Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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258. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when approval will be provided to the business development management programme for community enterprise centres in view of the importance of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5638/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand from Enterprise Ireland that since the launch of the first Community Enterprise Centre scheme in 1989, Enterprise Ireland has approved €64 million for the development of Community Enterprise Centres in towns and villages across the country. There are currently 117 such centres across the country. The last scheme rolled out was in 2012 and 2013 when Enterprise Ireland provided funding of €2 million to support the recruitment of a total of 46 Business Development Managers. I plan to introduce a new approach which will draw lessons from the 2012 programme. This new programme will be part of a much more comprehensive strategy to develop enterprise at regional and local level. My aim is to enhance the impact of the CEC network on continuing job creation through this strategy.

On the wider issue of the Centres, the success levels, occupancy levels and sustainability of jobs at the Centres varies and therefore I asked Enterprise Ireland to review the operations of the Community Enterprise Centres in the context of regional enterprise development and how the Community Enterprise Centres and the Local Enterprise Offices might work more closely in support of business start-ups before giving further consideration to the matter.

Under the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs, my Department developed a framework for the preparation of Regional Enterprise Strategies. This framework provides a model for co-ordinated action across public bodies and other stakeholders to maximise the potential of each region to support enterprise development and jobs growth, based on the strengths and assets of the region.

The application of the template was tested in the Midlands region towards the end of 2014 and will lead to the publication and implementation of a Regional Enterprise Strategy for the Midlands in the coming weeks. Similar strategies for the other regions will be commenced over the course of the year, on a phased basis, and will include specific actions on the part of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the LEOs, Údarás na Gaeltachta and other public bodies active in each region to promote enterprise growth and job creation. The Regional Enterprise Strategies will provide new funding for enterprise support in the regions and seek to leverage and orient existing funds to target initiatives that enable regions to achieve their full employment potential. A significant regional fund of up to €25 million in competitive funding will be announced to support regional initiatives. In this context, my Department and Enterprise Ireland will also work to explore how the Community Enterprise Centre network can best be enhanced to support regional job creation.