Business Support

State Agencies in Ireland

• IDA Ireland (http://www.idaireland.com/)
  The Irish Government Agency responsible for inward investment. IDA Ireland has access to extensive data regarding all aspects of business in Ireland and is the first point of contact for most investors.
• Enterprise Ireland (http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/)
  Enterprise Ireland is mainly concerned with indigenous business. However, this agency is also responsible for inward investment in Ireland's Food, Drink and Timber industries.
• BASIS (http://www.basis.ie/)
  BASIS ( Business Access to State Information & Services) is a website for business that makes government information easily accessible. For inward investors, BASIS is a single point of entry to to state services and specifically designed to be user-friendly.

Local Agencies and Support

A glance at the Cork City business directory reveals a long list of locally based contractors ready to compete for business. They range from engineering consulting through to office equipment, printing, cleaning, international courier companies and waste disposal contractors. All major recruitment agencies have offices in Cork and most also have websites to help you find the right people.

• Cork City Enterprise Board (http://www.corkceb.ie/) supports small existing or start-up companies. The Board can offer direct grant aid to manufacturing industry, internationally traded services and, in certain circumstances, the service sector. It also provides further assistance with business plans, on-going mentoring and management development.

The banks operating in the Cork area span the full spectrum of commercial and merchant banks to industrial and international institutions. Insurance companies, legal practices and stockbroking firms, operating to the highest international standards, are numerous and centrally located.

There's a thriving construction industry in Metropolitan Cork serviced by a wide variety of professional people and skilled contractors and supported by a well-developed network of ancillary services.

Ireland's inward investment agency, IDA Ireland can assist investors in negotiating rental or lease agreements with developers for existing office space.

Ireland's business community is represented by a number of dedicated business organisations. They aim to promote high standards in their given industry and also provide a useful social network for members. The following are some examples:

• Construction Industry Federation (http://www.cif.ie/)
• The Irish Management Institute (http://www.imi.ie/)
• Cork Chamber of Commerce (http://www.corkchamber.ie/)
• Cork Electronics Industry Association (http://www.ceia.ie/)
• IT@Cork (http://www.itcork.ie/)
• The Irish Pharmaceutical & Chemical Manufacturers Federation (http://www.ipcmf.ie/)
• The Irish Medical Devices Association (http://www.ibec.ie/)
• Irish Software Association (http://www.software.ie/)