Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there has been significant progress in the survey of collaborations and co-operation between enterprise agencies as set out in the publication of Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal 2009 to 2014; if she will provide examples of this collaboration; and if significant gaps been found. [17610/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, in conjunction with Forfás and the other Industrial Development agencies, has commenced a review to see if there can be further improvement in collaboration between the agencies and to identify any gaps in their support programmes and their implementation. A project Steering Group has been established, chaired by my Department and also including representatives from Forfás, IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by Quarter 4, 2009.

There are a number of mechanisms already in situ that facilitate collaboration across the agencies. The powers and functions of each agency are set out in one body of legislation, the Industrial Development Acts. While IDA and Enterprise Ireland serve different client bases, they operate similar schemes and programmes. The specific role of each agency in relation to matters such as Science and Technology and Training is also set out in the legislation, which avoids overlaps or duplication in agency mandates. Forfás delivers policy advice to the Minister on the programmes of all the agencies and Forfás has powers under legislation to co-ordinate the work of all of the agencies involved in industrial development. Forfás also operates a Business information System which monitors all agency programmes.

This allows general reviews of enterprise policy, such as the review Ahead of the Curve carried out and published recently by the Enterprise Strategy Group, to assess the impact of all of the programmes of the Industrial Development agencies and to make recommendations on how they can be improved. The work of the agencies in inputting to policy on matters such as Skills, Competitiveness and Science and Technology is centralized in Forfás, again avoiding overlaps or duplication. At a more administrative level, responsibilities for matters such as pensions and accommodation for all the agencies is also centralized in Forfás. As with all agency programmes, collaboration between the agencies is reviewed from time to time to see if it can be further improved, and that is the purpose of the current review.