Entrepreneurs, university start-ups, and small and medium-sized enterprises are being invited to access a free e-business consultancy service run by professional services firm Deloitte & Touche.

The consultancy programme is part-funded by the Department of Public Enterprise under its e-commerce corporate infrastructure funding programme, and is based at Deloitte & Touche's Dublin office.

The firm's budget for the programme is £250,000 (€317,660) and a nationwide lecture tour, which will take in most of the universities and colleges in Northern Ireland and the Republic, has been set up.

Those with e-business ideas can use office space, presentation and audio-visual equipment, and consulting services at Deloitte's e-business support centre in Dublin.

"The e-business support centre can speed up the process of fundraising and developing an idea. We can give a range of taxation, technical and consulting services, and help to develop business plans," says Mr Peter Nolan, assistant manager of the centre.

The programme has already helped several enterprises.

"It is our belief that there are quite a lot of young companies that could be the next Baltimore or Trintech," Mr Nolan says. "We believe if we help them at this early stage then they will stay with us."

Almost one-quarter of Deloitte & Touche's global revenues come from its e-business activities and this section accounts for more than 40 per cent of new business.