Taking Care Of Business: 25 State Offices And Agencies Come Together To Help Small Businesses
Over twenty-five State Agencies are collectively hosting a series of events for existing and potential entrepreneurs called 'Taking Care of Business'. These free events are specifically targeted at people thinking of starting a business as well as existing small business owners and managers. Areas covered will include:
* Supports from enterprise agencies and Local Authorities;
* Access to Financial and business supports;
* Requirements in areas such as food and environmental safety;
* Tax, employment and Health & Safety obligations;
* Requirements for setting up and running your business.
These half-day events will be run during spring 2014 in the following locations:
* Limerick on Tuesday March 11th in the Strand Hotel;
* Galway on Tuesday March 25th in the Radisson Blu Hotel;
* Cork on Tuesday April 1st in the Silver Springs Moran Hotel.
There will be two separate strands running concurrently with presentations from State bodies in one area and information stands manned by staff from these bodies in a separate area. The concise presentations will focus on assistance available to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses and key regulatory requirements. Experts will be available at the information stands to speak directly to attendees and answer questions in an informal setting.
These events build on a pilot event in Dublin Castle attended by over 500 people in October 2013; feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive with organisation of regional events the most frequent suggestion for future events.
A Government Minister will open each event and a mix of local and national figures from business will chair the presentation sessions; one session in Cork, for example, will be chaired by Bobby Kerr, entrepreneur and founding 'Dragon' on RTة's Dragon's Den. Information stands will be open throughout the events, allowing you to talk to public bodies about your business concerns.
'Taking Care of Business' will be an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs, business owners and managers to learn about the broad range of advice and support that is available from State bodies. A number of representative bodies from industry have also come together to support the event and will be available to talk to attendees on the day.
Early booking is strongly advised as there are a limited number of places available. You may register by visiting www.takingcareofbusiness.ie<http://www.takingcareofbusiness.ie>. The website provides full details of each event including the running order for presentations and the full list of bodies attending.
Editor's note
The State office and agencies represented at the event will be:
* County and City Enterprise Boards: Limerick City Enterprise Board / Roscommon County Enterprise Board / South Cork Enterprise Board
* Revenue Commissioners
* Enterprise Ireland
* Competition Authority
* Companies Registration Office
* Environmental Protection Agency
* Food Safety Authority of Ireland
* Health and Safety Authority
* Credit Review Office
* Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement
* National Employment Rights Authority
* Office of Government Procurement
* Department of Social Protection / Intreo
* Data Protection Commissioner
* Equality Authority
* National Standards Authority of Ireland
* Microfinance Ireland
* Local Authorities: Limerick City & County Council / Galway City and County Councils / Cork City and County Councils
* SOLVIT (informal problem-solving network for EU citizens and businesses)
* Enterprise Europe Network
* Patents Office
* Pensions Board
* Personal Injuries Assessment Board
* Access to Finance campaign (cross government campaign to raise awareness of the over 80 Government funds available to support small business)
* Range of Government Skills Programmes (Momentum, Skillnets, Springboard, ICT Conversion Programmes, JobBridge, JobsPlus)
The European Commission Representation in Ireland will also attend the events. 'Taking Care of Business' is supported by SFA, Chambers Ireland, ISME, RGData, ACCA and the Hardware Association of Ireland.