Written Answers. - BMW Region Development.
Enda Kenny
Question:
98
Mr. Kenny
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the name, remit, budget and responsibility, including its headquarters and staff, of any organisation or agency under the aegis of her Department involved in any type of development in the BMW region; the monitoring process involved by her Department in respect of such development; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9793/01]
A number of the agencies under the aegis of my Department are involved in development in the BMW region. These are, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, FÁS and the county enterprise boards. Each of these agencies has regionally based offices focused on development the BMW region. A summary of the remit, budget and responsibilities of these agencies in included below. Further details are available in the agencies' annual reports.
IDA Ireland's remit is to win for Ireland the best in international innovation and investment so as to contribute to the continued transformation of Ireland to a world leading society. Over the past year, IDA Ireland has radically changed its policies with the aim of delivering half of all new greenfield jobs in the BMW region. This objective was achieved during 2000. IDA Ireland's overall budget for 2001 is £189 million, its total staff numbers are currently 295, and its headquarters is located at Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2.
Enterprise Ireland's remit is to help indigenous client companies develop a sustainable competitive advantage leading to increasing profitable sales, exports and employment. Enterprise Ireland has developed a regional strategy, "Driving Growth in Regional Enterprise", designed to achieve balanced regional economic development. Enterprise Ireland's overall budget for 2001 is £287.5 million, its total staff numbers are currently 950, and its headquarters is located at Glasnevin, Dublin 9.
Shannon Development's remit is to initiate, participate in and support integrated development that will achieve sustained economic growth in the Shannon region. In addition to promoting industrial and tourism development in the mid west region and the Shannon free zone, Shannon Development also promotes the development of indigenous industry in south west Offaly in the BMW region. Shannon Development's overall budget for 2001 is £40.673 million, its total staff numbers are currently 190, and its headquarters is located at Shannon, County Clare.
FÁS provides a range of services to the Irish labour market, including the provision of training for employment, retraining for employment, management and administration of employment schemes, and facilitating the obtaining of employment by persons seeking employment. FÁS also facilitates the provision of work experience and assists, whether financially or otherwise, local community groups in the provision of employment by means of the establishment or enlargement of local enterprises. FÁS maintains regional offices in each of the counties in the BMW region. The overall budget for FÁS for 2001 is £653 million, its total staff numbers are currently 2,353 and its headquarters is located at Baggot Court, 27/33, Baggot Street, Dublin 4.
There are 35 city and country enterprise boards, 13 of which are located in the BMW region. The remit of the boards is to provide financial assistance to commercially viable projects, develop management skills and provide business information and advice in respect of micro enterprises – ten employees or less – at local level. The overall budget for the 35 boards for 2001 is £24.569 million and overall staff numbers are 150. While co-ordination and supervision of the boards is carried out by my Department, each of the boards has an office in its respective county.
As far as the monitoring process is concerned, Forfás, the agency under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for advising on, and co-ordinating of, industrial policy, is involved in research on policy development relating to issues within the BMW region and co-ordination of the activities of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. Forfás is not directly involved in implementing development activities in the region – that function has been delegated to the enterprise support agencies.
My Department is the designated managing authority for two of the operational programmes under the national development plan. These are the productive sector operational programme and the employment and human resources development programme. Under the plan, the Department and agencies have been set ambitious targets, in particular in relation to the development of the Objective One BMW region. The operational programmes are monitored by their respective monitoring committees. The committees, which include Government Departments, the EU Commission, employers/business representatives, trade unions, farming representatives and the community and voluntary pillar, will meet twice yearly and will prepare annual reports.
