Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

If I had answered this question six months ago in advance of the report which I read only last week, I would have been very favourably disposed to seeing the responsibility go to the local authorities. When the local development committees were being established I expressed the view that they be amalgamated with the county enterprise boards. This report strongly suggests that the accountability should be in a national rather than a localised process if we are to achieve uniformity and best value for money. It suggests bringing it into the wider family of enterprise policy, keeping the boards separate but having them working more closely with Enterprise Ireland, for example, so the two fit in together.

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