COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 13, 2022

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor L. Dunne

To ask the Chief Executive, what is the average amount of small High Street Businesses "10 staff or less" that start up in the County per year and how much revenue on average do these new start ups generate for the Council a year?

REPLY:

Earlier this year (March) LEO South Dublin announced that it is now supporting over 260 Small businesses and 1345 jobs across our portfolio of businesses

On an annual basis Local Enterprise Office provide Financial Supports to approximately 50 business per year of which 28% are for Feasibility Grants; 44% are Priming Grant and 28% are Business Expansion Grants for business promoters setting up Micro Businesses in the county.

Feasibility Study and Innovation Grants may be awarded to assist the promoter with researching market demand for a product or service and examining its sustainability. It may cover the costs of market research, product development and other kinds of innovation. It may include assistance with innovation including specific consultancy requirements, hiring of expertise, private specialists, design, patent costs, and prototype development

Priming support is a business start-up grant to help fund the cost of starting a small business in South Dublin. It is for new businesses within the first 18 months after startup.

Business Expansion support ( also referred to as Business Development support) is for businesses established and trading for more than 18 months. 

At Feasibility stage the promoters are testing and developining their product or service so generally they are not working from a business premises or office. At Priming and Business Expansion stages the grants are primarily supporting new job creation as the business moves into growth and expansion stages. Promoters at this stage will generally operate from a business premises which may be a leased unit of their own or shared space within an Enterprise Centre or other facility. At this stage these businesses are paying rates. 

It is difficult to advise on the average revenue they generate from the council but LEO South Dublin would generally have 20 - 25 businesses setting up in a business premises or offices each year.   

The details of our grants breakdown for 2020 /2021 and year to date is included below for reference.

Measure 1 - Number of Clients Approved Funding:

Output 2020

Output 2021

 YTD May 2022

Feasibility:                            Number:

7

7

6

Priming:                                Number:

15

10

7

Business Expansion:           Number:

10

7

7

New Jobs associatedwith approvals  under Priming & Business Expansion Grants

52

47

28.5