asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he agrees that efforts should be made to co-ordinate the work of existing organisations already working to help small and new businesses to get off the ground; and if so, the steps he is taking towards this end.
Written Answers. - Co-ordination of State Services.
339.
The White Paper Industrial Policy (Chapter 10, Paragraphs 13-15 inclusive) published on 12 July, sets out the new policy arrangements for the regionalisation and co-ordination of State services to small industry.
The main features of these arrangements, which are already being implemented, are:
(i) The Industrial Development Authority has been given responsibility for co-ordinating the whole range of State agencies to small firms both on a national and regional basis (with the exception of the mid-West Region and West and South West Offaly for which Shannon Development has responsibility and of the Gaeltacht for which Údarás na Gaeltachta has responsibility).
(ii) A selected State agency office in each region will offer the advisory and support services of all State agencies, including training for small industries.
(iii) Regional small industry boards are being set up for each region representative of both the public and private sectors to decide on small industry grant proposals.
(iv) Technology specialists from the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards and IDA small industry staff, at present based at Headquarters, are being located in each of the regions.