Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps taken by him to reform the enterprise development sector. [35958/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Enterprise Development Agencies have served the economy well in recent years in terms of the many thousands of high-value and sustained jobs created across the regions, the significant contribution their clients make to tax receipts and spend in the Irish economy, as well as their contribution to our export success and continuing healthy balance of payments.

However, we are now presented with new challenges and changed economic circumstances, both domestically and across our main trading partners. We must ensure that our enterprise development supports and agencies are fit for purpose and well positioned to help move us out of the current downturn by creating sustainable jobs here in Ireland, continuing to grow exports in our traditional key markets, as well as targeting high-growth markets, such as the BRIC countries, for both exports and inward investment projects.

As part of our reviews of the effectiveness of our spending I am reviewing the structure of all agencies in the Department. In the recent paper on Restructuring Agencies I have indicated a number of changes under review. This includes the enterprise development sector and specifically a review of the role of Forfás, of Shannon Development in the context of the Mid West Task Force and of the County Enterprise Boards. I will bring proposals to Government when they are finalised. I am also developing a Jobs Strategy and it may be necessary to make changes within our agencies to implement the new strategy effectively.