Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 3

Written Answers. - Country Enterprise Boards.

Bernard Allen

Question:

66 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps, if any, he has taken to encourage the development of local and rural development programmes, notably county enterprise boards. [17705/97]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

The county enterprise boards are co-funded by the Exchequer and the European Union under the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development, 1994-99, overall responsibility for which lies with my colleague the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Other local development initiatives such as the Partnership Companies and the Leader groups are the responsibility of my colleagues the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and the Minister for Agriculture and Food, respectively. My colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, chairs the Interdepartmental Policy Committee on Local Development, which has a mandate to, inter alia, develop a comprehensive Government strategy on local development.

There are 35 city and county enterprise boards providing finance, training and other business supports to micro-enterprises throughout the country. Since their establishment in September 1993, the boards have assisted more than 7,250 projects and helped create more than 8,600 full-time job equivalents (to end 1996) at a grant cost per job of less than £4,000.

Since assuming office as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in July 1997, I have taken a keen interest in the progress of the county enterprise boards. While I am satisfied with the progress of the boards to date, I am at present considering the strategic positioning of the CEBs having regard to their function as one of the development agencies responsible to my Department.