The Enterprise Ireland exhibition which opens today is the largest of its kind ever staged in Ireland. Its organisers hope it will help demonstrate how small business is the backbone of the economy.

The organisers, the Small Firms Association (SFA), says the emphasis is on encouraging entrepreneurs to take their first tentative steps into business activity. The SFA believes people are realising that "there has never been a better time to start a business than now".

The people being targeted are the unemployed, returning emigrants, academics and third-level students, all of whom may want to test a business idea at the exhibition.

The SFA points out that of the 160,000 businesses in the country, 97 per cent employ under 50 people. The exhibition, sponsored by AIB and Eircell, aims to represent this segment of the economy and give less well-known names such as Waterford Dolls Houses and the Naas Gearbox Centre an opportunity to exhibit alongside the likes of Microsoft.

Unlike previous exhibitions, which tried to draw the entrepreneurial flair out of unwilling subjects, this event takes place at a time of unmatched economic strength. Now more people may be willing to embrace a certain degree of risk.

The SFA hopes the 300 separate exhibitors and the free one-to-one advice clinics will mean future small business people will regard the exhibition as an important starting point to their careers. Up to 40,000 people are expected to attend the event which runs until Sunday and is being opened today by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern. In staging the event, the SFA hopes to show how small business has played as large a part, if not larger, in the turnaround of the economy as the multinationals.

With a high level of business start-ups indicated by the 16,000 company names registered so far this year, there is an obvious hunger for information from the people who set them up.

The SFA continually cites a perceived information deficit as one reason for small business failure. "It could take months of diary planning as well as the inconvenience of travelling from one support and advice agency to another to gather the necessary data. We are now giving people the opportunity to obtain it all in a single venue," says the organisation's chairwoman, Ms Lorraine Sweeney.

At the exhibition an exhaustive attempt will be made to address every query and note of confusion an individual might have. This will be done in the specially arranged free one-to-one advice centre where a panel of experts will assess business ideas and provide information on the taxation, employment and market research implications involved.

Broader topics are covered as part of the exhibitions seminar programme, with the A-Z of starting a business, financing your small business and business on the move among the themes for discussion.

As well as the talking, the SFA predicts that a lot of business will be done. "Each firm's stand will be a chance for them to showcase their products or services in front of other companies who might be interested," says Mr Brendan Butler, SFA director.

The cost of exhibiting for the three days for small companies is between £250 and £375. This represents a 50 per cent cost reduction from a normal large exhibition and was secured through financial support from the Departments of the Taoiseach and Public Enterprise.

The small firms involved will judge whether the exhibition has been a success or not.

Mr Peter Burke, chief executive of Leonard Foods, a newly-opened franchise operation which sells chicken products, is confident of the benefits for his firm.

"We have just arrived in the Irish market, so this is an ideal opportunity for us. We will be trying to just alert people we are here," he says.

He adds that new businesses are always in need of information on what Government assistance is available and the exhibition should help in this way.

The European Commission is also sending a mobile information unit of 12 computers allowing people to key in requests for information about Europe and the member-state markets.

Another company taking part, Dynasoft, employs 10 people at its operation in Blackrock where it produces accounting software packages.

Mr Paul Lynch, sales and marketing manager, says the company is hoping to interest other firms in its products.

"We are making a special offer and hope companies will take notice of our products, this is one of the best opportunities in a long time to meet so many other firms." Another company which thinks it can gain commercially from the event is AquaDry Doherty, a carpet and upholstery cleaning company which employs 10 people.

"It is fundamentally about exposure for the company, our business is moving towards the industrial side and this gives us the chance to meet those kind of companies," says Mr Tom Doherty, marketing director.