Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding available to the individual county enterprise boards; and his views on whether this level of funding is adequate for new enterprises and the current need for employment opportunities in the domestic market. [19708/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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An annual Exchequer allocation is provided each year for the operation of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs). The Exchequer allocation is made in the context of the overall public finances and in 2011 amounts to €27.242m, of which €15m in Capital is available for direct grants and training, mentoring and advice services to micro-enterprise clients. The bulk of the non-capital allocation to each CEB pays the salaries of the Business Advisors and other staff who provide direct advice and mentoring to client companies. This represents a strong investment in the micro-enterprise sector, notwithstanding the additional level of demand on CEB services generated in the current difficult economic climate.

The CEB Central Coordination Unit (within Enterprise Ireland) works closely with the CEBs throughout the year reviewing individual expenditures to ensure that the funding allocated to the CEBs is utilised to the maximum extent possible. It is a matter in the first instance for individual CEBs to determine how they will use allocated funds. Some Boards may choose to commit all of their available funding as projects present themselves, even if this means that their funding is committed relatively early in the year, while others may choose to reserve some funding until later in the year so that they are in a position to support other high quality projects that emerge at that time. Should it arise during the year that some Boards are not in a position to spend all of their annual allocation, for example where an approved grant is decommitted late in the year if the project has not started, it is reallocated to any Boards that are in a position to spend additional funds within the year.

Substantial funds have been allocated to the CEBs in 2011 having due regard to the pressures on exchequer finances. While I accept that it is vital that CEBs continue to promote and support enterprise development there is undoubtedly a high level of demand on CEBs resources at present, and due to the finite nature of public finances, it is not always possible for a CEB to provide financial assistance to every eligible project that presents itself. This is an operating reality with which all CEBs are already familiar. The relevant data requested by the deputy is set out in tabular format below.