Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he will establish an enterprise centre for Bray; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17271/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The allocation of grants under the community enterprise centre, CEC, scheme is the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland, the agency charged with administering the scheme, and not a matter in which I have a direct role. I am informed by Enterprise Ireland that in 2000, the agency approved grant support totalling €940,442 for Bray Community Enterprise Limited towards the building of a community enterprise centre in Bray and towards the management costs for the first two years.

The project proposal was based on the construction of the enterprise centre in a business park that was to be developed by Cosgrave Property Group at Fassaroe. A condition of the grant agreement was that construction should commence not later than 1 September 2000 and be completed not later than 30 September 2001. However, in 2000, the business park was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála and the entire development, including the community enterprise centre proposal, did not go ahead.

In the intervening years, the proposers have made a number of attempts to develop an alternative project proposal. However, despite receiving advice and support from Enterprise Ireland, Wicklow County Council, Wicklow Enterprise Board and Bray Chamber of Commerce, the proposers have been unable to put together a viable total funding proposal and Enterprise Ireland is not aware of any change in that situation. The group has, therefore, been notified that Enterprise Ireland grant approval will be withdrawn.

It should be noted that nearly five years have elapsed since Enterprise Ireland approved funding for the Bray project. Since then, a further CEC programme was undertaken in 2002 on a competitive basis and no applications were received from a community group in Bray. I understand that Enterprise Ireland is currently not planning a new community enterprise centre programme.