468. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the level of funding provided by local enterprise offices (LEOs) to businesses to assist with the impact of tariffs and tariff-related costs in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the total amount committed and paid out in each year; the number of businesses that received such support; the amount provided by each individual LEO; and the schemes or funding streams through which this support was provided, by county and by sector. [65560/26]

My Department, through Enterprise Ireland, supports Irish companies to grow their business and secure new opportunities across the globe. As an open and globally connected economy, Ireland is deeply integrated into international supply chains and recent instability affecting key routes reinforces the importance of strengthened supply?chain resilience and market diversification.

The Government’s Action Plan on Market Diversification provides a clear framework to help businesses adapt to the evolving global trading environment by growing into new and diverse markets, strengthening their presence in existing ones, and reducing exposure to any single region or supply route.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) is supporting this Action Plan through targeted financial supports, client advisory services and an expanded international footprint, helping Irish companies to broaden their export base and access high-growth overseas markets as part of a long-term, strategic approach to international growth. To support companies responding to international supply?chain disruptions, EI introduced two enhanced export development grants in 2025:

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) assist Small Business owners and early-stage exporters to develop the export potential of their businesses primarily through their network of Export Business Advisors and the Market Explorer Grant.

LEO Export Business Advisors help clients research, plan and begin exporting, including navigating language, culture, customs and tariffs. They may also recommend the Market Explorer Grant, or other relevant Enterprise Ireland supports.

The LEO Market Explorer Grant, formerly Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters (TAME), helps first-time and small-scale exporters research new geographic markets and develop sustainable market-entry strategies. The grant covers up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of €10,000 over 18 months, for exploring a new market for an existing product or service, or an existing market for a new product or service. The grant funds overseas market research and eligible expenditure includes market research, in-market consultancy, trade fairs and exhibitions, and overseas travel and subsistence.

While there are no supports that directly address reducing the impact or associated costs related to tariffs, the export advisors and supports inform business owners of the impact that tariffs can have on the export potential of their product or service to specific markets and help exporters research and develop new geographic markets.

The tables attached show each LEO’s approvals and payments since 2024. The 2026 year-to-date figures are preliminary and unverified.

Leo Approvals.