John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

A comprehensive review of the role, functions and remit of the county enterprise boards in the development of micro-enterprises was conducted in 2004, that is, the Fitzpatricks review. The review largely endorsed the activities and operations of the CEBs and concluded that there is justification for continued State support to micro-enterprises and that the CEB network can continue to play a useful role in the overall national enterprise development policy. It also recommended that, in providing assistance to micro-enterprises, CEBs should focus more on economic, rather than social or local development, objectives; there should be a renewed focus on the core enterprise mission; the issues of potential deadweight, displacement and duplication should be more systematically and rigorously addressed; and there should be a move away from direct grant aid to repayable finance as well as a greater provision of soft supports as an alternative to grant aid.

Both the enterprise strategy group report and the recent report of the Small Business Forum endorsed the key recommendations of the Fitzpatricks report on the primary micro-enterprise focus of CEB support and the range of services the boards offer. While it is acknowledged that there will be differences in requirements and emphasis in the areas served by the various CEBs, I remain satisfied that the current core micro-enterprise remit of the CEBs should remain their primary target market and that the services currently offered by the CEBs, in terms of both financial and non-financial assistance, to that sector represent the most appropriate mix of services.

In the context of its key policy role my Department in association with the CEB central co-ordination unit within Enterprise Ireland and with the CEBs, monitors the range of support services offered by the CEBs on an ongoing basis particularly in the light of the economic climate.

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