Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

These include a mentor network, the Enterprise Ireland export orientation programme, Leadership for Growth, the innovation voucher initiative and the Enterprise Start programme. There are programmes within the seventh EU framework on research and development. There is a finance and investment programme on venture capital, for which I announced an additional €500 million last week.

Other programmes include research and development technology transfer, the commercialisation fund, bench to boardroom commercialisation, Irish Research, the applied research enhancement programme and all of the city and county enterprise boards enhancement programmes, of which the Deputy is acutely aware and to which I have provided additional funding. The competence development programme, the FÁS strategic alliance programme, the Skillnets programme and the Management Development Council are also in place.

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