Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 42: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on restructuring the financial supports offered by county and city enterprise boards; her further views on increased capital grant up from the maximum level of €75,000, an increased employment grant per job up from the maximum €7,500 per job and an increased feasibility grant up from the level of €7,500 and €5,100 per individual study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24062/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A fundamental review of the role and functions of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) in the development of micro-enterprises, including the level of financial assistance which they have available to them, was conducted during 2004 on behalf of the Department by Fitzpatricks and Associates, Economic Consultants. 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 direct grant aid to repayable finance as well as a greater provision of soft supports as an alternative to grant aid. In the context of its key policy role my Department, in association with the CEB Central Co-ordination Unit within Enterprise Ireland and with the CEBs, monitors the range of support services offered by the CEBs on an ongoing basis particularly in the light of the economic climate.