Evidence has repeatedly shown that Irish start-ups and SMEs have low awareness of the many Government supports available to them.

www.actionplanforjobs.ie—a website initiative of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, was launched in February and it aims to provide an easy way to access information on the range of Government supports available to business.

The first phase of the information campaign was launched by Minister Bruton and Minister Nash in February and involved:

• National and local radio advertisement campaign;
• nline advertisement campaign;
• New website - www.actionplanforjobs.ie

During the first phase over a three week period www.actionplanforjobs.ie generated over 11,300 visitors.  At the end of Phase one the traffic to the SME online support tool site had increased by over 100%.

The second phase will run advertising on national and local radio advertisements and through an online advertisement campaign.  As part of phase two there will be video testimonials from two finalists from the inaugural Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneurs competition who received funding from Government Supports.

Click here for video testimonial of Rhona Togher who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Restored Hearing Ltd., a clinically-proven solution for chronic tinnitus and hearing protection.  

Click here for video testimonial of Eamon Keane. Eamon is Co-Founder of Xpreso, software, launched in 2013, aiming to bridge the gap between the customer, the delivery company and the online retailer, by offering online customers real-time tracking and accurate arrival times for their parcels. Eamon was named Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur in December 2014.