Enterprise boards set to be scrapped

The Government has begun the process of scrapping county and city Enterprise Boards — 20 years after their establishment — and subsuming their powers into local authorities.

Ministers have begun drafting primary legislation aimed at creating an enhanced “national micro-enterprise support model”, which will be delivered through a network of Local Enterprise Offices, linked to Enterprise Ireland.

Yesterday, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton and Small Business Minister John Perry jointly launched a four-week public consultation process on the Government’s reform plans for supports to the small business sector.