Download: Employment Assistance Application Form [.pdf format - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.]

The concentration of Assistance by the Board will be in relation to capital expenditure. In certain circumstances employment assistance will be available as follows:

• Up to €7,500 in respect of new jobs to be created with an overall limit of assistance for 10 jobs per business.
• Half of all assistance offered will be repayable to the Board. Repayments commence 12 months after date of offer and 0% interest is charged.

1. Projects must be in the commercial sphere.
2. They must be capable of attaining economic viability, without ongoing support or subsidy.
3. There must be a definite market demonstrated for the proposed product/service.
4. Adequate overall finance must be available to fund the project.
5. The promoters involved must have the requisite management and technical capacity to implement its successful development.
6. Grant aided projects must have the capacity to create new direct employment commensurate with the level of grant support. being sought, or should as a minimum contribute directly to the maintenance of employment in existing small enterprise.
7. Projects assisted should not directly interfere or compete with any similar business already in existence in the area, which may lead to job displacement.
8. Project promoters must satisfy existing policies on tax clearance and related matters.
9. Grant assistance will neither be in addition nor in place of grant aid already available from an existing state agency.
10. Grant aid will not be provided to a project where the proposal is at variance with National or EU policies.
11. Grant aid cannot be provided retrospectively.
12. Projects assisted must be relatively small in scale with total investment not normally exceeding €126,974.
13. The Board may assist projects which fit into the Boards County Enterprise Plan, including, the manufacturing and internationally traded services area, companies with an employment potential of up to ten persons, but excluding firms which already have a relationship with IDA or Enterprise Ireland.
14. Locally provided service projects must satisfy the Boards criteria for this sector.

1. Initial contact with Chief Executive Officer and/or Enterprise Officer.
2. Formal application.
3. Evaluation committee recommendation.
4. Board approval.
5. Letter of offer with contract.