MINUTES OF 2ND MEETING OF EDF ENTERPRISE SUB-GROUP ON 21 JUNE 2005

 

Attendees:        Lord Rana, NICCI

                        Seamus McAleavey, NICVA

                        Wilfred Mitchell, FSB

                        Terri Scott, Invest NI

                        Bernie O’Hare, DEL

                        Michael Brennan, DFP

                        Fiona Hepper, DETI

                        Helen McConkey, DETI

 

Welcome and Minutes of Last Meeting

 

1.      Lord Rana welcomed members to the 2nd meeting of the Forum's Enterprise Sub-group and noted apologies from Patricia McKeown, NIC/ICTU and Phil Rodgers, DETI.

 

2.      The minutes for the 1st meeting were accepted without amendment.

 

Matters Arising

 

3.    Lord Rana invited Seamus McAleavey, Deputy Chair of the Group to update members on the feedback received in relation to the Sub-group’s report to the plenary EDF meeting on 15 June.

 

4.    Mr McAleavey reported that comments about the report revolved around three issues: -

 

  • The need to ensure that the issues identified by each of the Sub-groups were aligned to the Vision objectives for their sub-group area;
  • In relation to the issue of a risk averse culture, it was suggested that the Sub-group should engage with representatives from the banking sector; and
  • In relation to the education sector doing more to encourage enterprise, it was suggested that the Sub-group should take account of CCEA work, particularly in relation to the development of the Learning for Life and Work (LLW) element of the revised curriculum.

 

5.    In relation to the issue of the Sub-group engaging with bank representatives, Fiona Hepper advised that the DETI Research Agenda included a project entitled, Attitude to Risk in NI.  She went on to explain that taking this project forward would involve contact with potential entrepreneurs, banks and the public and private sectors.  Mrs Hepper advised members that DETI would welcome the Sub-group’s assistance in shaping the terms of reference for the attitude to risk project.

 

ACTION:    DETI to submit to the Sub-group for comment, the draft terms of reference for the Attitude to Risk in NI project, when available.

 

Presentation by Terri Scott

 

6.    Terri Scott explained the background to the development of Invest NI’s Accelerating Entrepreneurship Strategy (AES), a strategy designed to respond to the low rate of business creation in NI.  Prof Scott advised that the thrust of the strategy was being delivered through the “Go For It” campaign.  The emphasis of the campaign had, to date, been on encouraging a change in attitude and a culture change to encourage more people to take the first to starting a business.

 

7.    She went on to explain that the weight of the campaign would, in the Autumn, move to the next level with the aim of encouraging indigenous businesses in NI to grow from competing in the local market to exporting, or from a local or exporting company to one which competes on a global scale.

 

8.    Whilst members appreciated the need to encourage business start-ups and the awareness brought about by the initial stage of the Go For It campaign, they recognised the potential value which might be added to the NI economy through the next level of the campaign and that there might be a role for the Forum in supporting Invest NI’s work in this area.

 

9.    Members also recognised the need to encourage enterprising skills and competences from an early age and, in turn, the importance of public / private sector engagement for business education activities such as Young Enterprise NI (YENI).  Members were aware that there was a funding problem, particularly in relation to YENI and recommended that a coordinated Government approach was critical to ensure continued funding and the development of new and effective policy for the provision of such activity in NI.

 

ACTION:    DETI to raise the Sub-group’s concerns at a forthcoming meeting with DE and DEL.

 

Progress Template

 

10.     Members discussed the issues which might populate the progress template which would be used by each Sub-group for their report back to EDF in September 2005.  Members agreed that actions to be added to the progress template would revolve around: -

 

  • Development of the Invest NI Accelerating Entrepreneurship Strategy from the setting up a business stage to encouraging indigenous business to grow;
  • Skills acquisition / development;
  • Serial entrepreneurs and portfolio approach;
  • Risk and barriers to growth; and
  • Fiscal policy.

 

ACTION:     Secretariat to prepare a draft action for each of the agreed issues and seek input / agreement via email

 

Any Other Business

 

11.  Lord Rana reminded members that at the 1st sub-group meeting it had been agreed that members would make contact with industry figures and that Ivan McCabry, MIVAN and Kevin Lagan, Lagan Holdings would be invited to join members at their next meeting.  Lord Rana advised that neither Ivan nor Kevin had been available and it agreed that he would write to each of them again to determine a mutually suitable time to meet.  Members also suggested that a number of other young entrepreneurs should be invited to meet with members.

 

ACTION:    Lord Rana to write to Ivan McCabry and Kevin Lagan to determine a mutually suitable time to meet.

 

ACTION:    Terri Scott to provide a list of young entrepreneurs with whom the Sub-group might make contact.

 

12.  Lord Rana reminded members that the next meeting of the Sub-group was scheduled to take place at 10.00am on 25 July at the Ramada Hotel.