Role of the Small and Medium Enterprises Unit

Small and Medium Enterprises Unit

The role of the Unit is to maintain a key focus on the needs of small business and entrepreneurs and to ensure that the interests of Irish SMEs are taken into account in the development and execution of policy initiatives at national and international level.

This Unit provides a Departmental contact point for SMEs and their representative bodies in relation to all aspects of enterprise policy.

We provide the secretariat to the Small Business Advisory Group (chaired by Minister Perry) which was established on 16^th June 2011. The objective of this group is to facilitate structured and regular dialogue between the Minister and representatives of the small business sector on issues of concern. The Group’s first Report ‘The Voice of Small Business – A Plan for Action’ was published in November 2011.

We also provide Departmental representation on relevant national and international committees and working groups (EU, OECD etc).

We are also responsible for specific enterprise-related initiatives such as the Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, MicroFinance Loan Fund, the Late Payments legislation, the 15 day Prompt Payment requirements by Government Departments and the extension of 15 day Prompt Payment requirements to the wider Public Service.

Assistance to individual small firms is not undertaken by the section. Advice and financial assistance is provided by the enterprise agencies. Refer to the Who Helps Small Business? page for further information.