Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the progress made regarding the commitment given in the renewed programme for Government to undertake an independent review of the effectiveness of State agency support for enterprise, including interaction between the Industrial Development Authority, Enterprise Ireland and county enterprise boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36378/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The enterprise development agencies under my Department's remit have, as a matter of course, collaborated extensively on an on-going basis through a range of formal and informal mechanisms. However, in 2009, my Department established a High Level Group comprising representatives of each agency to identify areas for further collaboration. In addition to involving my own Department's agencies, the High Level Group also includes a representative from Údarás na Gaeltachta. The Group has made progress in a number of areas, for example in ensuring that access to supports is defined by business need rather than agency "ownership", in enhanced sharing of information, and in identifying initiatives to maximise potential synergies between foreign and indigenous firms. The Group will to continue to identify areas where agency collaboration can be strengthened and where the effectiveness of support to enterprises can be improved.

The recently published Forfás report Making it Happen – Growing Enterprise for Ireland includes a specific recommendation that programme evaluations should be carried out to ensure that the programmes managed by the enterprise development agencies under my Department's remit are efficiently and effectively delivered. The report recommends that, as a priority, at least one programme evaluation should be carried out by mid 2011. I am currently considering the most appropriate means of conducting these evaluations as part of my Department's overall response to the report and its recommendations.