As part of the Action Plan for Jobs the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, TD, has announced an extensive reform package for local government. As part of those reforms, local government will have an enhanced role in economic development and enterprise support, the establishment of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provides for that service delivery.
Local government will play an active role on implementing the Action Plan for Jobs. This will include development of a new sectoral strategy to promote employment and support local enterprise through the following measures:
• Local enterprise and business support arrangements;
• Procurement support;
• Local development and community based initiatives;
• The Green Economy;
• Employment support schemes. Local authorities will be also become the lead provider of micro-enterprise supports locally.
The new “one-stop-shop” micro enterprise support structure will be achieved through the dissolution of the existing CEBs and the creation of a new Micro Enterprise and Small Business Unit in Enterprise Ireland (EI) that will work with Local Authorities to establish a new network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in each Local Authority.
The LEOs will be mandated to provide a range of supports and services to all local micro enterprises who seek such supports. Essentially, the LEOs will carry out the combined work of the CEBs and the Business Support Units of the Local Authorities.
The new LEOs will offer:
• Local enterprise and business support arrangements;
• Local business advisory services (licensing, regulation, planning, etc);
• Information and support for accessing the local procurement process;
• Close coupling to NEES (National Employment and Entitlements Service) /SOLAS (Seirbhísí Oideachais Leanunaigh agus Scileanna) services (referrals, access to training/development/recruitment);
• Access to micro-business supports/incentives (finance, innovation, marketing, mentoring, management development); and
• Progression for high-growth companies to appropriate EI supports.