Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 April 2014
307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he continues to monitor the performance of smaller, indigenous companies here in comparison with similar enterprises throughout Europe with a view to ensuring that companies in this jurisdiction are well placed in the context of international competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18083/14]
View answerOngoing monitoring of the performance of Irish companies and the range of enterprise supports available to them vis-à-vis their competition locally, regionally and internationally is an ongoing element of the work of my Department and the Enterprise Agencies with a view to ensuring that companies in Ireland have a complete suite of supports available to them to enable competition in difficult global markets.
Growing the capability of Irish enterprise to compete in world markets is a specific priority of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and a range of actions are identified to facilitate the achievement of 13,000 new full-time jobs and €17.5bn in exports in 2014. These include:
- increasing and enhancing the provision of mentoring services to Irish companies;
- enhancing management development, clustering and indigenous-multinational company links;
- leveraging the links between Irish-owned and foreign-owned enterprises in Ireland;
- maximising the linkages between Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client companies through a Global Sourcing initiative and other inter-agency collaborations;
- reviewing and updating procurement guidelines; and
- supporting Irish companies seeking to participate in procurement overseas.
Other actions contained in the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 address important factors impacting on the performance of Irish companies including access to finance and competitiveness and reports on these are provided by Government on a quarterly basis.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 contains 385 individual actions which will impact on the performance of Irish firms and my Department and its Agencies will continue to monitor developments to ensure that Irish firms remain competitive in the future.
