Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to develop a vibrant and effective social enterprise sector; and the number of persons that will be employed in this sector. [21163/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The enterprise agencies under the aegis of my Department do not have a specific role in the provision of supports to the social enterprise sector. Rather, the agencies are focused on assisting enterprises in the commercial sphere to create employment with a central focus on export-led growth.

In both the Programme for Government and in the recently announced Jobs Initiative, the Government signalled that it is committed to setting up a dedicated Microfinance Start-Up Fund that will provide start-up and expansion loans to potentially commercially viable businesses at the micro level, who have been refused credit by the banks. Microfinance applies to businesses with up to 10 employees, individual loans cannot exceed €25,000 and the business must demonstrate commercial viability.

The Programme for Government also sets out a commitment to promote the development of a vibrant and effective social enterprise sector, which is a separate, although very important, sector. Initiatives in this area will be of primary concern to my colleague Ministers responsible for promoting community activity and the social economy. The Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government now has responsibility for the Rural Development Programme 2007–13 and the Local and Community Development Programme. Responsibility for the Community Services Programme, which supports local community activity that addresses disadvantage, is the responsibility of the Minister for Social Protection.

As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I will, of course, work with my colleagues around the Cabinet table in implementing this Programme for Government commitment.