Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if he will be conducting an examination into allowing entrepreneurs or business start-ups access to vacant or under-utilised public property as incubation centres; the persons who will be responsible for rolling out this programme; the conditions attached to this for persons or businesses seeking premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5865/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The enterprise agencies under the aegis of my Department currently have a range of initiatives for the provision of space for start-up companies. These include incubation centres, community enterprise centres and business innovation centres. There are currently 26 campus incubation centres facilities that are operational, including 5 bio-incubator facilities. At present, there are over 250 companies in incubation units in these centres, employing over 1,000 people and providing shorter-term hot-desk space for emerging entrepreneurs.

The Community Enterprise Centre Scheme has provided significant funding to facilitate the development of community enterprise centres, which are aimed at providing a physical and human support network for emerging entrepreneurs and micro-industry. Since the launch of the first scheme in 1989, €61.4 million has been approved for the development of Community Enterprise Centres and the schemes have aided the capital investment and management development of 134 centres, of which 105 have been completed. The remaining centres are either under construction or are recent approvals.

In addition, Business Innovation Centres located in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Waterford develop and manage incubation space to assist fledgling businesses start, establish and then to move on so that vacated space can be used for other new start-up businesses. The enterprise agencies keep the need for space of this type under review. Implementation of the actions in the National Recovery Plan are currently being considered.