Enterprise Boards can create 11,000 jobs nationwide in 3 years

“County and City Enterprise Boards are under-utilised - significant potential for major contribution to development of indigenous businesses” - Greg Swift, Dublin City CEB

The County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), the nationwide business support network for the small and micro business sector, believes that it is an under-utilised resource with significant potential to make a major contribution to the development of an Irish indigenous business sector. In a new strategy document, “Meeting the Challenge – Driving Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development in Ireland” that has been presented to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, the CEBs outline how they can create more than 11,000 new jobs over the next three years and over 18,000 over the five years.



Greg Swift, CEO of the Dublin City CEB said, “This strategy to drive entrepreneurship in Ireland’s micro enterprises sets out clear actions and key outputs over the next 5 years.  Micro enterprises make up the vast majority of local businesses in Ireland accounting for over 90% all businesses in the country and are the key contributors to local economic development.  More importantly they are the vital source for employment creation both now and over the coming years.  We can deliver over 200 jobs per annum in the Dublin City CEB over the next 5 years and help to sustain a further 100,000 jobs across the country in existing businesses but only if we can get the necessary resources. These outputs can only be achieved if there is a re-instatement of the modest €34 million per annum budget( i.e. 2.3% of the Department budget), shared across the 35 CEBs, plus a modest increase of 10% per annum in this budget over the next 5 years. We believe the CEB Network is the most cost effective in creating productive jobs in our economy at an average cost per job of €5,500. Currently we have a large number of projects waiting for additional funding. These are jobs that can be created immediately and that will pay for themselves within three years in benefits foregone and taxes paid.”



Greg Swift  added, “The key objectives of the strategy are the fostering of a spirit of enterprise at all levels in society, supporting new businesses and enhancing and sustaining existing businesses. The CEBs have the benefit of local knowledge to get to the 4,500 intending entrepreneurs that emerge each year. The plan anticipates direct financial support to over 500 start-ups and 450 expanding businesses per annum and these will have the potential to create over 3,625 new jobs per annum.  In addition to this, over 4,000 existing businesses per annum and 3,500 start-up businesses will be assisted by way of one-to-one business advisory sessions, mentoring, and management development training on annual basis which in turn will sustain 20,000 existing jobs in local businesses per annum through these supports.



The plan also envisages over 12,000 second level students participating on the County & City Enterprise Boards Student Enterprise Awards as well as a range of other pro-entrepreneurship activities.”



The strategic aims set out in the strategy are:

*    The creation of employment opportunities throughout the country by assisting in the establishment of new businesses and the development and sustainability of existing businesses

*    To increase the culture and level of entrepreneurship in Ireland so that the culture is supportive of entrepreneurship through maximising the number of new start-up businesses

*    To support small businesses increasing their competitiveness, innovativeness, export-orientation, management capabilities and sustainability

*    The provision of a comprehensive information and advice service throughout the country for anyone wishing or proposing to establish or expand a new or existing business

*    To increase the pool of indigenous business at local level in particular the number of growth-oriented businesses and where appropriate assist in development and transfer of high potential clients to Enterprise Ireland.

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