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

We have established our community enterprise centres, numbering 115 across the country. However, we respond to entrepreneurs coming forward with their ideas. We cannot grow entrepreneurs or enterprises in particular areas. We can try to provide facilities in different areas so that anyone who is emerging can get support. If Enterprise Ireland has a competitive start in a region but does not get applicants, it cannot create them. We try to develop the infrastructure and the opportunities but we depend on people coming forward. In that context, setting targets might be unrealistic. That said, I see no reason why we should not be looking for a 25% increase in start ups. I will be asking for that kind of target to be delivered right across the country. That is a realistic way to look at it. Start-ups are the drivers so if we can deliver that through the LEO and Enterprise Ireland network, then we will make real progress. If we then see that certain regions are not achieving, we can look at the reasons and try to learn from that. I take the Senator's point but we cannot start from a high target and work down. We must build the base and support the enterprises that are coming forward and then try to continually do better on the back of that base.