Supports for Your Business

The Liberties is emerging strongly from the economic downturn as a key growth centre in Dublin: an attractive place to live, work and visit based on its proximity to the city centre, its excellent transport links, its vibrant community and social life, and its wealth of attractions and heritage. If you’re thinking of setting up here, you’ll find a welcoming small business environment, a vibrant independent sector, affordable locations, and great local services.

Now is a great time to set up a business in Dublin 8, and we’re here to make it easier. The supports below have been compiled to make getting started in The Liberties a little bit more straightforward. #Better4BusinessD8

Setting Up Business

Welcome to The Liberties Dublin, one of the city’s most dynamic and lively neighbourhoods. This handy ‘doing-business’ guide has been compiled to provide you with some of the relevant information you need for setting up business in The Liberties. It sets out what might be expected of you as an establishing business-holder, and provides some useful contacts and supports which may be able to assist you set up in the area. The short guide can be downloaded here.

Keeping Up Appearances

The maintenance and improvement of your shopfront is a key factor in improving the appearance of the commercial environment in The Liberties. Making the best of a shop frontage is something that most businesses can achieve at a modest cost. It can however be difficult to know what is best for your shopfront or building facade. Keeping Up Appearances is a guide we have compiled to assist you in the process and to link you to useful resources. View the leaflet by clicking here.

Planning and What You Should Know

The planning process, administered by Dublin City Council,  is intended to be open and transparent with public participation encouraged. The process however can be confusing.

This leaflet is intended to assist building owners and businesses on a range of planning issues relevant to The Liberties. It also provides the general public relevant contact details and supports for instances of enforcement etc. The leaflet can be viewed here.

Supports for Local Enterprise

Dublin City LEO (Local Enterprise Office) is the city agency established to assist small enterprise and business. The LEO provides a ‘one-stop shop’ service including enterprise supports, financial incentives and micro-grants and loans, training and advice to small and growing businesses. Find out more information on LEO and how it can help your business at Dublin City Local Enterprise Office.

Get Your Business Online

Customers increasingly look to their phones or tablets for information on where to shop, what to buy and what services to use. A range of supports are available to assist small businesses seeking to go online: websites can often be developed at modest expense while social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter are free to use and hugely effective to promote your business. Trading Online Vouchers are now available through the Local Enterprise Office to assist small businesses seeking an online presence and to get it to work for you. Vouchers offer up to €2,500 towards the cost of a website, trading software or marketing. For more details visit Dublin City Local Enterprise Office.

Inner City Enterprise

Inner City Enterprise (ICE) is a not-for-profit charity established to advise and assist unemployed people in Dublin’s inner city to set up their own businesses or create their own self-employment. Individual business advice and supports are provided, as well as access to a panel of voluntary Business advisors. ICE also provides access to micro-finance loans. Financial support is granted in the form of loan finance from €1,000 – €5,000 at %5 of interest, over a 3-year period to commercially viable new enterprises. Visit ICE for more information.

Social Enterprise Grant Scheme

The Social Enterprise Grant Scheme is a ‘pilot’ scheme established by Inner City Enterprise (ICE), and drawn down under the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), Dublin. The scheme provides small flexible grants for Social Enterprises, either at start-up or development phase. Details for 2016’s scheme will be released shortly. Find out more through the Local Enterprise Office here.