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Employment Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2014

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Questions (216, 217)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

216. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the efforts he is making to tackle unemployment in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30386/14]

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Brendan Griffin

Question:

217. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons in employment in County Kerry compared to when this Government took office; his views that the Action Plan for Jobs is less effective in regional areas such as County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30387/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together.

Responsibility for statistical information rests with the Central Statistics Office (CSO). However, I understand that the CSO does not compile statistics on jobs created on a county basis. As regards jobs created, the only figures available to my Department are those in respect of jobs created, on a county basis, in client companies of the Enterprise Development Agencies under the aegis of my Department. Table 1, accompanying this reply, provides details of jobs created, since 2010 in companies in Co. Kerry that were supported by Enterprise Ireland (EI), IDA Ireland and Kerry County Enterprise Board.

The number of people signing on the live register in Kerry has fallen from 16,600 in June 2011 to 13,612 in June 2014. This means that the number of people signing on the live register in this period has fallen by 2,988 or 18%.

The 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.

The 2014 Action Plan for Jobs also recognises that regions that support strong and dynamic enterprises are crucial to Ireland's return to overall economic growth. The Action Plan includes a number of measures to be taken in 2014 to support competitive regions. One of the mechanisms by which we will support enterprise development at regional level in 2014 is by building new property capacity in regional locations to help cater for FDI projects.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Local Authorities will develop integrated local economic and community plans, to promote economic and community development in each local authority area.

The Action Plan 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.

The Regional Aid Guidelines enable the State to grant State Aid, at enhanced rates, to businesses in order to support new investment and new employment in productive projects in Ireland's most disadvantaged regions. This helps the convergence of these regions with the more advantaged regions of the EU. Regional Aid is also provided under schemes for tourism grants, marine tourism, urban and rural renewal and other tax-based development schemes.

The 2014-2020 Regional Aid Guidelines came into force on 1 July 2014. I welcome the inclusion of Kerry in the new national Regional Aid Map as this will enhance the prospects of attracting new investment and the expansion of existing enterprises both foreign and indigenous. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have always promoted Kerry as a location for investment as is evidenced by the number of companies located in the County. At the end of 2013, there were 12 IDA Ireland-supported companies in Kerry with total employment of approximately 1,600 people, together with 126 Enterprise Ireland-supported companies employing approximately 4,000 people. These agencies continue to engage with their client companies on an ongoing basis encouraging them to develop and embed their operations in the county.

As regards tackling unemployment, I should also point out that 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.

Table 1: Jobs created in companies based in Co. Kerry and supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Kerry County Enterprise Board

Agency

2010

2011

2012

2013

Enterprise Ireland

142

232

194

188

IDA Ireland

50

163

75

101

Kerry County Enterprise Board

287

348

316

234

Total

479

743

585

523

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