“The County and City Enterprise Boards note the proposal of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation to replace the County and City Enterprise Boards with a new network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). The County and City Enterprise Boards would like to reassure all of our clients that pending completion of the revised service delivery arrangements, we will continue to deliver the full range of enterprise support services. This is particularly crucial at this time when so many small and micro businesses are struggling and disruption of service could have a catastrophic impact.
The County and City Enterprise Boards nationally provide supports to over 25,000 firms through the provision of high quality training, advice, mentoring and financial supports. At the end of 2011 there were over 32,600 net full time jobs in County and City Enterprise Board supported enterprises.
Since their inception in 1993, the County and City Enterprise Boards have been at the forefront of efforts to stimulate enterprise awareness and promote an enterprise culture throughout the length and breadth of Ireland. The establishment of the County and City Enterprise Boards as statutory bodies enabled them to take on multifaceted economic and enterprise development roles and enabled them to lever in significant resources on behalf of their clients from European Union and other international sources.
Small and micro businesses represent about 93% of all registered businesses in Ireland. The County and City Enterprise Boards have been the main locally-based and accessible service provider over the past seventeen or eighteen years. It is imperative that the level and quality of the service provided is maintained.
The County and City Enterprise Boards will be fully engaging with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities to effect the proposed changes and ensure a smooth transition to the revised institutional arrangements.”