Written answers

Tuesday, 25 April 2006

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

County Enterprise Boards

9:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to develop the county enterprise board investment programmes in the Border, midlands and western region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14944/06]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are 13 county and city enterprise boards, CEBs, operating in the Border, midlands and western region. Under the BMW Regional Operational Programme 2000-2006 these boards are responsible for delivering the micro-enterprise measure throughout the BMW region.

The BMW region's Objective One status allows the use of comparatively better rates of incentives to business and assists the region in promoting and developing indigenous micro-enterprises. This status is also taken into account in allocating funds to the boards in the region. In 2005, for example, the funds allocated to the region amounted to some 37% of the total funds allocated even though only about 27% of the national population reside in the region. This high level of funding for the BMW region has been maintained in 2006.

The function of the CEBs in the BMW region is to develop indigenous enterprise potential, to stimulate economic activity and to promote an enterprise culture at local level. The CEBs are a specific source of support for the micro-enterprise sector, that is, businesses with ten employees or fewer. This support is available through both direct financial assistance and non-financial assistance. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, micro-enterprises may qualify for financial support in the form of feasibility, employment and capital grants while there is also a broad range of non-financial supports available, such as mentoring, management development and training and business advice and information.

In providing support to enterprises, the CEBs are required to take into consideration the quality, local relevance, cost effectiveness and viability of proposals. They must also seek to avoid supporting projects that would displace existing jobs or businesses. In this regard, the boards are required to give priority to manufacturing and internationally traded services companies, which over time may develop into strong export entities. The local base of the CEBs which are responsible for the delivery of the micro-enterprise measure in the BMW region means that the projects supported are tailored to the particular needs of that regional economic environment.

The CEBs in the BMW region performed strongly in 2005. They paid out over €4 million in direct grant aid to 350 projects and assisted in the creation of over 1,000 net jobs in grant aided companies. The CEBs also provided training and management development programmes to the value of €3.4 million to 4,566 participants in the BMW region, of which 2,588 or almost 57% were female.

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