Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 June 2011
167 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will set up a jobs task force immediately for County Kerry in view of the recent job losses in Castleisland and Caherciveen, which are a continuation of dramatic job reductions in the county; and whether persons appointed on the task force will be named and made available to communicate with all interested bodies at an early date. [14280/11]
View answerJob creation is central to our economic recovery and the Programme for Government has job creation at its core. The role of my Department is to ensure that we have the right policies in place that will support and increase our enterprise base in order to facilitate both job creation and job retention. The Jobs Initiative announced on 10 May focuses our limited resources on measures that offer the greatest potential for expansion and employment creation in the domestic economy. The focus on tourism in the Jobs Initiative will benefit Kerry, in particular. Supports under the Initiative include the introduction of a new temporary second reduced rate of VAT of 9%, with effect from 1 July 2011 until end December 2013, which will mainly apply to restaurant and catering services, hotel and holiday accommodation and various entertainment services; the abolition of the air travel tax; and the short-term visa waiver programme, which will apply to short-stay visitors of 14 nationalities who ordinarily require a visa to enter the State and will apply over a period from July 2011 to October 2012.
The programmes supported by my Department and its agencies will be critical in achieving economic growth by promoting the export potential of enterprise in Ireland and driving our smart economy. The allocation of €508 million in funding for 2011 will ensure that the core programmes of the enterprise agencies are sustained and targeted as well as driving investment in research and development. This investment in the Enterprise Development agencies will drive recovery in the economy by facilitating the winning of foreign direct investments, the growth of indigenous exports and the creation of sustainable jobs.
IDA Ireland promotes Kerry for new inward investment across the ICT, International Financial Services and Globally Traded Business sectors. As well as attracting new foreign direct investment, IDA works closely with its existing clients in Kerry to encourage them to expand their operations in the county. At present there are 15 IDA Ireland-supported companies in County Kerry employing more than 1,300 people.
Enterprise Ireland continues to support job creation through a number of interventions, such as supporting the establishment and growth of high potential start-up companies and supporting companies to target new opportunities in overseas markets. At present there are 133 Enterprise Ireland client companies in County Kerry employing more than 3,000 people. In 2010, Enterprise Ireland paid out over €3.2 million in financial support to its client companies in County Kerry. In addition, the agency has been providing support to seven community enterprise centres.
Kerry County Enterprise Board continues to be actively involved in the economic development of the Castleisland and Caherciveen areas and the county as a whole. Since its inception in 1993 to end 2010, Kerry CEB has issued almost €7.1 million in grant assistance to 888 clients. So far this year, Kerry CEB has approved €153,000 in grant support to 16 micro-enterprise projects in the county, supporting the generation of 44 new jobs. There are approximately 1,300 people employed in companies assisted by Kerry CEB.
In the past, task forces have been used as part of a response to a sudden loss of large numbers of industrial jobs, often in one major employer. However, in recent years other initiatives are increasingly used as an alternative. The State Enterprise Development agencies, together with the Kerry County Enterprise Board, continue to work together with other stakeholders in relation to industrial development in County Kerry. Should any further co-ordination be required, Kerry County Development Board would be the body best placed to undertake such a role. With the advent of regional structures such as the County Development Boards, the practice of establishing task forces has been largely discontinued.
