Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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305. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the role Enterprise Ireland has in establishing a community enterprise centre in Loughrea; the financial support scheme available to facilitate the development; the buildings Enterprise Ireland considered or will consider as suitable for the purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8010/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland, working with other enterprise partners, such as the Local Authorities and other local community organisations, co-funded the establishment of Community Enterprise Centres across Ireland. Since the launch of the first of four Community Enterprise Centres (CEC) schemes in 1989, €46 million has been paid for the development of CECs across the country. 157 CECs have been approved for funding by Enterprise Ireland, 117 of which have been constructed to date. Enterprise Ireland’s investment in CECs to-date has assisted in accommodating in the range of 1,300 companies employing approximately 6,000 people across all regional locations in Ireland.

No funding has been provided to a community enterprise center in Loughrea under the CEC Scheme administrated by Enterprise Ireland. In that context, I understand that EI representatives have met with Loughrea Community Enterprise Development Company last October.

It is important to highlight that for any community planning on establishing an enterprise centre in their locality, Enterprise Ireland provides references of relevant enterprise spaces already developed in other communities around the country.

To stimulate regional growth, as detailed in Action Plan for Jobs 2017, Government is committed to supporting the implementation of the eight Regional Action Plan for Jobs and to provide investment of up to €60 million across 2017 – 2020 to support collaborative approaches to boost enterprise and job creation throughout the country. This competitive funding is aimed at accelerating economic recovery in every part of the country by delivering on the potential of local and regional strengths.  As part of this commitment, Enterprise Ireland will announce a new competitive fund in the near term.