Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has again called on the government to provide adequate financial supports to enable local authorities to develop enterprise centres.
Deputy Smith says Enterprise Centres have played a key role in providing workspace for start up and small businesses.
When Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, established the Shared Island Initiative, Deputy Smith put forward a proposal that such centres encompassing workspace, research and innovation facilities should be developed on a cross border basis.
The Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in the last Oireachtas, at his suggestion met local authorities including Cavan and Monaghan to discuss the whole area of enterprise and job creation.
Deputy Smith told Northern Sound; "In direct questions to An Taoiseach in the Dáil this week I emphasised again that local authorities, who do not have the necessary financial resources to undertake these developments, need to have this additional support and programme commenced as soon as possible. It is clear that there are opportunities to create jobs at local level and in many instances would be entrepreneurs are not in a position to provide their own business premises or workspace and can result in good employment opportunities being lost.
"I was glad to receive confirmation from An Taoiseach that a proposal on workspace hubs in the central border area is progressing and that the Shared Island Unit of his Department will engage with me further on this particular issue. Working together at local and on a cross border basis modern workspace accommodation with innovation facilities can be developed and will result in job creation bringing benefits to local communities."
