Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she is taking to support enterprise development in the midland and western regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19799/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Enterprise Development Agencies under the aegis of my Department, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development are responsible for growing indigenous enterprises and attracting and growing foreign direct investment. Strong, balanced regional development and a thriving culture of entrepreneurship in all parts of Ireland are key strategic objectives for my Department and the development agencies under its remit.

Enterprise Ireland operates according to three-year strategies. They have either met or exceeded the targets set by the agency for the 2005-2007 period. Enterprise Ireland's new strategy, 'Transforming Irish Industry 2008-2010', focuses on facilitating entrepreneurship and the enterprise environment in local and rural communities; driving the creation of innovation based start-ups, actively engaging in the Community Enterprise Scheme and proactively developing existing clients in all regions.

Enterprise Ireland works with almost 490 client companies in the West Region, which employ 11,693 people. In 2007, €14.8m was approved by EI for clients in the West Region.

In the Midlands, EI works with over 300 client companies which employ over 9,900 people. In 2007 approvals for Midlands clients was over €7.5m.

In 2008, Enterprise Ireland will continue to deliver its wide range of programmes to address the demands of entrepreneurship and the diversity of business types.

The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) in the Midland and Western Region is to provide a source of support for micro-enterprise in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. The specific types of formal CEB assistance available to micro-enterprise is broken down between financial assistance such as grants for feasibility studies, employment grants and capital grants and non-financial assistance ("soft supports") such as programmes covering Business Management, Mentoring, E-commerce, Enterprise Education and Women in Business networks.

During 2007, the Midland Region CEBs, composed of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly paid out over €1.48m in grant assistance to 109 clients. This intervention has assisted in the creation of 236 jobs in the region. The CEBs in the Western Region, comprising of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon have paid out over €1.11m in grant assistance to 104 clients, which in turn, has enabled the creation of 328 jobs in the area.

During 2008 the CEBs in the Midlands and Western Region will continue to support enterprise development through the provision of both direct financial assistance (in the form of capital, feasibility and employment grants) and through indirect or soft support assistance such as management development capability support and the development and delivery of activities to highlight and promote enterprise.

IDA Ireland is also supporting enterprise development in the region through its ongoing strategy of growing and embedding foreign direct investment activity. The agency is encouraging its client companies to add strategic functions to its Irish operations in areas such as R&R and marketing. There are opportunities here for indigenous companies in the areas of sub-supply and service provision.