Panel Debate with Enterprise Minister Peter BurkeGuests Brendan Kelly KPW, Lyn Donnelly BACD & Raj Lyons Affinity EV

Wed 4th Sept, 6pm – Shearwater Hotel 

East Galway & Roscommon are locations for global and local investment. Next Wednesday 4th September the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Peter Burke TD will visit Ballinasloe and meet business leaders that are expanding operations and scaling up. Making the next step to growing national sales and also exports.
 
Are you considering starting up a business, scaling up, expanding – why not come along and hear about policy initiatives from Department of Enterprise and agencies Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices. Minister Peter Burke has recently launched an SME Test criteria to ensure all policies and legislation are reviewed for impact to sole traders, small and medium sized businesses in all sectors. https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/news-and-events/department-news/2024/may/202405151.html
 
All welcome to this public meeting with a business focus.
An opportunity to showcase Ballinasloe and surrounding areas for investment and find out about these questions and more with Q&A time too…..
 
How do we position Galway & Roscommon region for future growth?
What financial supports are in place for sole traders, SMEs and large scale companies?
How do Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices work with growing businesses – LEO Outreach/ Pulse Club?
How do we keep excellent people – challenges of recruitment and retention?
How do we upskill our teams for the next decade – digitalisation & AI?
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BUSINESS SUPPORTS
 
https://www.localenterprise.ie/
https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/supports/funding-and-grants
https://www.idaireland.com/

• Second payment of ICOB (Increased Cost of Business) for businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors
• doubling the Innovation Grant Scheme to €10,000
• increasing the maximum amount available under the Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme to €10,000 and reducing the business contribution rate from 50% to 25%
• widening the eligibility for the Trading Online Voucher, extending it to all sectors up to 50 employees, modernise eligible expenditure and doubling the grant to €5,000
• increasing the lending limit for Microfinance Ireland loans to €50,000 from €25,000
• widening the eligibility for the Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme and extending it to all sectors with up to 50 employees
• launching a new ‘Ireland’s Best Entrepreneur Programme’ to encourage entrepreneurship and startups in under-represented groups
• launching the new online National Enterprise Hub for SMEs to access information on the wide range of Government business supports
• implementing an enhanced ‘SME Test’ by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in conjunction with the Department of the Taoiseach

 
TRAINING & EDUCATION SUPPORTS

• National Enterprise Hub - https://www.neh.gov.ie
• Management training for small enterprise - https://www.neh.gov.ie/business-supports/accelerate-management-development-training-programme
• Skillnet – Building competitiveness through Skills - https://www.skillnetireland.ie/
• Skills to Advance for employees - https://www.solas.ie/programmes/skills-to-advance/

 

• Ballinasloe College of Further Education – courses in enterprise, healthcare, childcare, social studies
• Galway Roscommon Education Training Board (GRETB) –courses https://www.fetchcourses.ie/

 

• Apprenticeships – 70 courses www.apprenticeship.ie
• National Tertiary Office – 40 courses – start in local college of Further Education progress to Technological University - https://nto.hea.ie/
• Atlantic Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon and University of Galway – offering part-time courses/ apprenticeships/ Training.