Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2026
978. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the breakdown of funding provided to local enterprise offices within Fingal County Council over the past three years; the number of grants awarded, and jobs supported or created, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55592/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Enterprise Office Fingal plays an extremely important role, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services direct to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across North County Dublin.
My Department provides funding to the Local Enterprise Offices which is allocated to each of the 31 Local Authorities based on an agreed distribution model and set out in the in the Service Level Agreements. This capital funding is used to support enterprise development through direct grant aid, productivity supports, and capability training and development interventions.
Direct LEO grant supports specifically designed for growth or exporting are aimed at those in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. Small businesses in any sector are eligible for productivity supports in Lean, Green and Digital such as the Energy Efficiency Grant and Grow Digital Voucher. These grants are focused on providing capital to assist in implementation of recommendations to digitalise or decarbonise a business.
The 2025 Annual Employment Survey of LEO clients shows positive job creation in Fingal, where 1,319 jobs were supported by 295 small businesses, showing a net gain of 135 jobs. The figures accounted for in the annual employment survey only relate to LEO clients that have received direct financial grant assistance from the LEO and does not include the number of small businesses and associated jobs that have received training, mentoring or other supports such as the Grow Digital Voucher, Green for Business, Lean for Business, Digital for Business and Energy Efficiency Grants (EEG).
Below is the breakdown of funding for LEO Fingal over each of the last three full years and in 2026 to date. Please note the 2026 figures are provisional.
|
LEO Fingal |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
*2026 (Year to Date) |
|
Funding provided |
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Pay |
€389,985 |
€394,859 |
€390,989 |
€418,981 |
|
Capital |
€1,473,186 |
€2,309,356 |
€2,096,662 |
€1,683,440 |
|
Grant supports |
|
|
|
|
|
No Of Projects Approved |
63 |
63 |
67 |
37 |
|
No of Clients Approved |
58 |
55 |
60 |
36 |
|
Approved Amount |
€1,042,770 |
€1,008,793 |
€954,426 |
€519,156 |
|
No. of Projects Paid |
65 |
82 |
65 |
36 |
|
No of Clients Paid |
58 |
67 |
58 |
34 |
|
Amount Paid |
€732,665 |
€864,456 |
€740,811 |
€257,705 |
|
Jobs Figures |
|
|
|
|
|
No. of Clients |
261 |
282 |
295 |
- |
|
Jobs supported |
1,111 |
1,264 |
1,319 |
- |
|
Jobs Gains |
178 |
309 |
271 |
- |
|
Net Jobs |
79 |
197 |
135 |
- |
