Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the supports available from him and or Enterprise Ireland to assist the planned establishment of a business hub in Kinsale, County Cork which would provide local entrepreneurs with access to Internet, phone and office space; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25721/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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1This Government is committed to supporting entrepreneurs to ensure that emerging technologies and innovative business ideas with export potential become a commercial reality. A range of structures are already in place, nationally including in Cork to provide appropriate support to start-up businesses.

The establishment of business incubation centres on higher education campuses across Ireland is supported by capital investment from my Department's Vote, provided through Enterprise Ireland. Such facilities are internationally recognised as an important element of public assistance for technology-intensive start-ups. Enterprise Ireland has invested over €50m in these facilities that operate in nearly every Institute of Technology and University in the country. They typically comprise a number of incubation units, some hot-desking space for prospective entrepreneurs as well as ancillary space, such as meeting rooms and networking areas. There are currently 276 companies in the 21 facilities and the 5 bio-incubation units operational across Ireland, employing over 1,100 people and operating in a range of areas, including software, environmental technologies and digital media.

Additionally, support is provided through Enterprise Ireland for the part funding of Business Innovation Centres (BICs), which are regionally based support organisations for pre-start-up and start-up enterprises and innovative existing companies. There are four BICs located in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Waterford, all providing 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. A key feature of space managed by BICs is that the start-up company not only gets space, but often also gets free business advice and access to facilities such as meeting rooms with audio visual equipment and to shared services such as a receptionist/telephonist, shared photocopiers and printers.

Enterprise Ireland has also rolled out four schemes to support communities to develop locally owned Community Enterprise Centres (CECs) which have enabled entrepreneurs to establish, provide employment and to grow their businesses in their own locality, by providing a physical and human support network for emerging entrepreneurs and micro industry.

The CEC scheme was designed as a community led initiative in the form of a partnership between the local community and the State. The primary objective was to enhance the development of an enterprise climate through the provision of infrastructural facilities to support the establishment and expansion of micro enterprises through local community participation in both urban and rural locations. In Cork, a total of six towns - Cobh, Mitchelstown, Youghal, Midleton, Dunmanway and Macroom were all successful in securing approval for the establishment of CEC's, together with funding, in some cases, for the appointment of centre managers. The last call for proposals closed in 2008 and the final date for completion of these centres is April 2013.

Since the launch of this initiative €61.4m has been approved for the development of CECs across the country and has facilitated the development of 134 centres. While Enterprise Ireland will not be in a position to offer any financial assistance for a further centre in Kinsale, they will continue to work with the West Cork Enterprise Board; Cork Institute of Technology, and other relevant parties in the area to deliver supports for start-ups in Kinsale and its environs in the area of Enterprise Start Programmes; Out-reach from the Rubicon Centre in CIT; or 1 to 1 supports for groups interested in establishing businesses in the area.