Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has examined the potential for a national community investment fund as promised in the Action Plan for Jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51863/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Jobs recognises the role that communities and local businesses play in supporting and creating jobs. The Plan includes a number of commitments on the part of Government to encourage and support local initiatives that promote job creation.

One of these is that the Government will examine the potential to establish a Community Investment Fund which would be allocated to projects on a competitive basis, with matching funding being provided by the projects.

My officials have carried out a preliminary examination of this proposal and it is clear that the establishment of such a fund would require the input of a number of Government Departments and agencies and would be contingent on the availability of funding from the Exchequer.

I have been in contact with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, T.D., as an initial step to exploring the potential role and input of his Department to a Community Investment Fund. I will continue to explore the proposal with Minister Hogan and other Ministerial colleagues as appropriate.