€60m allocated to Enterprise Ireland

[z103]

[broken link removed]

The government has allocated €60m to growth for SMEs. Unfortunately, it is operated by enterprise ireland.

What this means in reality, is €60m is being pumped into enterprise ireland admin and compliance. Why can't they just use the money to give SMEs some tax breaks? Or give directors on less than €34k their PAYE tax credit back?

 

[Purple]

In my experience funding given to Enterprise Ireland is money well spent.

 

[z103]

In my experience, we simply are not geared up for all the form filling and compliance required by enterprise ireland. As a small HPSU, we were approved grant aid, but we are unable to claim any of it because it takes too long, and is too difficult to claim.

It seems we can take two paths, become 'grant junkies' (not my words) or try and make a go of the business.

Your business, Purple, is probably more geared towards this 'assistance'.

I just can't help thinking that this €60m is mostly going to pay for enterprise ireland employees' wages.

 

[ClubMan]

There are two separate issues here:

In my experience, we simply are not geared up for all the form filling and compliance required by enterprise ireland. As a small HPSU, we were approved grant aid, but we are unable to claim any of it because it takes too long, and is too difficult to claim.

(a) The paperwork/bureaucracy involved in claiming such grants and...

I just can't help thinking that this €60m is mostly going to pay for enterprise ireland employees' wages.

... (b) your assumption (not backed up by any evidence) that the money allocated is used to fund EI itself.

 

[Purple]

In my experience, we simply are not geared up for all the form filling and compliance required by enterprise ireland. As a small HPSU, we were approved grant aid, but we are unable to claim any of it because it takes too long, and is too difficult to claim.

It seems we can take two paths, become 'grant junkies' (not my words) or try and make a go of the business.

Your business, Purple, is probably more geared towards this 'assistance'.

I just can't help thinking that this €60m is mostly going to pay for enterprise ireland employee's wages.

I don't really use then for grants, I use them to develope export markets, copyright research etc. We have had a few fesability grants and RTI grants and I agree that the latter was a pain to process but I have a good contact that helps with that sort of thing. You can PM me if you want details.

 

[almo]

Enterprise Ireland have been going backwards and yet they still get more money? I don't understand it. They had an understaffed office in Vienna that had a huge remit, and just as they start to make a breakthrough Enterprise shuts up shop - just after the 1st organised trade delegation (of Irish companies) makes a full visit, it didn't make sense.

In my experience with them I've found them over officious, poorly oriented and lacking in direction, though it could also be to do with the mountains of paperwork needed to get anything done!

 

[Purple]

Enterprise Ireland have been going backwards and yet they still get more money? I don't understand it. They had an understaffed office in Vienna that had a huge remit, and just as they start to make a breakthrough Enterprise shuts up shop - just after the 1st organised trade delegation (of Irish companies) makes a full visit, it didn't make sense.

In my experience with them I've found them over officious, poorly oriented and lacking in direction, though it could also be to do with the mountains of paperwork needed to get anything done!

Agree on the Vienna office, and the Berlin one, but on balance they do a good job.

 

[almo]

I've no doubt they do good work, but I don't understand their attitude to supporting our businesses abroad, or the fact that their remit is so narrow and blinkered. Instead of helping Irish business get partners abroad, building links outside of simply "selling" is a must. AndI still do not understand Vienna, and Ididn't evenknow about Berlin!

 

[z103]

You can PM me if you want details.

Thanks for the offer Purple, but we've learnt our lesson the hard way, and won't be chasing any more grants.

The last episode nearly bankrupt us. We paid an accountant, who was recommended by EI, to help us fill in the forms to claim the money. We still didn't get anything. It was almost like a scam in the end.

Not getting any money is even worse than the promise of a grant, and not getting it.

 

[Purple]

Thanks for the offer Purple, but we've learnt our lesson the hard way, and won't be chasing any more grants.

The last episode nearly bankrupt us. We paid an accountant, who was recommended by EI, to help us fill in the forms to claim the money. We still didn't get anything. It was almost like a scam in the end.

Not getting any money is even worse than the promise of a grant, and not getting it.

Our first RTI grant was about the same; the cost of getting it was as much as it was worth.
If you are ever tempted again contact Dick Kavanagh at the [broken link removed]. They are good, they are cheap and if they don't think your project will succeed or if they think it's not worth the hassle they will tell you up front.