Vol. 521 No. 1
83 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of new set up businesses in 1999; the number of new jobs created; if she will give the comparative figures for 1989; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16410/00]
The annual employment survey undertaken by Forfás indicates that in firms helped by agencies for which I am responsible, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development, the number of full-time jobs created in 1999 was 33,508 compared to 21,041 in 1989. In 1999, the number of new agency assisted jobs was almost 60% higher than the level achieved in 1989. Furthermore, the excellent 1999 outturn was the best job creation outcome for the past ten years. In addition the 35 city and county enterprise boards assisted the creation of a further 4,117 full time jobs in 1999. The city and county enterprise boards were not established in 1989.
While job creation in clients of the development agencies has contributed substantially to economic growth, they are only a part of the job creation picture. Broad based economic growth has resulted in an unparalleled expansion of employment throughout the economy. The latest quarterly national household survey, QNHS, published by the Central Statistics Office indicates that the numbers in employment grew by 102,700 between the September-November quarter in 1999 and the same period in 1998. The QNHS improved the information available from the former annual labour force survey. That survey reveals that there were 1.111 million in employment in 1989 indicating that between 1989 and 1999 employment expanded by over half a million.
Under the Industrial Development Acts, the development agencies can provide assistance to manufacturing or internationally traded service enterprises. However, many entrepreneurs across the country identify market opportunities and start their business independently of State agencies as they operate outside these sectors. Many of these enterprises would be in the rapidly expanding service side of the economy and consequently it is not possible to identify the number of new businesses that were set up in 1999 as many new enterprise ventures have no formal contact with the enterprise support agencies.
