It has been announced today that Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation together with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Coordination of Construction 2020 Strategy, Paudie Coffey have launched 'Taking Care of Business' a one-stop-shop event for existing and potential entrepreneurs in the South East region.

The half-day event is specifically targeted at people thinking of starting a business, as well as small business owners and managers. It is a free event and will take place on Thursday 30th April in the Towers Hotel, Waterford from 8.30am to 1.30pm.

This joint initiative of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Health and Safety Authority as part of the Action Plan for Jobs will bring together over 26 State bodies in one location and builds on previous events in Dublin in 2013 and 2014. Earlier in 2014, three regional events were held in Cork, Limerick and Galway, bringing the total attendance at TCOB events to date to just over 1,750.

Minister Bruton said, "'Taking Care of Business' is part of a wider effort to communicate better with business and promote awareness and understanding of the full range of Government supports that are available for the SME sector. Two thirds of all new jobs come from start-up businesses in the first five years of their existence, so it is essential for Government to support new businesses in order to grow employment and that is what we have being doing through the Action Plan for Jobs process.

This will also be a great opportunity for people to ask questions and raise individual concerns face-to-face with staff from across the public sector. The Government is committed to engaging with the small business community and this event will help SMEs to better understand the regulatory environment. I would strongly encourage anyone with a business or thinking of setting up a business to come along to get free information about state supports."

For more visit: www.businessworld.ie