Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the report and the work that has been done by Enterprise Ireland not only in the past year but in recent years. Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the enterprise boards have worked hard to identify areas in which job expansion can be created and I welcome that. I could get parochial and refer to Naas but I will not because there may be a Kerryman in the area who might attack me.

The Enterprise Ireland representative referred to one aspect which he found to be very successful, that is, when the organisation opened up for female entrepreneurs last year. He said it was a highly successful venture.

Will it continue this year? It was oversubscribed.

I refer to young entrepreneurs. We have found younger people who do not have a credit rating or a track record find it difficult to source funding. UCG was mentioned, where a group of young people, which the delegation then financed, came together.

I see that happening in all universities. Many universities have micro companies which are spin-offs from research which is taking place. Those aged under 25 years have a lot of good ideas but do not have a track record. They may be associated with internal markets. Will something be available for that cohort in the future?

I referred to the Kerry Group. Spin-off industries may be associated with it. Throughout the country where large multinationals are located there are spin-off businesses, which are small-scale companies which may be associated with and feed into a major company. How does the delegation see itself fitting into a role where it may support such companies, given that it works in conjunction with enterprise boards?

A number of large multinationals are located in my constituency. The overall budget for enterprise boards was cut last year. Can the delegation guarantee that the funding for LEOs will be maintained at the same level, if not increased? The one in ten companies working in Ireland rather than exporting from Ireland need to be supported. We need to stimulate the domestic rather than the export economy.

I refer to some specifics in the financial statement. A number of consultants are on a variety of sub-committees. When I was in Kildare County Council I was on my hobbyhorse about payments to outside consultants who were invited in.

I cannot see how much was paid to consultants in the financial report. I mean no disrespect to the chairman, who is part of KPMG, but how many were associated with KPMG? Since I was elected to the Dáil I have been on my hobbyhorse about the four major auditors, of which KPMG is one.

I do not mean to be critical of board members but there has been a 100% increase in the allocation of grants to board members, whether directly to their companies or companies with which they may be associated. Does the delegation have any comment to make on that?