Simon Harris
Question:128 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he is taking to encourage job creation outside large urban centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31800/11]
View answerWednesday, 2 November 2011
Questions (128, 129)
Written answers
Job 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 to support enterprise and innovation so that employment opportunities can be grown and maintained. Strong, balanced regional development and thriving entrepreneurship throughout Ireland are fundamental to the country's economic growth and to job creation.
Improvements to our economic infrastructure over the last decade have facilitated the attraction of investors to the regions. At present, 45% of IDA Ireland's client company employment is outside the key urban centres of Dublin and Cork. The agency's strategy, "Horizon 2020" sets out targets for direct and indirect job creation through foreign direct investment up to 2014. The IDA's objective is to generate a total of 105,000 additional direct and indirect jobs overall in the economy by 2014. In implementing this ambitious strategy, the agency has set a specific goal of securing 50% of all its investments in locations outside of Dublin and Cork. Ultimately, however, the final decision on location is taken by the investor.
Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) also provide supports for job creation outside large urban centres. Over 60% of Enterprise Ireland's clients are located outside the major urban centres. The agency seeks to develop and grow client companies in all locations, with a view to increasing sales and exports and generating employment.
Enterprise Ireland also facilitates the development of the enterprise environment in local and rural communities through campus incubation facilities and Community Enterprise Centres.
The CEBs promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship in both urban and rural areas across the country. The CEBs deliver a series of programmes to underpin this role and provide both financial (grants) and non-financial (advice, training and mentoring "soft supports") assistance to project promoters who have the capacity to achieve commercial viability.
In order to build on the activities of the agencies which are already in place, I have begun the process of preparing a comprehensive Jobs Strategy which will provide an action plan to support the creation of employment across the economy. As part of the Jobs Strategy, I will be exploring the potential for new measures which can encourage job creation at local level. My objective is to publish the Jobs Strategy in January.
Simon Harris
Question:129 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his strategy for job creation in County Wicklow; if he has consulted with the Industrial Development Agency Ireland on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31801/11]
View answerThe enterprise development agencies under the remit of my Department are continuously working to create and sustain employment across the country. One of the targets set out in IDA Ireland's strategy document "Horizon 2020” is the creation of 62,000 direct and 43,000 indirect new jobs in Ireland over the period 2010-2014, with 50% of these investments to be based in locations outside of Dublin and Cork. Central to IDA’s strategy is to build on existing regional strengths to ensure Ireland’s economic development, while optimising regional spread, in line with the National Spatial Strategy. At present, there are 2,185 people employed in 18 IDA client companies in Wicklow, mainly in Bray, Arklow and Greystones. Company expansions on the Dublin/Wicklow border at Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, include Dell and Elavon Financial Services, both of whom have increased their employment levels.
In terms of job creation, Enterprise Ireland activity is focussed on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs setting up new High Potential Start-Up Companies, job creation and retention in existing companies and in enhancing the innovation capability of Ireland at a national and regional level through support of research in companies and companies working with third level institutions.Enterprise Ireland has 180 clients in Co. Wicklow employing over 3,240 people. Since 2010, the agency has made payments of approximately €4.7m to clients in the county. This funding has helped companies to create and retain employment, to explore new markets for products and services and to build innovative capacity. Some 76 innovation vouchers to the value of €380,000 have been awarded to companies in Co. Wicklow. The vouchers are designed to assist small Irish firms in accessing innovative solutions in the higher education sector and to give them financial support to get on the first rung of the innovation ladder.
The role of Wicklow County Enterprise Board (CEB) is to provide support for micro-enterprise in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level. Priority is given to manufacturing and internationally traded services, and, subject to eligibility criteria, micro-enterprise businesses, provided that the proposed projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability. Job creation and retention are inherent considerations in their activities. To date in 2011, Wicklow CEB has paid out €258,942 in grants to 24 eligible micro-enterprise projects, leading to the creation of 71 jobs. In addition, 34 micro-enterprise clients have availed of Wicklow CEB mentoring services and 487 clients have participated in their training initiatives.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, I have begun preparation of a comprehensive Jobs Strategy, at the request of the Taoiseach and Cabinet Committee on Jobs. I have started a rolling process of engagement on the issues and intend to create an action plan that Government can take to address our challenges — looking at both immediate policy initiatives to promote employment and the development of longer term opportunities. I have written to a series of experts, in both the public and private sectors, looking for their input on a range of relevant issues. I have received a number of proposals from various sources in recent months which I will be examining in greater detail as part of this process.