Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2015
247. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if grants, seed funding or development funding is available to a company (details supplied) in County Kildare with regard to the further development of its facility. [40220/15]
View answerMy understanding is that this Network is a community organisation. The only supports available for non-commercial bodies through Enterprise Ireland are through the competitive calls of the Community Enterprise Initiative. In May, I launched the €5 million Community Enterprise Initiative fund which was open to groups and organisations in every county that came together with ideas for projects to create jobs. However, the competitive call for proposals under this fund closed on 4 September 2015.
Being non-commercial, the Network is also unlikely to meet the eligibility criteria for direct financial assistance from the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO). However, any business proposal can seek advice and guidance from the LEOs on issues such as training, mentors and sources of finance.
Other Departments and Agencies across Government, for example, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and its Agencies (e.g. through Leader funding) might be in a position to offer assistance. Pobal, in particular, might have a role in terms of its commitment to supporting national recovery and to discharging its charitable objective “the delivery and management of programmes which promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality through integrated social and economic development within communities”.
