Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2014
273. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the specific measures included in the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 to target unemployment in County Donegal in view of the fact that 2014 is designated the year for jobs and in view of the fact that County Donegal has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16819/14]
View answerThe Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity through the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, which recognises the need for measures to support the unemployed and keep jobseekers close to the labour market. In this context, the major elements of the Government’s response are set out in the Department of Social Protection’s strategy “Pathways to Work” , which is aimed at ensuring that as many as possible of the job vacancies that are created as the economy recovers, are filled by people from the Live Register - with a particular focus on those who are long-term unemployed or at risk of long-term unemployment.
The 2014 Action Plan for Jobs builds on the 2012 and 2013 Action Plans. This year’s Plan includes targets for Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and the new Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) to support a total of 30,500 direct new jobs during 2014.
In terms of specific initiatives in Donegal by these agencies, the Donegal County Enterprise Board (CEB) has been active in providing supports to micro-enterprises throughout the County. In 2013, the Board approved grant aid for 29 projects, with a value of €577,000 and an associated potential of 126 jobs. The CEB also ran a range of training and management development programmes with over 870 participants, and approved access to mentoring services for over 90 businesses. The latest figures available indicate that there are 2,434 people employed on a full-time and part-time basis in companies supported by the CEB in Co. Donegal. Already in 2014, the Board has run the Annual Donegal Business Week with over 780 participants attending the 19 events held during the week. The week was organised by the CEB in conjunction with Udarás na Gaeltachta, Donegal Local Development Company, WestBic, Letterkenny IT/CoLab and Enterprise Ireland.
As the Deputy will be aware, the CEB will shortly be dissolved and established as a Local Enterprise Office (LEO) within Donegal County Council, as part of the reform of the model of supports for the micro-enterprise sector. The LEO will integrate the business support and enterprise development functions of the Council with an enhanced range of existing CEB functions, such as making it easier to obtain the full support of agencies including Revenue, Social Protection, Microfinance Ireland, the Credit Review Office, Skillnets and the Education and Training Boards. This reform will result in the provision of the best possible service to people who have a business idea.
There are 165 Enterprise Ireland client companies in Donegal employing 3,342 people on a full-time and part-time basis. Enterprise Ireland runs many initiatives to help sustain existing jobs and to create new jobs in the region and provides funding to the Institute of Technology in Letterkenny to build the research capabilities in the region. In addition, the Community Enterprise Centres, funded through Enterprise Ireland, are providing enterprise space to cater for micro and small enterprises throughout Donegal. Enterprise Ireland approved over €3.2m in 2013 for companies, entrepreneurs and Third Level institutes in Donegal and to date in 2014, the Agency has made payments of over €281,000 to companies in Donegal. There are 13 IDA Ireland-supported companies in Donegal employing 2,381 people in full and part time employment in Software Development, Systems Development and the Medical Technology industry. Donegal’s industry base is transforming from the clothing and textile industry into high-tech, high-skill activity and IDA Ireland promotes Donegal as a successful location for high-end manufacturing mainly to companies in the medical technologies sector. In addition IDA Ireland engages with its existing base of companies in Donegal, highlighting the ongoing importance of upskilling/reskilling and the need to add high value activities in order to ensure sustainability and ongoing development.
