Written Answers Nos. 471 - 484
471. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Industrial Development Agency supported jobs in Waterford for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35339/13]
View answerThe Forfas annual employment survey reports on the number of jobs gained and lost in the enterprise development agencies. The following tabular statement shows the number of permanent jobs in IDA client companies in Waterford in each of the three years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Figures for 2013 will not be available until year end.
Waterford is part of IDA’s South East region along with counties Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary. In marketing the region for new inward investment IDA concentrates its efforts on Waterford City and on the towns of Wexford and Kilkenny and the county towns of Carlow, Clonmel and Dungarvan. In addition IDA actively engages with its existing client companies to ensure their long-term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing reinvestment.
Waterford has had a long and strong track record as a centre of manufacturing expertise but in more recent years there has been a significant growth in advanced manufacturing, particularly in the Life Sciences sector and also in the International and Financial Services sector. Meanwhile, work is ongoing on the implementation of the South-East Employment Action Plan recommendations, with agencies and stakeholders working together to maximise benefits for the region. The South East Forum, established to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan, and which I met most recently in March this year, will continue to examine ways that would lead to job creation and investment opportunities in Waterford and the South East.
Table showing the number of Permanent Jobs in IDA client companies in Waterford in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012
|
Year |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Permanent employment |
5,329 |
4,637 |
4,526 |
472. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA Ireland site visits to Waterford and the south east in 2011, 2012 and the first six months of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35342/13]
View answerI have been informed by IDA that in the period from the beginning of 2011 to date in 2013 there have been a total of 64 IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to the South East region, of which 49 have been to Waterford, city and county. These site visits were from new companies visiting the location for the first time and from senior executives of existing IDA client companies. Details of the number of visits paid to Waterford and the South East region are set out in the following tabular statement. IDA’s South East region consists of the counties of Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary.
At present there are 30 IDA companies in Waterford employing 4,526 people in full-time employment and another 504 people in temporary and part-time employment, while in the region as a whole there are 63 IDA client companies11,884 people in permanent employment. In marketing the region for new inward investment IDA concentrates its efforts on Waterford City and on the towns of Wexford and Kilkenny and the county towns of Carlow, Clonmel and Dungarvan. In addition, IDA actively engages with its existing client companies to ensure their long-term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing reinvestment.
Meanwhile, work is ongoing on the implementation of the South-East Employment Action Plan recommendations, with agencies and stakeholders working together to maximise benefits for the region. The South East Forum, established to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan, and which I met most recently in March this year, will continue to examine ways that would lead to job creation and investment opportunities in Waterford and the South East.
Table showing the number of IDA sponsored site visits to Waterford and the South East in each of the years 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013
|
Year |
2011 |
2012 |
To date in 2013 |
|
Waterford |
11 |
26 |
12 |
|
South East |
13 |
34 |
17 |
473. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of new start-up businesses that were established in Waterford in 2012 and in the first half of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35348/13]
View answerI understand from the Central Statistics Office that they do not have the data in question. I should also point out that the Enterprise Development agencies, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the County and City Enterprise Boards, within the remit of my Department, support only a proportion of the start-ups that might be established in any county and they do not support all of the businesses that may have been established.
Both Waterford County Enterprise Board and Waterford City Enterprise Board continue to develop indigenous potential at a local level primarily through the provision of financial and technical support for the development of small and micro-enterprises. Enterprise Board statistics are collated on an annual basis and figures in respect of 2013 will not be available until the first quarter of 2014. In 2012, Waterford City Enterprise Board paid out funding of €316,507 to 21 projects and Waterford County Enterprise Board paid out €267,248 to 21 projects. These projects include start-up and established microenterprises. Between 2012 and to date in 2013, Enterprise Ireland has approved over €260,000 in Feasibility funding to 12 separate start-up projects based in Waterford. In addition, four Waterford based companies, first supported as HPSU's in 2011 were approved follow-on funding between 2012 and 2013, totalling €4 million.
To date, Enterprise Ireland has provided over €2.5 million in capital funding to ArcLabs in the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), under its regional innovation strategy and continues to work with WIT to ensure the potential of emerging companies is maximised. Enterprise Ireland also works in partnership with WIT under Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers Programme. Under the 2012 Programme, 9 entrepreneurs are being incubated in WIT and provided with funding of €15,000 each over a six month period. New Frontiers 2013 in WIT is due to begin later this year.
Waterford is part of IDA Ireland’s South East region along with counties Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary. In marketing the region for new inward investment, IDA concentrates its efforts on Waterford City and on the towns of Wexford and Kilkenny and the county towns of Carlow, Clonmel and Dungarvan. In addition, IDA actively engages with its existing client companies to ensure their long-term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing reinvestment. Waterford has had a long and strong track record as a centre of manufacturing expertise but, in more recent years, there has been a significant growth in advanced manufacturing, particularly in the Life Sciences, International and Financial Services sectors. At present, there are 30 IDA companies in Waterford employing 4,526 people in full-time employment and another 504 people in temporary and part-time employment.
Earlier this year, together with the Taoiseach, I announced that Nypro Healthcare, an IDA Ireland supported company, is to establish an additional state of the art medical device manufacturing facility in Waterford, which will result in the creation of over 200 new high quality jobs in Phase One. In addition, Sanofi announced that it will invest €44 million in its Waterford site.
The South East Employment Action Plan has a number of recommendations which the relevant agencies and stakeholders are charged with implementing and work is ongoing with agencies and stakeholders working together to maximise benefits for the region. The South East Forum, established to oversee the implementation of the Action Plan, will continue to examine ways that would lead to job creation and investment opportunities in the South East, including Waterford.
474. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is assured that all overseas travel undertaken by staff in the Industrial Development Agency Ireland is necessary; if the organisation ensures that there is a robust business case submitted before travel is sanctioned; if the organisation ensures that the objective of the travel cannot be achieved through other means; if on their return the staff have to submit a report on the work carried out while they were on company business overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35369/13]
View answerThe authorisation of overseas travel for staff of the IDA is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function. IDA Ireland is a marketing organisation, whose mandate is to attract foreign direct investment to Ireland. The very nature of its business requires marketing executives to undertake travel overseas. IDA Ireland operates a robust travel policy in accordance with government guidelines and all travel undertaken by IDA executives complies with the policy. In accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, the Chairman of IDA furnishes me, each year, in conjunction with the Annual Report and Accounts of that body, a comprehensive report confirming, inter alia, that the Government’s travel policy requirements are being complied with in all respects. The latest such correspondence which I have received from the Chairman of IDA was dated 26 June 2013.
475. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is assured that all overseas travel undertaken by staff in Enterprise Ireland is necessary; if the organisation ensures that there is a robust business case submitted before travel is sanctioned; if the organisation ensures that the objective of the travel cannot be achieved through other means; if on their return, the staff have to submit a report on the work carried out while they were on company business overseas [35370/13]
View answerAll travel undertaken by Enterprise Ireland staff is necessary to facilitate Enterprise Ireland delivering on its mandate to support and develop indigenous industry. If the objective of the travel can be achieved in an appropriate way through other means Enterprise Ireland staff do not travel. Overseas travel is undertaken for many reasons including, to support due diligence in evaluating investments, trade missions, trade fairs and other promotions, meetings and conferences and for research and policy development purposes.
Enterprise Ireland has a clear corporate travel policy that is designed to meet the business objectives of the agency. The policy lays out clear guidelines for staff in relation to modes of transport and hotels and accommodation that may procured. The work undertaken on overseas travel feeds into the business process for which the travel was undertaken, a specific report is not prepared on each travel itinerary. The relevant Budget Manager approves travel itineraries in advance and Enterprise Ireland’s contracted travel agent will then look for the most competitive and appropriate travel options. This provides a secondary checking system as the travel agent can only procure tickets that fall within the travel policy unless approved in advance by specific exception.
476. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will consider making funding available to support job creating bodies such as the west Cork jobs initiative as part of this year's pre-budget process; if his Department is in discussion with Enterprise Ireland in this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35407/13]
View answerThe Government currently recognises the impact that community groups can have as drivers of economic and enterprise activity. The model followed to date has involved the provision of Community Enterprise Centre space and the associated recruitment of centre managers through formal programmes administered by Enterprise Ireland. In May, I met with members of the West Cork Jobs Initiative, and I subsequently wrote to Enterprise Ireland on foot of the meeting. I understand that Enterprise Ireland met with persons involved with the West Cork Jobs Initiative last Friday. Enterprise Ireland is looking at ways to support local job creation initiatives, where appropriate and relevant, and is due to revert to my Department shortly with specific proposals in this regard.
477. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the main strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats in relation to job retention and creation in County Kerry; if his attention has been drawn to the high live register figures in the county and the mass exodus of young persons from the county in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35476/13]
View answerThe Enterprise Development Agencies have been to the fore in delivering on the commitments set out in an Action Plan for Jobs. An Action Plan for Jobs 2013 will build on the success of the 2012 Action Plan. It includes 333 actions for delivery across all Government Departments and 46 Agencies or Offices. The Plan contains a range of policy actions to assist the development of indigenous enterprise. Employment retention and creation continues to be our primary objective in 2013. I am confident that the structure that we have created will deliver the type of actions needed to support the transition in our economy to sustainable growth.
Enterprise Ireland’s activity in County Kerry is focussed primarily on the development of companies' export potential and in the creation of new jobs; through supporting entrepreneurs to set up new High Potential Start-Up Companies; on the retention and creation of new jobs in existing companies through support of company development and export plans. Enterprise Ireland also supports Research and Development in companies, and through collaboration with relevant Third Level institutions at a national, regional and county level. In County Kerry, this is primarily delivered in collaboration with Institute of Technology Tralee. Funding of up to €3 million for the Institute of Technology Tralee was announced this year by Enterprise Ireland. The funding includes €1.4 million for Shannon ABC (Applied Biotechnology Centre), an industry focussed Research, Development and Innovation Centre that is a collaborative response from the IT Tralee and Limerick IT to the needs of business.
Enterprise Ireland works with approximately 125 client companies employing in excess of 3,500 in County Kerry. Enterprise Ireland has a number of supports and initiatives in place to assist these companies', depending on their stage of development. In relation to the development of a strong pipeline of high potential start-ups, Enterprise Ireland has the New Frontiers Programme, Ireland’s national entrepreneurial development programme, in IT Tralee which commenced in June 2013 with 10 participants. The purpose of Enterprise Ireland’s Competitive Start Fund is to accelerate the growth of start-up companies that have the capability to succeed in global markets and companies in County Kerry have been very successful in securing funding of €50,000 from the Fund.
In encouraging foreign direct investment to County Kerry, IDA Ireland promotes the county as part of the South West Region. IDA also endorses and supports the initiatives driven under the “Succeed in Ireland” agenda which engages key stakeholders in the regions regarding opportunities for investment. IDA Ireland continues to compete for high quality investments at the higher end of the value chain. At the end of 2012, there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in County Kerry with total employment of circa 1,600 people.
The Kerry County Enterprise Board (CEB) provides a source of support for micro-enterprises in the start-up and expansion phases, promotes and develops indigenous micro-enterprise potential and stimulates economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level through both financial and non-financial assistance to project promoters. Job creation and retention are inherent considerations in the Board’s activities as it continues to engage and work with potential businesses on an ongoing basis with strong referral to sister agencies. In 2012, the Board paid out €253,502 to 39 project promoters and 871 people participated in the Board’s Training Programmes.
479. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide, in tabular form, a list of all non-commercial State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36219/13]
View answerMy Department currently has the following non-commercial State-sponsored bodies supporting us in our work:
|
- |
non-commercial State sponsored bodies |
|
1. |
Enterprise Ireland (EI) |
|
2. |
IDA Ireland |
|
3. |
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) |
|
4. |
Shannon Development |
|
5. |
County and City Enterprise Boards (35) |
|
6. |
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
|
7. |
Forfás |
|
8. |
National Consumer Agency (NCA) |
|
9. |
The Competition Authority |
|
10. |
Irish Auditing and Accounting Standards Authority |
|
11. |
Personal Injuries Assessment Board |
|
12. |
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) |
|
13. |
The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) |
|
14. |
The Patents Office |
|
15. |
Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) |
|
16. |
Companies Registration Office (CRO) |
|
17. |
Office of the Registrar of Friendly Societies |
|
18. |
The Labour Court |
|
19. |
The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) |
|
20. |
The Equality Tribunal |
|
21. |
The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) |
A Reform Programme under way will deliver a two tier Workplace Relations structure by merging the activities of the National Employment Rights Authority, the Labour Relations Commission, the Equality Tribunal and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Labour Court into a new Body of First Instance, to be known as the Workplace Relations Commission. The appellate functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal will be incorporated into an expanded Labour Court.
In addition, the following reforms are also being progressed by my Department:
- merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority into one single entity;
- dissolve the 35 CEB’s and restructure small business supports through collaboration with EI and the local authorities.
Plans are also at an advanced stage to:
- transfer relevant enterprise functions from Shannon Development to IDA, EI and Bord Fáilte and merge Shannon Development with Shannon Airport Authority;
- integrate Forfás into my Department;
- absorb the Secretariat to the National Competitiveness Council into my Department.
480. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will respond to the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding a pension scheme wind-up. [34281/13]
View answerThe document the Deputy refers to entitled "Pension Scheme Wind Up and Waterford Crystal’" relates to former workers at Waterford Crystal. This document follows a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice in response to a reference by the High Court seeking clarification of the interpretation of European law emanating from EU Directive 2008/94EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. Following the ECJ ruling, the matter will now revert to the High Court for consideration. Given this matter remains before the courts, it would not be appropriate that I comment further on any aspects of or possible issues arising from the case at this time. Careful and detailed consideration is of course being given to the ruling of the European Court of Justice, and will be given to the outcomes of the case before the High Court.
481. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of the school meals programme in 2014. [34306/13]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by this Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects. There is no automatic entitlement to funding under the school meals local projects scheme and all applications are considered in light of the available budget for the scheme.
There are currently over 190,000 children in over 1,500 schools and organisations benefiting from the programme. Expenditure on the school meals programme in 2012 was €35 million. The Government has allocated an additional €2 million for the programme in 2013, bringing the total budget allocation to €37 million. The budget allocation for the school meals programme for 2014 will be decided and announced as part of the annual budgetary process.
482. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the responsibility the vocational education committee has in relation to employees on community employment schemes part funded by them. [35542/13]
View answerThe Community Employment (CE) programme is sponsored by groups wishing to benefit the local community, namely voluntary organisations and public bodies involved in not-for-profit activities. This includes vocational education committees who sponsor CE schemes. The role of the sponsor-employer, in relation to CE participants (employees) is to provide a meaningful work programme and training plan for each participant. The sponsor is required to facilitate the participants in undertaking training and development, appropriate to their progression and employment goals. In relation to participants the sponsor will at all times:
- be fully responsible for the management and the administration of the project;
- provide a safe and secure environment for all staff and clients of the service;
- comply with all the relevant statutory and legal obligations of a sponsor;
- comply with the terms and conditions laid down in the agreement with DSP;
- facilitate participant development and training that leads to employment.
483. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34171/13]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 7 June 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on 11 July 2013 advising of the decision. In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant is notified that they may submit additional information and-or ask for the case to be reviewed by another medical assessor. Alternatively, they may also appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
484. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on jobseeker's allowance will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34173/13]
View answerThe person concerned applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance on 1 July 2013. The application is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
