Written answers

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Departmental Agencies

12:00 pm

Photo of Bernard AllenBernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of enterprise agencies and their existing structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45354/10]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Each of the enterprise development agencies have a core area of focus which enables them to build a depth of relevant expertise and understanding of the enterprise cohort for which they are responsible, and to focus their own resources to best effect. I am sure the Deputy will agree that it is important to ensure that both the structures for delivery and the programmes being delivered are providing the best possible supports for business.

The Forfás report, 'Making it Happen: Growing Enterprise for Ireland', has identified some areas where interventions need to intensify in order to deliver more effective support for enterprise growth in the current climate including, Building on Sectoral Strengths and Realising Potential in New Activities, Supporting Competitiveness at Firm Level and Enhanced Agency Collaboration. The enterprise development agencies have, as a matter of course, collaborated extensively on an on-going basis through a range of formal and informal mechanisms. 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 Udarás 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 continue to identify areas where agency collaboration can be strengthened and where the effectiveness of support to enterprises can be improved.

Forfás, working with officials from my Department, is at present developing a system wide evaluation framework incorporating enterprise policy, programme and project elements. The framework will be designed to measure ex-ante and ex-post the appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of policy objectives/delivery, and will be developed by early 2011. The programme evaluations will ensure that the programmes managed by the enterprise development agencies operating under my Department's remit deliver on defined objectives, and that they are efficiently and effectively delivered. The first programme evaluations carried out under the new framework are expected to be completed in the first half of 2011. As already indicated, I intend bringing proposals to Government shortly in relation to the restructuring of the City and County Enterprise Boards.

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