Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2012
323 Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the timeframe he expects in regard to the forthcoming transition involving county enterprise boards; if he will take into account the needs of potential applicants for support for a speedy transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11140/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the recently launched the Action Plan for Jobs, I propose to establish a new "one-stop-shop" small and micro-enterprise support structure. These "One Stop Shops" will be called "Local Enterprise Offices" and will build on the significant work done by the CEBs to date. The new structure will be achieved through the dissolution of the existing CEBs and the creation of a new Micro Enterprise and Small Business Unit within Enterprise Ireland that will work with the Local Authorities to establish a Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in each Local Authority.
In conjunction with the dissolution of the CEB legal structure, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities will be tasked with the practicalities of setting-up and rolling-out a LEO structure. In this regard there is clearly a lot of detailed developmental work to be done over the coming months to effect these changes, and to put appropriate new structures in place. In advance of this work being done it is not possible to say with absolute certainty the exact date of official establishment of the LEO network, however the maintenance of the delivery of supports and services to the micro-enterprise sector is of paramount importance to all concerned and I would underline that it is "business as usual" for the clients of the City and County Enterprise Boards until these changes have been effected.
