Vol. 436 No. 5
16 Mr. Deasy asked the Minsiter for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is confusion among the public regarding the various grant-aid employment schemes because of their proliferation and because of overlapping between various agencies; and the steps, if any, he will take to bring order and understanding into the system.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Industrial Development Act, 1993, provides for the amalgamation of IDA and Eolas supports to indigenous industry under the new agency Forbairt. The new agency will commence operations at the beginning of 1994. Its creation will provide for closer integration of the IDA and Eolas grant supports to employment.
The Industrial Development Act, 1993, also provides for the establishment of Forfás whose primary role is to advise on the development and co-ordination of policy in respect of Forbairt, IDA Ireland and other relevant State bodies, such as FÁS, involved in supporting industry. Forfás will, therefore, be in a position to analyse the policies of the various industrial development bodies and to point to overlaps, or indeed gaps, in the services they provide.
My intention is that the new structures should be developed in a way which makes the services available as transparent as possible, both to the public generally and particularly to those involved in or intending to start their own business.
It is also my intention that the recently established county enterprise boards will be a convenient and accessible source of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on the services and assistance available from development agencies for job-creating project start-ups.
