Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that the service level agreement between Enterprise Ireland and each local authority regarding the management of local enterprise offices is being adhered to; if there is any local authority in breach of their SLA; and if action has been taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46491/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) were established on 15 April last under the CEB (Dissolution) Act 2014 to give effect to the Government Decision to reform the system for delivery of State supports to micro and small enterprises. The LEOs became the First-Stop-Shop providing guidance and support to new entrepreneurs and existing micro and small business owners.As part of the reform, the LEOs are being supported by Enterprise Ireland's Micro Enterprise and Small Business Division which has established a Centre of Excellence responsible for developing an improved environment for small and micro business and utilising Enterprise Ireland’s experience and specialised sectoral approaches to business innovation and development.

The restructuring of enterprise supports is underpinned by a number of important factors, among which was the development of a comprehensive and robust Service Level Agreement (SLA) between Enterprise Ireland (EI) and each Local Authority. The SLA provides a framework for the delivery of the LEO services and LEO activities and addresses such issues as:

- Protocols relating to Budgets, Project Evaluation and Approval;

- Micro Enterprise Policy guidelines as articulated by my Department;

- Robust Performance Indicators measuring employment, start-ups and other metrics;

- Roles and Responsibilities of respective bodies (EI, LAs, LEOs)

- Benchmarking of LEOs

- Corporate Governance.

The SLA also includes a template for a Local Enterprise Development Plan which each LEO must prepare on an annual basis, including both LEO and Local Authority supports to enterprise. The SLA helps to ensure the consistent application of policy across all LEOs from the evaluation of applications to the spending of budgets allocated. It is complemented by a range of other measures, such as staff training, new communications structures, and the preparation of the Local Enterprise Development Plans, which will help to make the LEOs the “go-to” place within a County for anyone with a business idea.

There is provision in the SLA for an annual review of the framework SLA, the outcome of which will influence the adjustment of the current, and development and agreement of future SLAs. A formal review group will be established at national level chaired by my Department and involving EI, the City and County Manager’s Association, my Department and a nominated Head of LEO. This review will be carried out in early 2015.

In the meantime, I am satisfied that the Local Authorities and the staff in the LEOs are making huge efforts to ensure that this major reform is implemented in a manner that is beneficial to sustainable development of the enterprise sector in their County.