People in the photographs: Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection Pat Breen TD; Mike Cantwell CEO Innovate Ireland (Limerick sign); Helen Downes CEO Shannon Chamber (Shannon sign); Harriet Cotter Enterprise Ireland (Clare sign); Frank Murray Managing partner of the linkage – Partnership (Kerry sign); Anne Byrne Department of Business Enterprise & Innovation (Tipperary sign)

Limerick, Ireland, May 23^rd

A Government of Ireland initiative, Taking Care of Business will bring more than 25 State bodies and services together to offer advice to small businesses in the Mid-West  

• Businesses called on to register for event showcasing the advice and supports available to small businesses from a diverse mix of State bodies 

• Free half day event will allow businesses to meet experts from a range of public bodies 

• Opportunity for small business owners to get advice on diversifying into new export markets in light of Brexit

Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection Pat Breen TD, has called on existing small business owners, and people thinking of starting a business, to register their interest for the ‘Taking Care of Business’ event on Tuesday September 25^th at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Ennis Road, Limerick.

The half-day event is specifically targeted at people thinking of starting a business as well as small business owners and managers. In the context of Brexit, it is also an opportunity for businesses to seek advice from a range of experts on how to diversify and expand into new markets.

An initiative of the Government of Ireland, and run by Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Taking Care of Business will bring together more than 25 State bodies, agencies and units, and builds on the success of previous events in recent years, which have been attended by approximately 2,500 people from across the country.

The event will have two separate strands:

• In one part of the conference suite, State bodies will give presentations focusing on the key regulatory requirements for operating a business in Ireland, as well as on the supports available to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses;

• Meanwhile in another part of the conference suite, staff from the State bodies will welcome business people to information stands, talking directly to attendees and answering any questions they may have.

Minister Breen will open the conference in September. Calling on businesses in the Mid-West to register their interest in the event, he said: “Following a very successful event in Dublin late last year, bringing Taking Care of  Business to the Mid-West again demonstrates our ongoing  commitment to regional development, a commitment shown across a range of activities and policy initiatives.  The Mid-West Action Plan for Jobs, launched in late 2015, is well on its way to reaching its target of 23,000 more people in employment by 2020. Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs increased by 7 % last year, while IDA-supported jobs grew by 5 %.

“The national Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) also illustrates the importance we attach to the SME sector, which plays such a vital role in job creation. There is of course the Regional Enterprise Development Fund with funding of €60m – and two projects so far in the Mid West have already secured funding, the National Bioeconomy Innovation and Piloting facility at Lisheen, Co Tipperary,  and the Emerald Aero cluster in Shannon.

“Taking Care of Business events allow small-business owners, entrepreneurs and start-ups to get advice, on one day, in one place from a variety of agencies, on topics as diverse as health and safety and access to finance, for instance. I am particularly pleased to see the event return to the Mid-West, a region with a long and proud tradition of innovation and enterprise.”

The State offices and agencies represented will provide information across a wide range of areas, including:

• Tax, employment, and Health & Safety obligations;
• Legal requirements for setting up and running a business;
• Requirements in areas such as food and environmental safety;
• Advice on government procurement and intellectual property;
• Assistance and supports from enterprise agencies, and;
• Brexit, and the kind of help and supports that are available, including the Brexit Loan Scheme, will be covered.

A number of representative bodies from industry are also supporting the event and will be available to talk to attendees on the day.

To register for the event and for more details including the running order of presentations and the full list of State Bodies attending, please visit www.takingcareofbusiness.ie.

Early booking is strongly advised as there are a limited number of places available.

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