Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Chairman for the question on local enterprise offices. She raised a valid point. It is a question I raised myself when I first came in to the job on awareness of the local enterprise offices. We need to realise that the newly restructured local enterprise offices have only been in place for approximately two years. They have forged a great relationship with Enterprise Ireland. I am pleased the Chairman had a pleasant experience with her client in Waterford. We give Enterprise Ireland funding towards advertising and members may have heard the organisation advertising on local radio. As Minister of State, I travel around to the various counties. I am focused not only on visiting the local enterprise offices but on looking at the local enterprise office companies that have been set up. We are doing some local radio advertising in that area as well.

Under the new structure many local authorities put local enterprise offices front-of-house, although I am unsure of the position in Waterford. In other words, when people come into the council offices, they see the LEO sign in the foyer. They are working closely with local authorities. We find that where a local authority and local enterprise office are working well together, the LEO works particularly well. Most local authorities now have an economic department as well. The three units work together. This is where Enterprise Ireland, the Leader programme and all the other agencies come together. It is all about collaboration. This is the reason we have successful LEOs.

I would be delighted to invite Deputy Butler to accompany me, as Cathaoirleach of the committee, when I visit the LEO in Waterford and the associated small companies. She will see for herself at first hand the work that Waterford LEO is doing in growing businesses. As the Chairman noted, it is a first stop for many people who are interested in starting up a business or becoming an entrepreneur. That is an important focus.

The LEOs and Enterprise Ireland are currently focusing on the Ireland's best young entrepreneur, IBYE, initiative. The Minister, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor, covered her area of Dún Laoghaire last night and I covered Fingal. There is considerable interest in the IBYE scheme. Last year a total of 1,400 applicants came forward and there have been 1,800 applicants this year. The interest is a phenomenon. We have so many young entrepreneurs who are interested in start-up companies. We must continue to assist those young people. This is where LEOs come in, as well as the various other agencies, including Enterprise Ireland.