Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, under the schemes or funding available to him, he has created or is proposing to create initiatives to either protect or promote small and medium enterprises within the areas of his Ministry in which there have been redundancies or job losses in view the economic position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34209/09]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has had meetings with the Department of Finance or Enterprise, Trade and Employment to discuss initiatives to either protect or promote small and medium enterprises within the areas of his Ministry where there have been redundancies or job losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34213/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 156 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment has primary responsibility in relation to the promotion of small and medium enterprises. However, my Department operates a range of initiatives, schemes and programmes that support the growth of business and enterprise. Relevant schemes include the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP), the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP), the CLÁR programme, the Community Services Programme, and Rural Recreation schemes.

My Department is responsible for the implementation of the LEADER elements of the 2007-2013 RDP. A key objective of the programme focuses on the diversification of the rural economy and specifically provides €48.26m to support micro-enterprises. This funding will complement the supports provided by the County Enterprise Boards and will focus, in particular, on the development of indigenous rural resources in artisan food, forestry, marine, rural/agri-tourism, cultural heritage and community promoted enterprises; the development of recreational tourism and other complementary tourism supports and environmentally friendly initiatives. Axis 3 and Axis 4 (LEADER) of the RDP commenced in February 2009 and there are currently project commitments totalling €4.8 million registered under the Business Creation and Development measure.

My Department's LDSIP provides for integrated approaches to identify, nurture and support individuals, groups and communities in accessing suitable and sustainable employment and self-employment options. Types of activity supported include: proactive outreach and targeted supports such as complementary education and training, support with work placement, support into self-employment or enterprise, and community enterprise activities.

Enterprise support is a feature of the LDSIP and is differentiated from mainstream enterprise initiatives by its focus on disadvantage and on supporting the individual into self-employment or enterprise through training and education, mentoring, networking and after-care as well as small grants towards start-up.

In addition to the above, I would draw the Deputy's attention to the work of Údarás na Gaeltachta and the Western Development Commission (WDC), which are agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Údarás na Gaeltachta is working to reverse the downward employment trend in the Gaeltacht and effect the transition from a declining manufacturing sector to employment in services, including Irish-language centred employment.

To assist in the current economic climate, an tÚdarás is administering in the Gaeltacht the new Employment Subsidy Scheme and the Enterprise Stabilisation Fund which have been established to address the needs of vulnerable small to medium enterprises.

My Department also operates, in conjunction with the relevant County Enterprise Boards, an Enterprise Scheme for the non-Gaeltacht Islands, the aim of which is to encourage the development of both new and existing micro-enterprises on islands outside the Gaeltacht. The introduction of this scheme, which complements the enterprise supports provided by Údaras na Gaeltachta on Gaeltacht islands, recognises the higher costs and locational disadvantage involved in running an island-based business.

I have allocated some €47m to projects approved under the Community Services Programme. I hope that by the end of 2009, over 450 projects will be operational and employing 2,700 people.