Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the assistance given by the Dublin City Enterprise Board to existing and new private childcare enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18326/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The thirty-five County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were established in 1993 to provide support to small businesses with 10 employees or fewer. Their function is to develop indigenous enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity at local level. The CEBs support individuals, firms, community groups, provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability. Priority must be given to manufacturing and internationally traded services companies which could develop into strong export entities.

While Dublin City Enterprise Board does not operate a specific childcare scheme, it is nevertheless ready to support, against their normal range of evaluation criteria, any viable business proposal coming forward for the establishment of a commercial childcare enterprise.

From its inception in 1993 to 31 December, 2005 Dublin City Enterprise Board has paid a total of €218,797 to 22 childcare enterprises yielding a job potential of 50 full-time and 15 part-time jobs. Such financial assistance forms part of the CEBs broader remit to support the development of commercially viable micro-enterprises throughout Dublin city.