Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
287 Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans for the County Enterprise Board structure, including its staff, premises and operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26851/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has approved the restructuring of the existing micro and small enterprise support mechanisms with a view to creating an enhanced national enterprise support model. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will remain responsible for national enterprise policy and budgets but under the new model, enterprise supports will be delivered at local level by a network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), situated in the Local Authorities .
As agreed by Government, the CEBs will be dissolved in their current legal format and their functions, assets and liabilities transferred to Enterprise Ireland (EI). EI is being mandated to work with the Local Authorities to develop benchmarks for service delivery and enterprise supports as well as appropriate structures and delivery models for the LEOs. In this regard, a detailed formal Service Level Agreement (SLA) will be put in place between Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities which will set out how the new enterprise support model will operate in practice. The existing staff of the CEBs will be an integral part of the new arrangements.
An Implementation Working Group (IWG) has been set up under the auspices of my Department for the purpose of directing the practical implementation of the Government decision. The IWG will be comprised of all key stakeholders including the City and County Managers Association (CCMA), the CEBs, Enterprise Ireland (EI), the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG), the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) and my own Department. In conjunction with this, my Department is engaging with the Office of the Attorney General regarding the legal and legislative aspects of giving effect to the new arrangements.
