Indigenous Enterprise, SMEs and Entrepreneurship Division

The overall goal of the Indigenous Enterprise, SMEs and Entrepreneurship Division is to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that appropriate advisory and financial assistance is in place to promote and develop entrepreneurship, to help businesses to start, scale and export, to adjust to Brexit and COVID-19 associated public health measures and to work with stakeholders across the wider system to ensure a supportive business environment (for example, tax policy, skills availability).

The Division operates a suite of policies and schemes designed to assist and facilitate businesses at all stages of development and growth, from nascent and early-stage entrepreneurs to companies of scale trading internationally.

This includes working with the Division’s Agencies, Enterprise Ireland, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices and the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) together with support for the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) to ensure their supports are relevant and aligned to the evolving needs of business. The Division also provides research and technical assistance to the SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Taskforce and Implementation Group.

Assistant Secretary: Declan Hughes

Tel: +353 1 631 2869
Email: declan.hughes@enterprise.gov.ie

Assistant Secretary’s Personal Assistant: Amy Byrne
Email: amy.byrne@enterprise.gov.ie

Units of Indigenous Enterprise, SMEs and Entrepreneurship Division

• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Policy Unit
• Enterprise Agencies and Programmes Unit (Enterprise Ireland/Local Enterprise Offices Liaison)
• Regional Enterprise Plans and Initiatives Unit
• Retail and Sector Transformation Policy Unit
• National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Liaison Unit

Main contact points