Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to review the eligibility criteria for funding from county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37540/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Within the past two years my Department, through Forfás, commissioned a review of the role and functions of the CEBs in the development of micro-enterprises. The review represents the most comprehensive examination of the role and functions of the CEBs since their inception over ten years ago. It largely endorsed the activities and operations of the CEBs and concluded that there is justification for continued State support to micro-enterprises and that the CEB network can continue to play a useful role in the overall national enterprise development policy.

The review recommended that: in providing assistance to micro-enterprises, CEBs should focus more on economic, rather than social or local development, objectives; that there should be a renewed focus on the core enterprise mission; that the issues of potential deadweight, displacement and duplication should be more systematically and rigorously addressed; and that there should be a move away from grants to repayable finance as well as to soft supports. My Department has been working with the CEBs in respect of the reorientation of their focus in line with this recommendation. Taking account of the foregoing factors, I am satisfied that the current eligibility criteria are appropriate and I have no plans for any further review of them at this time.