Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 62: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to refine and clarify national rules regarding enterprise eligibility for assistance, both financial assistance and soft supports, from enterprise development agencies; if she intends to make the enterprise development agency system more transparent through the introduction of a one stop shop in order to avoid placing a burden on entrepreneurs and enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44337/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to amend the existing eligibility requirements to qualify for agency assistance or the numbers employed by companies to benefit from the services of the particular agencies.

The Enterprise Agencies (IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Forfás, Science Foundation Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta) have been involved in a process over the past 12 months to identify ways to further enhance collaboration to achieve more cohesive policy formulation and more effective client service delivery. In November 2008, I established a High Level Steering Group to develop proposals and implement actions to enhance inter-agency collaboration. The Group focused on client service as opposed to specific structural and operational aspects, such as shared services. The Group has submitted a report on the process to my Department, containing prioritised actions. On-going implementation has been a core objective of the process and the High Level Group is progressing a number of actions.

The cross-agency process has identified opportunities for enhanced collaboration within two broad areas: 1. Client company interaction with the enterprise agencies (accessing supports and transferring between the agencies); 2. Making optimum use of internal resources – knowledge, capabilities and synergies – across the enterprise agencies.

The core issue in relation to client company interaction with the enterprise agencies is the need to ensure that the client perspective and business needs are not compromised by agency structures and operating procedures, while at the same time understanding that the agencies operate within the legislative context of the Industrial Development Acts and State Aids rules.

As a result of the cross-agency process, the High Level Group has overseen the development of revised procedures in relation to the transfer of client companies between the agencies. The changes are already resulting in significant improvement to the efficiency of the process, enhanced clarity from the client perspective in relation to the process and a more proactive approach to ascertaining client service needs in the context and aftermath of a transfer – for example, the appropriate continuation of certain services provided by the transferring agency.

The High Level Group is also advancing proposals in relation to facilitating (where legislation and State Aid rules currently allow) access to certain Enterprise Ireland services by clients of the other agencies. It is envisaged that the EI/CEB Co-ordination Unit will be used as a framework to co-ordinate and manage the access of EI services to non-EI clients.

The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) are developing a closer working relationship with Enterprise Ireland, particularly through the extension of the EI First Flight programme to eligible CEB clients ready to begin exporting or already exporting overseas and the Enterprise START initiative, facilitated through the co-ordination unit based in EI's regional headquarters in Shannon.

In relation to making optimum use of internal resources and knowledge, a number of initiatives are being pursued by the High Level Group. These include a more structured cross agency 'on-the-ground' approach to the development of sectors being piloted that aims to: o increase awareness of the full complement of companies and capabilities and capacities in support of international marketing programmes; o stimulate effective networking and inter-linkages between foreign and indigenous firms and o facilitate the inclusion of indigenous firms on itineraries for foreign firms (potential IDA clients) where relevant and to the overall benefit of Ireland.

A Cross Agency information sharing team has been established to drive a systematic approach to collating, updating, sharing and disseminating information that is relevant to all agencies. A 'do once, disseminate widely' approach is being taken across ALL agencies for: o Economic context and background relevant to a wide range of internal and external reports; o Slides incorporating common data, trends and graphs; o A register of research/analysis work programmes underway in each of the agencies and o Sharing of sectorally related information in a systematic way (lifesciences pilot is under way)

A more structured and proactive approach has been recommended in the recently completed Regional Competitiveness Agenda, which envisages the establishment of regional level economic fora, that bring together the relevant stakeholders, expertise and competences to stimulate balanced regional development based on realising the potential of the regions.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of legislation to provide for the amalgamation of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority; the timeline for the publication of this legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44586/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Work is well advanced on the Heads of a Bill to provide for, inter alia, the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. I hope to publish this legislation during the course of 2010.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the State agencies under her remit to which the new code of practice for the governance of State bodies applies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44595/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The new code of practice for the governance of state bodies circulated by Department of Finance in June this year, applies to the following agencies under the aegis of my Department:

1. Enterprise Ireland (EI)

2. Industrial Development Authority (IDA)

3. FAS

4. Health and Safety Authority (HSA)

5. Forfás

6. National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

7. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

8. Shannon Development

9. Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA)

10. Competition Authority (CA)

11. Labour Relations Commission (LRC)

12. National Consumer Agency (NCA)

13. Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB)

Each of these agencies have in the normal course confirmed compliance with the code of practice in place up to June 2009 and that arrangements are being made to implement the new code without delay.