Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 June 2014
106. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if any special initiatives will be undertaken by his Department or the State's industrial promotion agencies to assist in the provision of much needed employment in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25162/14]
View answerDeveloping enterprise and helping to create new jobs remains the top priority for Government. Our primary objective is to create the environment for continued economic recovery through competitiveness as part of the ongoing implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs process, whose implementation continues to be at the forefront of the Enterprise Development agencies under my Department.
There are 7 IDA supported companies in Cavan employing 1,135 people. IDA Ireland actively promotes Cavan for new investment opportunities in line with its Strategy Horizon 2020. The agency works closely with its existing client base to encourage continued growth.
Enterprise Ireland has 82 client companies in County Cavan employing in excess of 4,000 people. To date in 2014, €930,000 has been paid to Cavan based companies by Enterprise Ireland.
The latest call for the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund, to encourage new Start-Ups, was announced on June 4, 2014 with a closing date of June 18, 2014.
Specific calls to support the development of Female Led High Potential Start-Ups are also run under the Female Entrepreneurship initiative.
Enterprise Ireland runs many other initiatives to help sustain existing jobs and to create new jobs in the region. In addition, the Community Enterprise Centres, funded through EI, are providing enterprise space to cater for micro enterprises throughout Cavan.
Supports aimed at providing assistance for the creation and retention of employment in the micro-enterprise sector are provided by Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), which replaced the City and County Enterprise Boards (CEBs) with effect from 15 April in every County. The LEOs are now the first-stop-shop front line service assisting in delivering business growth and jobs.
Among the more specific initiatives being delivered by the LEO Cavan to assist in the provision of employment in the County are the new Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition, the West Cavan/West Fermanagh Project, the Harnessing Natural Resources project and the Higher Attainment Through Cross Border Hubs” (HATCH) programme, as well as support networks such as the Cavan Business Women’s Club.
In 2013, the Cavan LEO, operating as Cavan County Enterprise Board, paid out almost €450,000 in grant support, which assisted in creating or retaining 50 full-time and 20 part-time jobs.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 includes a commitment to develop a framework for a Regional Enterprise Strategy to better integrate the efforts of the enterprise development agencies and other regional stakeholders in supporting enterprises. My intention is that the framework will be developed on a pilot basis initially, involving the agencies under the remit of my own Department – Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The objective is to enhance synergies between the agencies and their client companies and build on the competitive strengths of the region to maximise the potential for job creation.
