Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:40. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the work with the relevant Ministers in Northern Ireland to promote economic activity along the border. [3234/13]
View answerThursday, 24 January 2013
Questions (40)
Written answers
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.
My officials engage in on-going dialogue with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI). A key area of such regular engagement is on the operation of InterTradeIreland , 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 our Departments is our joint support for enterprise projects under the Interreg initiative, which is co-funded by the EU, by my Department and by either DETI or the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel. The most recent significant such project 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. Officials of my Department are also engaging with DETI in relation to work on the EU’s Regional Aid guidelines.
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. Several of the County Enterprise Boards in the border area are engaged in co-operative economic initiatives with various bodies in Northern Ireland, some funded by the enterprise strand of the Interreg programmes referred to above. 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, which can accrue from practical co-operation.