Business and Economy

Support for small businesses

Small businesses are incredibly important to the local economy, providing jobs and encouraging people to spend their money locally. Ensuring these businesses have the support they need to start and grow is a key priority for local authorities.

If you own or are interested in setting up a business, your local authority may be able to offer advice and support through the Local Enterprise Office or other initiatives.

Local Enterprise Office (LEO)

The Local Enterprise Office is your local first stop shop for seeking information and support on starting or growing a business in Ireland.

There is a Local Enterprise Office in each local authority area. With 31 dedicated teams across the local authorities in Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices offer you a wide range of experience, skills, and services.

Local Enterprise Offices can offer:

• Financial grants and supports to help businesses establish or grow 
• Advice on funding opportunities and state supports
• Information on local services and compliance requirements
• Programmes to support business efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness
• Training for new and existing small business owners
• Mentor programmes

Full details on LEO supports are available at LocalEnterprise.ie.  

If you are interested in starting or growing a small business, get in touch with your Local Enterprise Office today.

Grants and initiatives for businesses

There are several grants and initiatives available to Irish businesses to help them start and grow. Many of these business grants can be accessed via your Local Enterprise Office, and others can be accessed directly through the local authority.

Streetscape and area enhancement schemes 

When our towns and villages are pleasant places to be, they become more welcoming for people to spend time in. When people spend more time in our towns and villages, this helps to support and build our local businesses. Streetscape and area enhancement schemes provide grant funding to the owners of commercial, residential, and unoccupied buildings in selected areas to upgrade and enhance shopfronts and street facades in rural towns and villages.

To find out about streetscape enhancement schemes in your area, visit the business section of your local authority website.

Business improvement districts

Local authorities may propose districts for a Business Improvement District Scheme. This scheme give ratepayers in the proposed district the opportunity to submit proposals for projects, services and works that would benefit businesses operating in that district. These works would be carried out specifically for the benefit of the businesses, and an additional rate levy would fund these projects and services.

To find out more about business improvement districts, visit the business section of your local authority website.

Business Incentive Scheme Grant 

Many local authorities offer a Business Incentive Scheme Grant. This grant aims to reduce vacancy by encouraging new businesses to set up in premises that have been vacant for a certain period. This can help bring new life to towns, villages, and cities, and provides new businesses with financial support for their premises.

To find out more about the Business Incentive Scheme Grant, visit the business section of your local authority website.

Economic development

To encourage businesses to invest and expand in your local area, local government must provide the necessary environment for business to succeed. Encouraging economic development helps to create jobs, boost the local economy, bring needed goods and services, and improve infrastructure for everyone in the area.

Local authorities aim to support a thriving local and national economy through:

• Investment in infrastructure
• Improving public space and amenities
• Strategic investment and economic development plans
• Supporting business initiatives
• Supporting or developing enterprise centres and hubs
• Encouraging Foreign Direct Investment

To find out about the economic development initiatives in your area, visit the business section of your local authority website.

Local Economic and Community Plans (LECP)

Local Economic and Community Plans (LECP) support the sustainable development of our communities by setting out the objectives and actions needed to promote economic, local and community development in a local authority area.

Working in partnership with economic and community development stakeholders such as community groups and local businesses, LECPs aim to: 

• Improve the quality of life and wellbeing of communities
• Support training, upskilling and jobs creation
• Provide infrastructure and facilities for the community
• Support social enterprise, volunteering, and active citizenship in the area
• Involve the community in policy development and decision making processes on the development and delivery of services in their area

You can find the published LECP for your area on your local authority website.

Commercial rates

Commercial rates are payable on commercial properties. All commercial and industrial properties are considered ‘rateable properties’ for commercial rates. Rates are payable by the occupier of the property.

The money generated from commercial rates goes towards the running of day-to-day services provided by the local authority, including street lighting, street cleaning, footpath and road maintenance, public parks and spaces, environmental protection, libraries, fire services, and more.

How are commercial rates calculated?

Commercial rates are calculated by multiplying the rateable valuation of the property by the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) set by the local authority.

Rateable Valuation

The rateable value of a property is how much the Commissioner of Valuations considers the property could be rented out for annually. You can find out the Rateable Valuation set for your property by using the Valuation Office’s Valuation Map.

Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV)

The ARV is the set each year by elected members of the Council at the annual budget meeting. The ARV is set by taking Council income away from expenditure for the forthcoming year. The ARV is based on the deficit between those two figures.

Commissioner of Valuations

The Commissioner of Valuations is an independent government office responsible for providing up to date valuations of commercial and industrial properties to ratepayers and local authorities. You can request a revision of your valuation under certain circumstances through the Valuation Office.

Commercial rates calculation

To calculate the commercial rate, the rateable valuation must be multiplied by the Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV):

Rateable Valuation x Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV) = Rates payable

Each local authority sets their own ARV each year. Contact your local authority to find out your ARV.

Business opportunities with your local authority 

If your business is interested in becoming a supplier or a service provider for a local authority, you will need to take part in a public procurement process.

Public procurement means there are certain rules that local authorities and other public bodies must follow when procuring goods and services. The rules are dictated by EU directives, Irish legislation, and government policy. The value of the contract will determine the procedure that must be followed.

eTenders

Local authorities use an online tendering platform, eTenders, to manage the quotation and tendering process. This is the Irish Government’s electronic tendering platform, administered by the Office of Government Procurement. The platform is a central facility for all public sector contracting authorities to advertise procurement opportunities and to announce decisions on successful tenderers.

Any business interested in responding to a request for quote or a request for tender must be fully registered on the eTenders platform. Suppliers can register on eTenders.gov.ie

Quotations

Local authorities seek quotations for goods and services with a value up to €25,000 and seek quotations for works with a value up to €50,000.

This is an ideal starting point for businesses interested in working with their local authority, and a large volume of business in local authorities takes place at this level.

The local authorities may seek quotes through the QuickQuotes facility on eTenders, or they may reach out directly to businesses via email looking for a quote. To be considered for quotation requests on eTenders, suppliers must be fully registered on the platform.

Tendering process 

If the contract value goes above €25,000 for goods and services and €50,000 for works, a formal tendering process must be followed. Following the tendering process ensures that contracts are awarded in a fair and transparent way. Local authorities will publish a Request for Tender (RFT) outlining: the specifications of the work; the exclusion, selection, and award criteria; and information on how tenders will be evaluated. A Tender Response Document (TRD) will be provided and must be used when submitting a tender.

SupplyGov.ie 

In addition to eTenders, local authorities also use the SupplyGov platform to run mini competitions for minor building and civil works and for plant hire. Requests for quotations that fall under these categories can be managed through SupplyGov.

To register as a supplier for minor building and civil works and for plant hire, visit SupplyGov.ie.