Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 2

Written Answers. - SME Initiative.

Pat Upton

Question:

118 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding under the SME Community Initiative Programme of the second round of the structural funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2662/96]

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

The SME initiative aims to stimulate small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in less developed regions (e.g. Ireland) to adapt to the single market and to ensure that they become internationally competitive. All member states were invited to draw up proposals for funding on the basis of guidelines set out by the Commission in June 1994.

Ireland's response to the initiative was drawn up having regard to the recommendations of the Task Force on Jobs in Services which was published in December 1993 and the Report of the Task Force on Small Business which was published in March 1994. A number of measures were selected under the Initiative and we set out in detail in the Small Business Operational Programme, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.

The Small Business Operational Programme was approved by the European Commission on 26 July 1995 and launched in September 1995. The overall aim of the programme is to contribute to improving the operating environment of small business through the pursuit of 5 specific measures supported by standard technical assistance under measure 6 of the programme. Details of funding broken down by measure and including Irish, European and private funding are given in Annex 1 of the Operational Programme.

Further details of the measures included in the Operational Programme are set out in my reply (Ref. No.: 19322/96) to Deputy Colm M. Hiliard on 23 January 1996 in this House.