Disbanding of enterprise boards is a worry

The Government's action plans on jobs is to be welcomed for its focus on employment.However, it is undermined by the promise of 100,000 jobs within five years.That the Taoiseach can announce this neatly rounded figure while insisting that Government in itself cannot create jobs exposes the ludicrousness of making these hollow promises.However, there are many welcome proposals not least the focus on small local businesses. Proposals that the State guarantee 75 per cent of some loans to SMEs and a scheme for small companies hoping to borrow less than €25,000 are commendable.Locally, the notion of disbanding county enterprise boards will be a cause of worry.Yes, there is a need to streamline the number of bodies providing supports and training to businesses - but is eliminating one of the more successful strands of that complex system (the Enterprise Boards) the right move?Here in the midlands, we are fortunate to have active and well-respected enterprise boards. Axing these boards and replacing them with local enterprise offices, to be run by Enterprise Ireland, and located in local government offices may in fact discourage the growth of small businesses.Enterprise Ireland currently does not deal with the smaller local businesses while local authorities offices are not the best environment to encourage start up businesses. After all, it is not the priority of local authorities to develop businesses.