Ruairí Quinn
Question:16 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when he intends to have the details of the county-based enterprise companies made available to the Houses of the Oireachtas and the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Enterprise Initiatives.
John Bruton
Question:39 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if, following his comments to journalists on Wednesday, 26 August 1992, he will inform Dáil Eireann of any progress made on the county enterprise initiative.
Phil Hogan
Question:40 Mr. Hogan asked the Taoiseach the role he envisages for the new county enterprise boards and their likely impact on job creation.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 39 and 40 together.
I would refer the Deputy to the Government statement which issued on 1 October 1992 and to the statement which Minister of State Noel Treacy issued yesterday confirming details of the new county enterprise partnership boards. Copies of both have been laid before this House.
The statements outline the specific decisions which have been taken by the Government on the objectives, strategy, funding, staffing and the process of establishing the county enterprise partnership boards.
The partnership boards will play a major role in job creation at local level. They also represent a significant step forward in the devolution of power to local communities. Ordinary people will have the opportunity to participate in decisions affecting their lives — decisions which up to now have been made at national level. Each board, with directors drawn from all our main industries and State agencies, will provide for the close co-operation of the private sector and the public service.
The chairperson of the boards will be an employer representative. The other members of the boards will include the chairperson of the local authority, the county manager and representatives of local communities, social partners and public agencies.
The partnership boards will have three key objectives, for the development of small and start up enterprises, employing up to 12 people; for training and education, especially as linked to enterprise development and for local community development.
The partnership boards will prepare action plans for their counties and areas. These plans will set down specific proposals, to be implemented through decisions of three key sub-committees of the boards, in the areas of small and start up enterprise development, of training and education and of local community development.
A forum of relevant local organisations will be held in each county quarterly, to ensure an exchange of ideas and feedback to local communities on the boards' activities.
The funding of the boards will consist, in addition to the drawing together of existing publicly funded initiatives, of additional funds of over £100 million committed by the Irish financial institutions; in addition Irish public funds of £50 million will be provided by the Government and there will be additional EC Funds.
The boards will each have a small core staff that will transfer to them from county development teams, from regional tourism organisations, from IDA/ABT, Eolas, SFADCo/FAS/VECs and, where available, from the social partners, including private sector employers.
The county development teams and regional tourism organisations will continue in existence in each case until partnership boards have been established in the relevant area.
The process of establishing partnership boards will start immediately and will be undertaken in consultation with all existing interests at both local and regional level.