Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. To answer Deputy Lawlor, we are approaching the completion of the 2013 action plan for jobs. It has to be signed off and we hope to publish this month. We are at a very late stage in that regard. I have had some individual submissions on this from members but the Deputy is right that there is best in class and then there are others. Part of the role of having a centre of excellence is that it will promote best-in-class practices. We will reinforce that by having competitive funds to ensure that, based on the quality of what people are doing, they will be able to draw down additional funding. There will be a competitive element in the funding as well as an allocation.

Deputy Lawlor has talked previously about the importance of young entrepreneurs, and we have many programmes that are equally available to young and more established microfinance competitive starts. There may be a case for examining a tranche. Last year we had a very successful tranche aimed at women entrepreneurs. It started at €250,000 and was so over-subscribed that we increased it to €750,000 within months. That worked as a way of having a particular brand and looking for entrepreneurs in a particular class. It is worth considering whether we can do something in that sphere.

To be fair, there is a great deal happening in this space also. I launched UStart in the universities. The Young Scientist exhibition does something around entrepreneurship. There are a number of elements to this. The Department is working on an entrepreneurship strategy and we will be looking at this entire area. We will definitely consider the Deputy's interest in young entrepreneurs and their potential.