Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I accept we have to sell this. We must ensure there is an enterprise culture in these local enterprise offices - that is absolutely clear. Part of the fear is that there will not be an enterprise culture. In the Deputy's earlier supplementary questions to the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, he asked if this would be politicised. These decisions will not be politicised. The decision making on grants will be done by an independent evaluation committee. Local business people will be on that committee to ensure its professional expertise is brought to bear on the projects.

The county and city managers have 2,000 initiatives that they have mined from different local authorities as positive things they have been doing for business. We want to see that sort of best practice being mainstreamed in our local authorities so that not only are they housing this excellent service, but also bringing considerable added value to it. That is the concept. I accept we need to sell it and persuade small business, but I believe we will demonstrate that it will deliver a good service.

I thank Deputy Stanley. I do not care where ideas come from so long as they work.

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