Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Oct 1995

Vol. 456 No. 6

Written Answers. - County Enterprise Boards.

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

50 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment whether he has satisfied himself that moneys disbursed by the county enterprise boards are producing an acceptable return in terms of job creation and industrial regeneration; the proposals, if any, he has to further review the operation of the county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14318/95]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The county enterprise boards have been in operation since late 1993. To date, they have in the main been involved in the provision of a business advice and agency referral service for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and in the administration of the county enterprise fund grant scheme for small business start-ups and expansions. Since their inception in 1993, small business projects nationally have been approved for county enterprise fund grants to a total of some £34.6 million. These projects have a total potential to create some 6,300 full-time and 1,340 part-time jobs. Returns by the county enterprise boards indicate that by end-1994, some 1,776 full-time and 263 part-time new jobs had already been created in county enterprise fundassisted projects.

I am broadly satisfied by the level of performance of the county enterprise boards to date, all the more so since it was achieved in what were essentially start-up conditions. I would expect to see it enhanced in future years in the context of the wider range of enterprise supports now becoming available to the boards under the operational programme for local urban and rural development, 1994-1999. Under the operational programme, launched by the Taoiseach on 2 February 1995, the county enterprise boards may avail of Structural Fund supports for their current activities, and for a range of additional activities including the provision of an expanded advice and counselling service for small businesses; management development support including mentoring; and the provision of support for the development of an enterprise culture generally at local level. To allow them to avail fully of the opportunities extended by the operational programme, the county enterprise boards have been established as independent, locally-controlled enterprise development companies, limited by guarantee, which will operate in accordance with a strategic agenda for local enterprise developed in their enterprise plans.

The Deputy also raises the question of future review of county enterprise board operations. My Department will carry out a review of the implementation of county enterprise plans in the course of 1996. The review will be undertaken at two levels, assessing the progress achieved at the overall level of the local enterprise programme and at that of each particular county enterprise board. The review will examine the success of the boards in achieving the aggregate quantitative and qualitative targets set out in the programme, and in the enterprise plans prepared for each area.

This review will also contribute to the mid-term review to be carried out over the community support framework. I believe that the current OECD country review of local development in Ireland should also serve as a valuable guide to possible improvements to facilitate greater effectiveness, accountability and subsidiarity in the operation of the various local development strategies.