The recent announcement in the Government’s “Action Plan for Jobs 2012” includes a plan to dissolve the County and City Enterprise Boards. This announcement has caused some concern among many clients and affiliated organisations of the local Fingal County Enterprise Board. CEO, Oisin Geoghegan said,” Since the news broke, we have received a large number of enquiries from businesses and entrepreneurs seeking clarification as to how this decision may affect them.” “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to share with you what we know and to assure you of our continued commitment to the provision of the highest level of service. I also wish to confirm that we are open for business.” The Government has announced a re-focusing of enterprise support structures which calls for the establishment of Local Enterprise Offices (One Stop Shops) in each Local Authority area. The intention is that the County and City Enterprise Boards will migrate into this new structure. As yet there is very little detail on matters such as reporting responsibilities, levels of autonomy, advisory structures and staffing levels. There has been no mention of changes in the range of services that County and City Enterprise Boards provide, by way of business supports and the budget line available. He continued, “We feel strongly that the role currently undertaken by our Board of Directors and Evaluation Committee, all on a voluntary basis and providing much guidance and direction, must be brought into any new system.” “The real challenge will be to avoid creating labyrinthine structures which quite frankly do not deliver a quality service to clients and are not an efficient use of limited resources. The new approach needs to eliminate duplication, reduce red tape and introduce synergies into the national enterprise support structure,” he said. An upbeat Geoghegan concluded: “In this region, I have no doubt that the outcome to this change can be successful, and by success I mean better service, greater co-ordination and joined up thinking. It is our intention to embrace this change and facilitate a move forward to an exciting future where entrepreneurs get the right support and conditions to create and grow businesses that will in turn create the jobs of the future for our families and citizens.”