“There are 80 Government supported programmes available to assist SMEs in starting and growing their businesses; however, evidence shows that there is a low level of awareness about these supports. We must ensure that exist SMEs, and start-ups, in Dublin Fingal are fully informed of the supports available to them.” says Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal.
“SMEs employ 650,000 people in Ireland, and start-ups account for two thirds of all new jobs created. SMEs are hugely important to the local economy in towns and villages throughout the North County.
“As our economic recovery continues, it is essential that SMEs are provided with the assistance they need in order to further increase job creation in our local towns. The importance of small businesses to the local economy is clear from walking down the streets of local towns and villages like Malahide, Portmarnock, Swords and Skerries.
“A new website has been launched by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation as part of the new awareness campaign – actionplanforjobs.ie –which is aimed at informing businesses about the Government supported schemes which could be of assistance to them. I would encourage all small business owners, and those thinking of starting their own business, to log on to this website and to utilise the “Supporting SMEs” online guide.
“Small businesses act as the engine of economic growth in local towns throughout Dublin Fingal. They are essential to our continued economic recovery and have been vital in reducing unemployment levels in the North County. SMEs are the largest job creators in the State and they have certainly played a pivotal role in reducing the number of people on the live register where figures have fallen by 29.4% in the Swords Local Welfare Office and by 22.1% for the Balbriggan Local Welfare Office since July 2012.”