Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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We intend to look first at the existing enterprise base and then at the region's enterprise assets, which are across a range in that there are incubators, technology centres, industrial parks, enterprise networks and community enterprise centres. We are looking at the whole gamut of the region's assets in seeking to identify a consensus on what are the competitive opportunities and what sectors are best positioned to be built upon. We will then look at a gap analysis, if one likes. We will look at what is missing in terms of fulfilling those ambitions, having early stakeholder engagement and, as we progress, we will try to get the contribution of the local education and training boards and the institutes of technology because these are key players in building out the areas of competitive advantage that the Chairman identifies.

We will look at this issue collaboratively. We will certainly dovetail it with the work that is going on in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. While it has a broader, regional economic focus and we are focusing on the enterprise piece, we are making sure we dovetail with its efforts.

We would look at the contribution from all sectors and hope to work to get some initiatives. Deputy Tóibín asked what sort of tools will be used. As an example, we will be looking at competitive tools for the LEOs. If LEOs are being innovative in a region and we have an agreed set of priorities in the region, and if a local enterprise office is being innovative or is collaborating across a number of agencies to deliver something, that is the sort of innovation we would like to seed. Obviously, we will be trying to seed new initiatives as well as making sure we are all collaborating on the areas we have.

Given the advanced facilities, I believe that will continue to be a potential instrument. This year we made an investment in an advanced facility at Athlone, as the Chairman probably knows. These will not be like building programmes in the past where we built and then hoped they would come. They will be built with regard to the very clear and established competitive edge in medical technologies that justifies creating a modern facility that would attract the sort of companies that are interested in the strengths of the region. They will be identified on a strategic basis in the context of the regional enterprise opportunity.

That is the approach we will take. We will be seeking to participate with public representatives and other stakeholders as we develop it.