to create the jobs and growth we need we must provide better supports to this sector so that more of these businesses can start-up, grow, export, and create the jobs we need. That is why as part of the Action Plan for Jobs we have introduced a range of new measures aimed at micro and small businesses, including the €90million microfinance scheme and the €450million credit guarantee scheme. I urge people to participate in the consultation process'.

Written submissions should be submitted by 19th December 2012 to mepu@djei.ie.