Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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162. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of funding he has provided in his Estimates for 2016 to enable the vision of community enterprise centres, given the importance of providing office and manufacturing facilities for emerging enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7041/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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169. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of funding he provided in his Estimates for 2016 to enable the provision of community enterprise centres, given the importance of providing office and manufacturing facilities for emerging enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7161/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 169 together.

Enterprise Ireland, the agency under my aegis, is tasked with the management of the Community Enterprise Centre Scheme. Since the launch of the first Community Enterprise Centre (CEC) scheme in 1989, €64 million has been approved for the development of CECs across the country. Supported by four CEC schemes (operated in 1989, 2000, 2006 and 2008) 157 centers have been approved for financial support - of which 117 have been completed. These centres collectively employ 6,051 people across 1,214 companies. In 2012 a €2m programme was launched for the Community Enterprise Centre Business Development Function/Manager by Enterprise Ireland. 46 business development managers were funded by Enterprise Ireland (37 in 2012 with a further 9 in 2013).

Last year, I announced details of the 5-year, €250million Regional Action Plan for Jobs, aimed at accelerating the jobs recovery in every part of the country. Under the Regional Plan, Enterprise Ireland launched a competitive call, the Community Enterprise Initiatives Fund, with a budget of €5 million over two years, which focused on community-driven enterprise initiatives and how all the local players, public and private, can work together to maximise job creation. The Fund was open to existing Community Enterprise Centres (CECs) and also to any other organisation or groups of organisations with innovative ideas to create jobs, promote entrepreneurship, boost innovation or enhance exports.

The results of the competitive Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme will be announced shortly.