The government, in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland, the local authorities and LEO network, published the first ever Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) Policy Statement this month. The Policy Statement outlines key priorities relevant to LEOs including decarbonisation, digitalisation, increasing exports, helping locally traded businesses and innovation, while setting out 12 actions for implementation between 2024 and 2030.

Key policy developments include:

• Climate focused assessment criteria for capital grants for manufacturing and internationally traded services businesses.
• Ex-post measurement of the impact of climate related supports.
• Changes to the digitalisation offering to ensure consistency and greater eligibility.
• Greater emphasis on the role of the forthcoming National Enterprise Hub and its signposting service.
• Introduction of a new export accelerator through the LEOs and Enterprise Ireland.
• Commitment to deliver the LEO Customer Relationship Management System digitalisation project. 

These initiatives are designed to ensure that LEOs continue to be the first stop shop for businesses seeking support, driving growth and innovation across the country. More information on the policy statement can be found here.