Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. The point I have been trying to get across to successive Ministers in the Department is, in the case of Cavan and Monaghan where we have a great culture of developing enterprise centres, typically the local authority or community group buys the site and develops the services at major cost because of the drumlin topography and soil in the area. They can then get grant aid towards the provision of the actual workspace or enterprise centre. There is no national assistance available towards the cost of buying the site and providing services on the site. In local authorities such as in Cavan and Monaghan, where we have a low rates base, continued development of such centres is a huge demand on the local authorities. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, was with me when he met delegations from Cavan and Monaghan county councils and they outlined clearly the particular assistance they need to buy sites and provide services and then avail of the grant aid towards provision of the actual workspace. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could give that further consideration.

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