Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

Through my engagement with enterprise stakeholders throughout the State in recent months I have seen the fear among them that the Government may not have bought into the idea of entrepreneurship and that policy is not being generated around the needs of entrepreneurs. There is also concern regarding the transfer of enterprise responsibilities from Údarás na Gaeltachta, for example, to Enterprise Ireland, which will dilute the focus on jobs going into places like Carna, Gweedore and Dún Chaoin. It is difficult enough to get Enterprise Ireland to create jobs in Meath, never mind these more peripheral parts of the State.

I accept there is a comprehensive structure in place in terms of assisting enterprise. However, in my county, for instance, there are no funds remaining for feasibility study grants for people who want to set up businesses. The money for the year is gone and it is only June. Does the Government have a plan to facilitate the needs of entrepreneurs? There is €100,000 in grant applications in the pipeline, which equates to approximately 20 jobs, all awaiting funding allocation.

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