Vol. 541 No. 5
174 Mr. Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the policy pursued by her Department regarding agency support for firms with a workforce of ten to 15 persons; if this category and workforce is the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland or the county enterprise boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23358/01]
Enterprise Ireland has responsibility for Irish owned or controlled firms, with a workforce of over ten employees which have demonstrated that they want or have the potential to grow, in those parts of the country which are under its responsibility. Shannon Development provides support to this size of enterprise in the areas of north Tipperary, south and south west Offaly, north Kerry, Limerick and Clare.
Enterprise Ireland's overall objectives in relation to its client base, including companies in this range, are set out in the three year strategy for Enterprise Ireland 1999-01. This strategy has a number of objectives such as the increasing scale of Irish industry, doubling the number of new businesses being established, increasing productivity of small business and doubling the number of firms undertaking research and development.
To accomplish these objectives, Enterprise Ireland provides financial and/or non-financial supports to its clients. In order to avail of Enterprise Ireland financial support client companies are facilitated to review the key business functions in their enterprises and to agree jointly with Enterprise Ireland a series of actions to address any perceived weaknesses. Having completed such a review and agreed a development plan for the future, the company may avail of a range of financial supports in order to achieve the targets set out in the development plan.
Enterprise Ireland initiatives include skills development, best practice workshops, mentoring service, product development, access to finance, market development service and the provision of links between the third level sector and industry.
Shannon Development operates similar initiatives for its clients in the area of the country under its aegis.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment policy document, July 1998, establishes that CEBs are the first point of contact for start up and micro enterprises under ten employees and Enterprise Ireland for those over ten employees. It points out, however, that new growth firms have a critical role to play in the upgrading and transformation of our industrial base and therefore close co-operation is required between Enterprise Ireland and the CEBs to ensure that the potential of those firms is maximised. To that end, it establishes, inter alia, that Enterprise Ireland will identify existing CEB clients whose growth prospects suggest that they will become clients of Enterprise Ireland and to facilitate a smooth transition from one agency to another and ensure that high potential start up companies approaching the CEBs are referred to Enterprise Ireland.
This policy has been implemented and, in support of this, a formal working relationship document was agreed between Enterprise Ireland and the CEBs in November 2000. As part of this process EI executives continue to act as members of CEBs and their respective evaluation committees.
