Vol. 505 No. 6
63 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if returning emigrants are offered any resettlement assistance to help them overcome the substantial costs of moving and finding accommodation; the conditions under which this assistance is paid; the agency which makes the assistance available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14477/99]
There are no schemes available to address the precise circumstances referred to. General assistance to returning emigrants would not fall within the scope of my Department's responsibilities.
My Department's agencies are concerned to attract suitably qualified persons to Ireland to address skills shortages and promote new business start-ups.
The FÁS jobs Ireland campaign is targeted at seeking workers for teleservices, electronics, computer and construction industries. The aim of the scheme is to build up a database of more than 10,000 suitably qualified job seekers actively seeking to come to Ireland. FÁS will facilitate the matching of these job seekers with Irish based firms seeking to carry out recruitment.
Enterprise Ireland administers the millennium entrepreneur fund. This fund was established to provide early stage risk seed capital funding to highly skilled individuals or teams where the individual or at least one team member is an Irish national and is currently residing overseas, but willing to return to Ireland to set-up in either an internationally traded manufacturing sector or in an internationally traded service. Seed capital investment of up to £100,000 is available to entrepreneurs under the scheme.
