City and County Council Enterprise Boards, which have generated more than 20,000 jobs since 1994, are facing an accommodation crisis in Greater Dublin which is becoming a "major barrier" to entry for potential entrepreneurs, the Dail Select Committee on Public Accounts heard yesterday.
Mr Gerard Macken, chief executive of Dublin City Enterprise Board, said a study completed two years ago found there was a 95-99 per cent occupation rate for incubator spaces in the city area. This had now become a major barrier to entry for entrepreneurs, he added.
He said property was now so expensive that as many buildings as possible should be kept in public ownership for use. He also welcomed support from the private sector.
In South Dublin there is a shortfall of some 75 incubator units for start-up businesses, said Mr Loman O'Byrne, chief executive of South Dublin County Enterprise Board.
Earlier, Mr Paul Douglas, chief executive officer of Fingal County Enterprise board, told the Public Accounts Committee that it had been defrauded of £10,000 in its first year of operation. He said a grant was paid to a man at a false address who had absconded with the cash. He had yet to be tracked down despite the efforts of the council, he added.
