11.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Authority shall be an autonomous body with the following functions:

(a) to act under the Minister as a body having national responsibility for the implementation of industrial development policies;

(b) to provide and administer such grants and other financial facilities for industry as it may be authorised by the Oireachtas to provide and to administer;

(c) to initiate proposals and schemes for submission to the Minister for the creation and development of industry and the provision and maintenance of industrial employment;

(d) to provide, develop, construct, alter, adapt, maintain and administer industrial estates and factory buildings together with the associated facilities of such estates and buildings;

(e) to foster the national objective of regional industrial development;

(f) to survey possibilities of further industrial development and advise the Minister thereon;

(g) to advise the Minister on steps necessary and desirable for establishing new industry and for the expansion and modernisation of existing industry;

(h) to give on request advice and guidance to persons contemplating starting new industry or expanding existing industry;

F4[(hh) to hold and dispose (whether by sale or otherwise) of stocks, shares and securities standing in the name of the National Development Corporation Limited immediately before the commencement of the Industrial Development (Amendment) Act, 1991, and transferred to the Authority by section 3 of the said Act;]

(i) to provide such assistance of a technical or advisory nature to developing countries as the Minister may consider appropriate; and

(j) to advise on any matter relating to industrial development referred to it by the Minister.

(2) F5[…]

(3) The Authority shall, in the exercise of its functions, act in accordance with policies set out for it from time to time by the Minister.

(4) The Authority may in the exercise of its functions have regard to the extent to which an industrial undertaking will serve to promote national objectives for regional development.