Brendan Smith urges creation of dedicated fund for Enterprise Centres

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan, Brendan Smith has called on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to create a dedicated fund for Enterprise Centres across the country as soon as possible.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Brendan Smith commented, “The history of Enterprise Centres has shown that they are enormously beneficial for the creation of new businesses and jobs in our towns and villages. The counties I represent, Cavan and Monaghan, have benefited from such developments. We all know of one- or two-person businesses that went on to be major national and international companies. We now need a new approach to the development of workspace and enterprise centres. We need a dedicated fund and we need substantial support to be channelled towards incentivising the private sector and/or supporting our local enterprise offices, LEOs, and local authorities.”

Following his statement, the Cavan and Monaghan TD added that he had received a positive and encouraging response to his proposal from Minister of State, Damien English.

“Now, with the emphasis on protecting the environment we want to see as much of our employment as possible clustered in our towns and villages. There are great opportunities ahead to develop small clusters and small industrial parks that will provide the necessary work space for people starting off a business who do not have the capital to provide their own enterprise centre or workspace. We should have a new beginning in funding the development of enterprise centres,” stated Deputy Smith.

Minister of State English commented, “The Government is keen to target investment and to match taxpayer's money with private money, local authority funds and other funding to get the full benefit of these centres.

“We are determined to have a jobs-led recovery as we come out of Covid. We can achieve that but it means that we have to support those who are involved in creating jobs and part of that involves property solutions.

“The funding that is available through the regional enterprise plans, through both Departments and various development agencies, in conjunction with local authorities, can help to achieve this. Mechanisms are available to find the funds that are needed to develop sites. I recognise that in some counties local authorities do not have the rates base to support ongoing investment in the delivery of sites. However, the town centre first approach is relevant and other incentives are available. There are mechanisms there to achieve this and we have to try to join up the dots. I am determined to work with the Deputy and the local authorities in Cavan and Monaghan to achieve that. I am also conscious that in some parts of the country, commercial property is expensive to develop and without the intervention of the State through these schemes, it might not be possible to create the space needed to create jobs. We will continue to work with the Deputy on that.”