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Job Creation Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 November 2012

Thursday, 22 November 2012

Questions (22, 45)

Michael Colreavy

Question:

22. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way in which his Department is working with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland to promote job creation and innovation. [51891/12]

View answer

Michael Colreavy

Question:

45. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions being taken by his Department to promote job creation along the border corridor. [51892/12]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 45 together.

North South economic co-operation is and will remain a priority of mine and of the Government. To this effect, there is on-going dialogue between relevant Ministers and officials, North and South, to promote economic development, job creation and innovation, in the border region.

From my own perspective, I attend meetings in the Trade and Business development sectoral format of the North South Ministerial Council, which are held twice a year. I also attend two meetings each year of the North South Plenary which are hosted by either the Taoiseach or the First and Deputy First Ministers. At these meetings there is full engagement with Northern Ministers, particularly at the sectoral meetings, where I have direct discussions with my NI counterpart, Ms Arlene Foster MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. I look forward to meeting Minister Foster again at the next Trade and Business Development meeting scheduled to be held next week.

My officials engage in on-going dialogue with their counterparts in DETI. A key area of such regular engagement is on the operation of InterTrade Ireland, the North/South Trade and Business Development Implementation Body, which is co-funded by my Department and DETI. All matters relating to the management of that body and the planning and oversight of its schemes and programmes, involve close interaction by the officials of both Departments.

Another key area of engagement at official level between my Department and DETI is our joint support for enterprise projects under the Interreg initiative, which is co-funded by the EU, by my Department and by DETI. The most recent of these involves the establishment of a significant North West Science Park, to be co-located in Derry and Letterkenny, in respect of which both our Departments have agreed financial support. The process of assessing further Interreg projects for joint funding is on-going and both groups of officials are also engaged in a process which will hopefully see a new Interreg Scheme initiated when the current phase expires in 2014.

In addition to direct Departmental engagement, there is a long history of co-operative action between North/South enterprise agencies to achieve mutual benefits. Enterprise Ireland, which stimulates the development of indigenous enterprise, has extensive contact with its Northern counterparts and works with them on a range of programmes to drive job creation in border areas. IDA Ireland collaborates with Invest Northern Ireland, for example, in the Northwest Now initiative. More recently, there have been very positive developments where a wide range of agencies and institutions now co-operate on science and technology issues, including participation in the EU Research Framework Programme.

My Department, along with our enterprise development agencies, will continue to work diligently with our counterpart Department and relevant Northern Ireland Agencies to increase the economic benefits, especially on job creation research and innovation, accruing from practical co-operation.

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