Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2015
22. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide details of the role his Department and its constituent organisations play in terms of the creation of local economic and community plans, with which local authorities have been tasked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6075/15]
View answerIn developing the local economic and community plans, local authorities are required under guidelines issued by my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, to work closely with organisations such as the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Enterprise Ireland, and IDA Ireland, and to continue to engage with the Action Plan for Jobs process. Under Action Plan for Jobs 2015, which I recently launched, it is intended to develop and publish a suite of Regional Enterprise Strategies, based on consultation with key stakeholders at regional level over the coming months. I expect that these strategies, and the consultation that underpins them, will be reflected in the Local Economic and Community Plans.
Enterprise Ireland is the agency under my aegis with responsibility for the development of Irish enterprise, deepening Ireland’s footprint in world markets, and supporting employment creation in our economy. It is expected that the local economic and community plans will take account of Enterprise Ireland’s own regional strategies. Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland do not have a formal consultative role but will be inputting to all of the local economic and community plans.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), established in April last year, combine the functions of the former County Enterprise Boards and the Business Development expertise of the Local Authorities. Enterprise Ireland is working with each county’s Local Enterprise Office to produce a quality enterprise development plan on an annual basis.
Each LEO Head of Enterprise sits on the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in their area, and that Committee is tasked with the creation of the Local Economic and Community Plans. I fully expect therefore that each Local Enterprise Office plan will feed into the wider Local Economic and Community Plans.
