Running a business in Ireland can be tough, but help is available. In this section you will find information on a range of supports to help you save money, work smarter and keep up with the competition. Whether you need a hand with a problem today, a way to manage your money better, or support to make your business even stronger, here you can find helpful resources to get started.
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Keep up and running
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What are you interested in doing?
Featured productivity supports
Making your business more productive is about finding smart ways to get more done in less time and with less resources.
Not sure where to start? Here are some of the most popular supports for creating a more productive business.
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13 supports based on your selections
LeanPlus (Údarás)
Apply Lean practices to improve operational effectiveness
In an ever-evolving world, businesses must always be ready for change. LeanPlus is an in-depth programme that helps you put new processes in place to reduce costs and make your business more efficient and competitive.
Businesses that want to put new processes in place to improve company productivity and reduce inefficiency
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are a potential Údarás na Gaeltachta client operating a small to medium business
- You have already completed LeanStart
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
LeanStart - Udaras
An introduction to Lean Thinking
LeanStart is an introductory, short-focused training programme that introduces your company to Lean thinking. Lean thinking is a set of business principles that can help staff learn new ways of working and identify inefficient processes that do not add value to a business.
Businesses looking to make practical improvements in their business to deliver better quality faster and without waste.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are a potential Údarás na Gaeltachta client operating a small to medium business
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
EEN: Innovation Company Innovation Capability Analysis Tool
Unlocking Innovation: Evaluating Your Company's Journey and Strategic Growth Areas
Assessing a company's innovation capacity involves evaluating its current position on the innovation journey and identifying strategies to address specific areas within the business that need improvement.
- All organizations engaged in their innovation journey and in need of further assistance.
An introduction to Lean Thinking
Access Advice : Lean Start
LeanStart is an introductory, short-focused training programme that introduces your company to Lean thinking. Lean thinking is a set of business principles that can help staff learn new ways of working and identify inefficient processes that do not add value to a business.
Businesses looking to make practical improvements in their business to deliver better quality faster and without waste.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
- You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Make your small business more efficient with Lean principles
Lean for Business
With this support, find out how Lean principles can transform your business by helping your staff find new ways of working and identifying inefficient practices to increase productivity.
Businesses that want to improve their performance, reduce their costs and be more competitive.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- You employ up to 50 people
- You have been operating for at least 6 months
- You have generated revenues of at least €30k
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Improving your company’s cyber security in a fluid world
Cyber Security Review Grant
Enterprise Ireland, in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre, offers the Cyber Security Review. This initiative provides companies like yours access to cyber security experts who will conduct an independent review of your company’s cyber security status, identify vulnerabilities, and develop a clear roadmap for you to enhance your security measures.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
Develop your own market-ready strategies to grow your business
CMS (Commercial Marketing Strategy)
The Bord Bia Commercial Marketing Strategy helps food and drink businesses create marketing plans–with marketing tools and resources–for brand visibility and growth.
Food or drink businesses that need support building their strategy for growth, at home or in export markets.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a Bord Bia client
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Help to improve efficiency and competitiveness
Operational Excellence
Your business must be able to respond, adapt and improve in response to constant changes in customer needs, suppliers, and your own day-to-day operations. This support helps you to invest in a major transformation project which could help your business be more competitive on an international level.
Businesses redesigning their business to make it more efficient and competitive.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
- You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
- Have been trading for at least 5 years, with revenues of at least €500,000
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Apply Lean practices to improve operational effectiveness
LeanPlus
In an ever-evolving world, businesses must always be ready for change. LeanPlus is an in-depth programme that helps you put new processes in place to reduce costs and make your business more efficient and competitive.
Businesses that want to put new processes in place to improve company productivity and reduce inefficiency.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
- You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
- You have already completed LeanStart
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Join an ecosystem of innovative companies to fast-track business solutions
Skillnet Innovation Exchange
Skillnet Innovation Exchange is a skills marketplace that connects large businesses facing innovation challenges to ambitious Irish SMEs with the talent that can fast-track solutions.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a scaling technology SME company that need an instant sales pipeline as well as access to key decision makers, market intelligence and the capability to sell to large corporates.
- You are a large company looking for access to Ireland’s most talented solutions providers and to collaborations that accelerate digital transformation.
Featured cashflow supports
Maintain a healthy cash flow to keep your business running smoothly.
From budgeting advice to funding to tide you over, here are some of the most popular supports that can provide financial help to keep your business running.
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48 supports based on your selections
Irish Feature Film Development
Development funding for Live Action or Animated feature films
Feature Film Development Loans enable Irish producers to commission screenplays with a view to developing feature films to production stage.
- Irish producers with a feature film project they wish to develop, with clear access to the necessary rights
First Stage Documentary Development
First Stage Documentary Development Funding is for feature film documentary projects
First Stage Documentary Development Funding is for feature film documentary projects intended for festival and/or cinematic release and documentary series intended for international broadcast.
- Irish producers with a documentary feature film or documentary series they wish to develop
Fiction: Creative Co-Production
Funding for live-action or animated feature films originating outside Ireland in which an Irish producer (ROI) is involved as a creative collaborator
- This funding is for live-action or animated feature films (live-action or animated TV projects are not eligible) originating outside Ireland in which an Irish producer (ROI) is involved as a creative collaborator, not merely a service producer and provider of a minority of the finance needed.
- The film must be structured as an official co-production with third party funding from the leading territory in place and must employ key Irish talent.
- Priority will be given to projects that utilise Ireland as a film location, depict Ireland for Ireland, and where a number of key Irish HOD's and/or Irish cast are employed.
- Reciprocity from funding agencies in other jurisdictions will be sought in appropriate circumstances.
- Irish producers with a live-action or animated feature film structured as an official co-production with third party funding from the leading territory in place
Screenplay Development (Established Talent)
Development funding is provided by Screen Ireland for the making of films predominantly in English or Irish, or a combination of the two
Screenplay Development Loans support experienced writers/directors to write a live action or animated feature film from initial idea stage in the form of treatments or early script draft to a viable first draft screenplay.
- Experienced Irish talent with at least one produced fiction feature film credit as a writer
Fiction: Irish Production
This funding is for feature films originated and creatively led by Irish talent including directors, writers, and producers
Applications will generally express Irish culture in some way and the practical management must be primarily in Irish hands. This programme is open to live-action feature films or animated feature films.
- Teams of Irish Producer(s), Writer(s) and Director(s) with a live-action or animated feature film they wish to produce
Television Drama Development
This scheme aims to provide opportunities for Irish talent to create original drama content
This funding enables Irish producers with a track record in TV Drama production to originate live action TV drama projects.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an Irish producer with a television drama project you wish to develop, clear access to the necessary rights in any material that is to be adapted for the screen, and an agreement (at least in principle) with the screenwriter you wish to commission
Documentary Production: TV Series
This funding is for documentary series originated and creatively led by Irish talent - directors, producers and writers
The emphasis is on documentary series with high production values which are capable of reaching an international audience and have already received market backing in this regard.
You may be eligible if:
- You are in a team of Irish producer(s), writer(s), and director(s) (if applicable)
Animation: Television
This funding is for animated TV series originated and creatively led by Irish talents - directors, writers, producers, animators
Funding under this programme is generally provided by Screen Ireland for the making of projects predominantly in English or Irish, or a combination of the two.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an Irish producer with an animated TV single or series you wish to produce, clear access to necessary rights and broadcaster support
Completion
This funding enables Irish filmmakers to complete a live-action, animated or documentary feature film
Projects must be owned, originated and creatively led by Irish talent - directors, writers, producers. Their content will generally express Irish culture in some way, and their practical management will be primarily in Irish hands. Films that have screened outside of festival premieres and cast and crew and press events are ineligible.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an Irish producer with a live-action, animated feature, or feature documentary project which has reached post-production stage or later without Screen Ireland support, shows great theatrical promise and is in need of further funding
Start-up Loan
Start-up Loan
If you are setting up a business or are in operation for less than 18 months, our start-up loan is available to help you get your business up and running.
You might be eligible if:
- You are setting up a business or are in operation for less than 18 months
- Your business has fewer than 10 full-time employees
- Your business has an annual turnover of less than €2 million
- Your business has experienced difficulty in securing a loan from the banks
- Living in Ireland
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Featured upskill supports
Help your team to learn new skills to keep your business moving forward.
Here are some of the most popular supports for skills development that will help to keep your business on track.
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74 supports based on your selections
Strategic Consultancy Services Grant
Cover the cost of expert advice on business development
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- Your business is developing, expanding and located in a Gaeltacht region
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Document designed to help suppliers considering selling to government in the public procurement process
Top Tips for Tendering
Top Tips for Tendering outlines five key phases and information to support through to the tendering process for government contracts. It has been designed by the Office of Government Procurement to help suppliers through the public procurement process.
All businesses
Glossary of public procurement terms
ABC's of Public Procurement
The ABC's of Public Procurement provides a glossary of common terms businesses will come across during the procurement process and provides an explaination for each. Useful links are included to provide further information.
All businesses
Food Industry Training
Food Programme Courses
Delivery of in-company and public training programmes to address specific industry needs.
You might be eligible if:
- You are entrepreneurs or small food business owners interested in building knowledge and upskilling.
- Established food companies that want to improve the skills and knowledge of their workforce.
Research Ireland Enterprise Fellowships Programme
Supporting the exchange of knowledge and expertise between academia and enterprise
This programme offers funding avenues to support collaboration between academia and enterprise to drive innovation and knowledge exchange for all disciplines while supporting a skills pipeline for the knowledge economy
You may be eligible if:
Enterprise partners can include a broad range of organisations engaged in research, development, and innovation. These may include:
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Multinational corporations
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) & Charities
Public sector agencies (where justified, under the partnership stream only)
Skills to Advance: Boost Skills, Boost Business
Boost your skills to boost your business with Skills to Advance
Skills to Advance provides flexible, accredited upskilling and reskilling opportunities to employees and employers around Ireland. All programmes are delivered locally through the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) nationwide and are available at little or no cost. Skills to Advance is an initiative of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training (FET) authority.
Employers and employees looking to upskill or reskill to advance their knowledge and future-proof their capabilities. Programmes are available across a variety of industries and skill areas.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a small, medium or large enterprise
- You are in employment
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
SOLAS x LEO: ILM
Elevate your business and career with Leadership and Management skills
Fast track your way to leadership excellence with targeted, comprehensive upskilling featuring one-to-one coaching. This programme is available at little to no cost through the Skills to Advance initiative.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a small, medium or large enterprise
- You are in employment
- You are a Local Enterprise Office client company (up to 50 employees)
Skills to Advance: Retail—Specific Upskilling
Boost your retail business with highly subsidised upskilling opportunities
Skills to Advance provides flexible, accredited upskilling and reskilling opportunities to employees and employers around Ireland. All programmes are delivered locally through the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) nationwide and are available at little or no cost. Skills to Advance is an initiative of SOLAS, the state agency responsible for Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland.
Retail employers and employees who want to drive business performance and career progression through accredited and highly subsidised training. A wide range of courses are available, including leadership and management skills, customer service, food and beverage preparation training.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a small, medium or large enterprise
- You are in employment
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
HSA Learning
hsalearning
hsalearning.ie is the HSA’s online education platform (or learning management system/LMS) providing 24/7 access to free courses addressing health and safety
You may be eligible if:
- You are a employer, employee, management, students, teachers, tutors, future workers
HSA Website
HSA Website
Website for The Health and Safety Authority which was established under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, which has since been replaced by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a employer, employee or member of the public