COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, February 23, 2015

MOTION NO. 14

MOTION: Councillor L. O’Toole

“That this council welcomes the work carried out by SDCC and South Dublin Chambers of Commerce In relation to business types within SDCC. To ask the Chief Executive to identify possible premises in the Lucan area which could be made available to small startup business ventures particularly those which will serve the community.”

REPORT:

A core objective of this Council in relation to business is to ring-fence 1% of rates paid for projects directly related to supporting business. The Business Support grant is a key element of this objective

The Business Support Grant is primarily intended to provide a support grant to ratepayers under €10,000 valuation. However, as indicated at Budget, CPG and Council meetings the surplus funds over and above the direct grant to ratepayers will be retained to fund other interventions to support Business in the County.

These interventions will be guided by the feedback from the business survey carried out in 2014, the vacancy analysis and physical surveys of our business parks and may include :

• physical upgrade of the business environment in the County,
• additional training and support through LEO in conjunction with our business sustainability program with the Chamber, and
• the potential of supporting additional incubator/enterprise space in the County, where required and making use of appropriate vacant space.

A key feedback from talking to local businesses in compiling the County Economic Profile is the need for a coherent programme of works which will reflect the planned multi annual nature of the investment, (subject to budgetary approval), and concentrate on key areas.

At the last Economic, Enterprise and Tourism SPC (11th Feb last) there was agreement on a broad structure for the spending of the Business support grant surplus based on the above three points.

The Economic, Enterprise & Tourism SPC has established a working group to consider a number of initiatives in the County, including the Business Support Grant. A full report in this regard will be brought to the Working Group on 26th February for consideration. In line with the structure outlined above the Council will seek opportuinities to support start up business within the County, including the Lucan area.