James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 1727: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding an application for a Feasibility and Innovation Grant for a Hybrid Wind & Solar project, which was submitted in May 2010 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33866/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department officials have established that the Deputy is enquiring about a grant application to Longford County Enterprise Board (CEB). As agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, the role of the 35 CEBs is to provide support for micro-enterprises 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.

While my Department provides funding to the CEBs it has no function in the day-to-day decision making activities of the Boards. The CEBs are independent companies, limited by guarantee and, therefore, legal entities in their own right. Decisions on applications for assistance from the CEBs are made independently by the Boards, subject to eligibility criteria, on the advice of their evaluation committees.

All of the CEBs operate to the same criteria in relation to the assistance which they can offer i.e. they can support the establishment and/or the development of enterprises provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability and which over time may develop into strong exporting entities. In addition to providing direct financial assistance, the CEBs also provide a range of indirect business advice and information assistances such as mentoring services, management capability training and development programmes, and e-Commerce training initiatives.

Longford CEB is keen to support businesses involved in the renewable energy sector and have communicated their interest to the project promoter.

I am advised that in the case of this particular grant application, the project promoter was advised by letter in mid-September 2010 that the application could not be approved at this time. The CEB have provided considerable advice and support, including mentoring support, to the project promoter over the last 12 months and, whilst the Board have not approved grant support at this time, the promoter has been advised that upon further development of the project's business plan, the services of the Board, both financial and non-financial, remain available to the project.

In order to more fully explore the range of options that may be available to him and to further develop the project's business plan, the project promoter should therefore maintain contact with Longford County Enterprise Board, Longford Enterprise Centre, Templemichael, Ballinalee Road, Longford (Tel. No. 043-3342757; e-mail: info@longfordceb.ie) to discuss the business needs with the relevant staff of the Board.