Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has assisted smaller manufacturing firms to realise the potential of information technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15562/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A National eBusiness strategy was launched by my colleague Michael Ahern T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Trade and Commerce in December 2004. The strategy outlines actions required to assist SMEs, including micro-enterprises, and particularly those in the non-ICT producing sectors of the economy, to use ICTs in a way that will maximise their competitive advantage. The strategy covers four broad areas: How to build ICT management and user skills; Supports by the development agencies; Provision of information; and Performance monitoring and research.

At the implementation level, the State Development agencies under the auspices of my Department are now well engaged in providing support to companies to maximise the benefits of ICT.

Enterprise Ireland is heavily engaged in mainstreaming eBusiness within manufacturing firms in Ireland and in particular among small and medium sized companies — and, to that end, the unit dedicated to eBusiness is undertaking a wide range of activities. These activities include the following: Embedding ICT management skills in SMEs; Knowledge Events; Building awareness of the impact of new technologies on businesses; Promoting the use of ICT as marketing and sales channel; Conducting ICT reviews with client companies as part of overall business reviews; and Improving access for SMEs to top class ICT business consultants.

Enterprise Ireland has introduced the eBusiness Management Initiative for clients which provides support for eBusiness management training and consultancy, which builds on the success of previous initiatives. The objective of the programme is to improve the productivity and competitiveness of small and medium sized companies through the absorption of appropriate Information and Communication Technologies and the development of ICT management skills. The programme has a budget of €1 million euro and will run until the end of 2007.

Enterprise Ireland, through its dedicated eBusiness web site and electronic newsletter raises awareness and disseminates knowledge about the impact of ICT developments at a business level. Enterprise Ireland also promotes the marketing and sales opportunities presented by new technologies such as the European initiative eMarketservices

The County and City Enterprise Boards, which also operate under the aegis of my Department, provide a considerable amount of support to manufacturing firms in the micro-enterprise sector. These supports can take the form of financial assistance for start-ups and expansions as well as other softer forms of assistance such as training and mentoring. A focus on realizing the potential of information technology would often be a key element of such interventions.

In addition, I have today launched the Tech-Check programme which will also be delivered by the CEBs. The programme will enable small businesses to access a highly subsidized review of their use of technology by independent experts including recommendations for the future use of technology appropriate to the individual firm. This programme has been devised in line with a recommendation by the Small Business Forum that the State should make a programme of ICT Audits available to the small business sector in order to promote the greater use of ICT within the sector.

Additionally, I launched the Innovation Vouchers initiative in March this year, which is also based on a recommendation by the Small Business Forum, and is being administered by Enterprise Ireland. Innovation Vouchers give small companies access to the vast knowledge available in Irish Institutes of Technology, Universities and other public research bodies. The vouchers, worth €5,000 each, can be exchanged for advice and expertise, including in the area of information technology, from an Irish research provider and used by small Irish companies to bring in knowledge that is new to that company.

The Government is fully committed to ensuring that the application of ICT is fully utilised by Irish companies and we will continue to provide support and assistance going forward.