Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Subhead B4 relates to the science and technology development programme and there is an increase of €27 million. That is most welcome. Is it possible to get a breakdown of the figures for each of the seven universities, as well as the Royal College of Surgeons, Waterford Institute of Technology, Teagasc and the Tyndall National Institute?

There is something of a coincidence in what happened yesterday. IBEC facilitated a meeting between the president of Waterford Institute of Technology, Professor Willie Donnelly, and the president of Carlow Institute of Technology in an effort to further the technological university. There was some mention of the science and technology programme at the meeting. We spent a good deal of the meeting discussing research and development and extra funding. It would be welcome.

Since I am new to the committee, perhaps the Minister could indulge me by explaining the INTERREG enterprise development figure of minus €2.77 million. I note the reason given relates to delays outside the control of the Department and it states that the funds allocated will not be spent. Can the Minister elaborate on that, please?

I wish to congratulate the local enterprise offices, LEOs, on how well they are working. I wish to make a related point. Sometimes people come to me when they are trying to start up or expand a business. Many of them are not aware of the good work, help and support they can get from local enterprise offices. Perhaps this is something the committee might examine next year. We could do some advertising to spell it out for people. A lady came to me recently. She has run a successful play-school for over 20 years and was hoping to expand. She had never heard of local enterprise offices. This was the first time in her life that she was thinking of expanding and she was wondering where she should go. I directed her to the Waterford local enterprise office and it has worked out well for her. Anyway, my point is that until I steered her in that direction, she was unsure where to go. I acknowledge she had never thought about making a move previously but some people have told me they never realised the help they could get in the local enterprise offices. They are working well. They offer a one-stop-shop service. I congratulate the Minister on them.