Industry & Business

As part of a nationwide Brexit roadshow, Enterprise Ireland hosted a ‘Prepare for Brexit’ forum at Studio 1 of the WIT Arena in Waterford. Part of Enterprise Ireland’s #PrepareforBrexit campaign, the Waterford event features speakers from SMEs, large companies and innovative start-ups, including Joe Connolly, CEO, Connolly Red Mills, Robert Byrne, Sales Director, Burnside Eurocyl and George Banks Commercial Director, The Packaging Hub along with members of Enterprise Ireland’s Global Team and Brexit Unit, moderated by Broadcaster Jonathan Healy. Designed to encourage SMEs to prepare for a hard Brexit, the event provides a platform for robust discussion, information sharing and practical advice around the key issues facing Irish companies.

Central to the roadshow is Enterprise Ireland’s ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’, a new interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars. Based on answers supplied by the user, the Scorecard generates an immediate report which contains suggested actions and resources, and information on events for companies to attend, to prepare for Brexit. The platform can be accessed at www.prepareforbrexit.ie

By completing the online questionnaire, the Brexit SME Scorecard will provide companies with an assessment of their preparedness under six key pillars – Business Strategy, Operations, Innovation, Sales and Marketing, Finance and People Management. The tool is a starting point for SME management teams looking to develop an action plan to help mitigate risks and leverage opportunities which may arise from Brexit.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Training and Skills, John Halligan TD said: “The UK continues to be Ireland’s main trading partner and the aim is to uphold these strong trade relations while also preparing Irish companies to look at new opportunities and expand their reach in international markets. Time is now of the essence for Irish companies in the South-east to become Brexit ready, in order to curtail and mitigate against market turbulence. The Brexit SME Scorecard aims to highlight to individual companies some of the key operational areas that may be exposed and help businesses to begin preparing a strategy and ready their teams in terms of planning.”

While the SME Scorecard is available to all companies, Enterprise Ireland client exporting companies that utilise the Brexit Scorecard will be able to engage with the agency’s experts both domestically and through the overseas offices in global markets. Enterprise Ireland will also provide funding up to the value of €5,000 to exporting clients to support the development of a business action plan. Enterprise Ireland will then work with these companies on a one-to-one basis to support the implementation of the plan.

Further ‘Prepare for Brexit’ roadshows are planned for Monaghan, Galway, Limerick and Dublin.