Vol. 488 No. 4
51 Mr. Belton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans, if any, she has for county enterprise boards after 1999 in view of the fact that these boards have made a major contribution to employment in small business and services, have provided other supports for business and as their continued existence is considered vital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6318/98]
I wish to acknowledge the major contribution of county enterprise boards to the development of micro-enterprise and job creation since their establishment in 1993. During the period 1993-97, some 8,000 projects have been assisted and over 11,000 jobs have been created.
Our Department is now engaged in consultations with enterprise boards to elicit their views on how the momentum of micro-project development and job creation can be sustained beyond the year 1999, when the EU Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development will come to an end. We are absolutely satisfied that the county and city enterprise boards have a very positive role to play in continuous job creation at local level.
