Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 November 2019
105. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the costs associated with commissioning an organisation to complete reports (details supplied); the funds expended, including costs associated with advertising, design work, photography, print and online media advertising and public relations in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45687/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I am acutely aware of the importance of SMEs to the Irish economy and I want to ensure that small firms are at the heart of my Department’s business supports and strategies. That is why my Department has been engaging with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) since late 2017 towards the completion of a comprehensive Review of SME and Entrepreneurship Policy in Ireland.
I was delighted to launch the Review of SME and Entrepreneurship issues and policies in Ireland with the Secretary General of the OECD Ángel Gurría on 8 March 2018.
This has been a concentrated and collaborate 18-month project with my Department having played a central role supporting and facilitating the OECD during this process. The focus of the review provides tailored analysis and recommendations to DBEI and the Irish government on how to improve the design and implementation of national SME and entrepreneurship policies and programmes, based on an assessment of the country’s current SME and entrepreneurship performance, framework conditions and policies based on international comparisons.
Areas covered include taxation, the regulatory environment, productivity challenges, skills and regional development. It also includes an assessment of the main SME-targeted programme areas, including SME workforce skills, standards adoption, internationalisation, financing and innovation.
My officials have organised and officiated at stakeholder events throughout the process to facilitate detailed engagement between my Department, other Government Departments, agencies, academia, business representatives and small businesses themselves. This engagement has enabled the OECD to gain insightful understandings from stakeholders in Ireland and to develop an independent assessment of the Irish SME and entrepreneurship ecosystem at the various critical stages of the review. The OECD review draws together a wealth of expertise and analysis from across the key policy Directorates of the OECD, together with the OECD's independent assessments of Ireland's key programmes and schemes and supports for SMEs and entrepreneurs. The extent of the international good practice identified by the OECD will also provide valuable inputs to my consideration of further changes and improvements to our policy mix and supports in Ireland.
Testament to the culmination of the 18 month’s intensive engagement between my Department officials and the OECD secretariat, I welcomed the OECD Deputy Secretary General Knudsen to Dublin last week, where, together we launched the Review and the accompanying SME Strategy Roadmap on Thursday 31st October.
The task at hand now through my Department, is to ensure the development of a SME Strategy which will inform Government’s Future Jobs Initiative on how best to support and foster our indigenous ecosystem into the future.
The total cost associated with commissioning the OECD to carry out the review was €300,000, made in three separate instalments over the 18-month period:
|
Date |
Amount |
|
|
1st Instalment |
1st June 2018 |
€85,000 |
|
2nd Instalment |
21st December 2018 |
€115,000 |
|
3rd Instalment |
5th June 2019 |
€100,000 |
|
Total |
€300,000 |
