Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she is taking to support the role of county enterprise boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40930/09]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) is to provide support for the micro-enterprise sector in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate entrepreneurship at local level. The overall priority for Capital expenditure by the Boards is on the development of sustainable growth-orientated micro-enterprises, which, over time, can develop into strong export entities.

The forms of assistance that are available from the CEB network, subject to certain criteria, include financial assistance (grants), and non-financial supports in the form of a wide range of business advice and training for owner-managers and their staff, such as Programmes covering Business Management, Mentoring, E-commerce, Enterprise Education, and Women in Business networks.

I have supported the CEBs in delivering on their role by securing a Capital Allocation of €20.229m for the Boards in 2009. This funding ensures the provision of targeted supports to micro-enterprise, enables the Boards to be actively involved in economic development of their local area, and that available funds are targeted to maximise entrepreneurial development.

I also announced recently that I have approved a broadening of the financial supports that the Boards can offer their client businesses. The effect of this is to broaden the scope of the start up and development costs that can be assisted. Financial assistance will now be available for all legitimate business costs directly attributable to starting a new business, or growing and developing a business, rather than being restricted to asset acquisition. These changes will align CEB supports more closely with those of the other enterprise support agencies and ensure a consistency in approach. While the changes do not affect the existing client eligibility criteria for financial support they will allow for much greater flexibility in how the CEBs support start-up and small growing enterprises which will be of particular relevance in the current economic climate.

My Department, in association with the CEB Central Coordination Unit within Enterprise Ireland (CCU), and with the CEB network, will continue to monitor the level of funding and range of support services offered by the CEBs to the micro-enterprise sector, particularly in the light of the current economic climate.