John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 18 of 5 May 2011, if he will confirm the county enterprise boards that were consulted; if he will name the boards involved in the process and the extent of the consultation; if he will confirm the number of micro enterprises consulted and their geographic location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17846/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the issue of restructuring the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) has been in the public domain since the publication of the McCarthy Group Report in 2009 under the last Administration.

A number of submissions concerning the role of the CEBs in the delivery of State support to the micro-enterprise sector have been received from the CEB Network since the publication of the McCarthy Report. I would point out that all 35 CEBs are represented on this CEB Network generally at CEO level. In addition my Officials meet regularly with the CEB Network (up to four times a year) and there have been numerous exchanges of views at these meetings on the issue of CEB restructuring. In addition submissions have been received from the Chairpersons of the CEBs on both a collective and on an individual basis on foot of a specific invitation issued by the CEB Central Coordination Unit to Chairpersons and CEB Board members to make their views known.

Other interested Parties such as the County and City Managers Association have also made submissions on the matter and this is in addition to the recommendations of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group. Although individual micro-enterprises were not specifically selected for consultation I would point out that some representations from members of the public have also been received on the matter.

Both I, and my officials, are currently seeking to determine the extent to which there should be restructuring of the County and City Enterprise Boards having regard to the Programme for Government, and to other recommendations on CEB restructuring, to the need to achieve a rational and focused model for entrepreneurs, as well as the need to ensure that there is targeted local delivery of enterprise support, driven by a national enterprise policy, in a manner which eliminates overlap and duplication.

I can assure the Deputy that the various options regarding the restructuring of the CEBs have been thoroughly examined.