Written Answers Nos. 214-229
214. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding access to credit for all businesses (details supplied) and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30305/14]
View answerIssues relating to V.A.T, excise duty and the specific issue of a bank refusing a business loan are matters for my colleague Michael Noonan, the Minister for Finance. On the issue of bank credit, the Deputy will be aware that appeals regarding bank decisions can be made to the Credit Review Office (CRO) which will examine the application in question and ensure an equitable approach has been adopted in dealing with same.
215. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs which he and his Department have supported via the Industrial Development Agency, Enterprise Ireland and county enterprise boards in each county in each of the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and to date in 2014, respectively; the average cost per job in each category in each year concerned; the average lifespan of each job; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30312/14]
View answerThe Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on jobs in companies that are supported by the Enterprise Development agencies. Data is compiled on an annualised basis and is aggregated at county level. Final figures for 2014 will not be available until 2015. The number of jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices (formerly CEBs), for the period in question, are set out in Tables, 1, 2 and 3 accompanying this reply.
As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I introduced a collaborative, cross- government approach to advancing job creation in the State. The Action Plan for Jobs is an annual plan designed to drive action across all Government Departments and Agencies in a collective effort to put in place the conditions needed to support and grow employment in the State.
The latest employment figures published by the Central Statistics Office show that there was an increase of 42,700 people in employment in the First Quarter of 2014, compared to the First Quarter of 2013. There was an increase of 63,200 in the numbers in employment in the last two years. These figures are net of reductions in public sector numbers. In 2013, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client companies had record years for employment creation, generating a total of 12,500 net new jobs in export-focused activities.
These patterns suggest that the jobs that are being created are adding value to the economy and have every potential to be sustainable.
The cost per job sustained in Enterprise Ireland-supported companies for the period 2006-2012 amounted to €12,597. In the period 2007-2013, the cost per job in IDA client companies amounted to €12,608. Costs per job in respect of 2013 for Enterprise Ireland will be available in its 2013 Annual Report and Accounts which I will publish tomorrow. Costs in respect of 2014 will be available in the 2014 Annual Reports and Accounts of both agencies which will be published in 2015.
The cost per job sustained in each agency is calculated by taking into account all expenditure to all firms in the period of calculation. Only jobs created during and sustained to the end of each seven year period are credited in the calculations.
In the case of the County and City Enterprise Boards, the methodology for calculating cost per job is set out in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Annual Report 2010. The cost per job is calculated by dividing the total grants paid from 1993 to the current year by the total employment at the end of that year. It should be noted that this does not include Administration or Measure 2 “soft” support expenditure.
Details of the cost per job in the County and City Enterprise Boards for 2011 amounted to €6,058 and €6,181 in respect of 2012. Data for 2013 will not be available until later this year and figures for 2014 will be published in 2015.
Table 1: Enterprise Ireland Employment Data
|
County |
Data |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Carlow |
Full Time Jobs |
2,106 |
2,137 |
2,227 |
|
Cavan |
Full Time Jobs |
4,021 |
4,151 |
3,794 |
|
Clare |
Full Time Jobs |
1,552 |
1,580 |
2,501 |
|
Cork |
Full Time Jobs |
17,784 |
18,629 |
19,775 |
|
Donegal |
Full Time Jobs |
2,784 |
2,655 |
2,624 |
|
Dublin |
Full Time Jobs |
49,477 |
50,159 |
51,224 |
|
Galway |
Full Time Jobs |
5,901 |
6,063 |
5,896 |
|
Kerry |
Full Time Jobs |
3,230 |
3,318 |
3,329 |
|
Kildare |
Full Time Jobs |
5,160 |
5,450 |
5,869 |
|
Kilkenny |
Full Time Jobs |
2,869 |
3,089 |
3,001 |
|
Laois |
Full Time Jobs |
991 |
929 |
954 |
|
Leitrim |
Full Time Jobs |
536 |
574 |
567 |
|
Limerick |
Full Time Jobs |
6,048 |
6,279 |
6,134 |
|
Longford |
Full Time Jobs |
1,529 |
1,557 |
1,632 |
|
Louth |
Full Time Jobs |
4,225 |
4,328 |
4,379 |
|
Mayo |
Full Time Jobs |
3,127 |
3,054 |
3,236 |
|
Meath |
Full Time Jobs |
4,450 |
4,771 |
5,179 |
|
Monaghan |
Full Time Jobs |
3,311 |
3,463 |
3,572 |
|
Offaly |
Full Time Jobs |
2,731 |
2,699 |
2,837 |
|
Roscommon |
Full Time Jobs |
1,165 |
1,119 |
1,353 |
|
Sligo |
Full Time Jobs |
1,332 |
1,508 |
1,568 |
|
Tipperary North Riding |
Full Time Jobs |
2,293 |
2,162 |
2,121 |
|
Tipperary South Riding |
Full Time Jobs |
2,187 |
2,151 |
2,098 |
|
Waterford |
Full Time Jobs |
4,217 |
4,063 |
4,176 |
|
Westmeath |
Full Time Jobs |
2,181 |
2,352 |
2,610 |
|
Wexford |
Full Time Jobs |
3,793 |
3,881 |
4,040 |
|
Wicklow |
Full Time Jobs |
3,122 |
3,339 |
3,022 |
|
Total |
Full Time Jobs |
142,122 |
145,460 |
149,718 |
Table 2: CEB/LEO Employment Data
|
CEB/LEO |
Full Time Employees 2011 |
Full Time Employees 2012 |
Full Time Employees 2013 |
|
Carlow |
1,098 |
1,258 |
1,356 |
|
Cavan |
1,062 |
1,071 |
1,027 |
|
Clare |
1,175 |
1,255 |
1,343 |
|
Cork City |
796 |
796 |
829 |
|
Cork North |
371 |
400 |
443 |
|
Cork South |
1,018 |
1,089 |
1,285 |
|
Cork West |
632 |
638 |
661 |
|
Donegal |
1,758 |
1,578 |
1,622 |
|
Dublin City |
2,062 |
2,067 |
2,146 |
|
Dublin Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown |
1,063 |
1,802 |
1,909 |
|
Dublin Fingal |
1,202 |
1,237 |
1,355 |
|
Dublin South |
1,006 |
1,076 |
1,191 |
|
Galway County/City |
1,597 |
1,556 |
1,274 |
|
Kerry |
1,289 |
1,236 |
1,407 |
|
Kildare |
830 |
800 |
964 |
|
Kilkenny |
846 |
775 |
860 |
|
Laois |
682 |
652 |
714 |
|
Leitrim |
336 |
340 |
343 |
|
Limerick City |
743 |
654 |
674 |
|
Limerick County |
1,033 |
1,058 |
1,127 |
|
Longford |
852 |
831 |
843 |
|
Louth |
895 |
866 |
850 |
|
Mayo |
1,007 |
1,000 |
1,044 |
|
Meath |
1,026 |
1,107 |
1,141 |
|
Monaghan |
937 |
902 |
930 |
|
Offaly |
760 |
742 |
719 |
|
Roscommon |
654 |
612 |
639 |
|
Sligo |
783 |
813 |
833 |
|
Tipperary(NR) |
449 |
365 |
380 |
|
Tipperary(SR) |
667 |
706 |
639 |
|
Waterford City |
590 |
665 |
651 |
|
Waterford County |
589 |
590 |
646 |
|
Westmeath |
1,111 |
1,022 |
1,098 |
|
Wexford |
1,088 |
1,193 |
1,330 |
|
Wicklow |
607 |
678 |
518 |
|
Grand Total |
32,614 |
33,430 |
34,791 |
Table 3: IDA Ireland Employment Data
|
County |
Data |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Carlow |
Full Time Jobs |
391 |
506 |
578 |
|
Cavan |
Full Time Jobs |
1,066 |
1,080 |
1101 |
|
Clare |
Full Time Jobs |
6,026 |
5,836 |
5,803 |
|
Cork |
Full Time Jobs |
21,428 |
22,584 |
23,587 |
|
Donegal |
Full Time Jobs |
1,882 |
2,050 |
2,213 |
|
Dublin |
Full Time Jobs |
52,486 |
55,878 |
58,501 |
|
Galway |
Full Time Jobs |
10,349 |
10,910 |
11,430 |
|
Kerry |
Full Time Jobs |
1,294 |
1,361 |
1,438 |
|
Kildare |
Full Time Jobs |
9,828 |
9,663 |
9,641 |
|
Kilkenny |
Full Time Jobs |
399 |
554 |
534 |
|
Laois |
Full Time Jobs |
100 |
79 |
84 |
|
Leitrim |
Full Time Jobs |
780 |
629 |
645 |
|
Limerick |
Full Time Jobs |
6,107 |
6,402 |
6,525 |
|
Longford |
Full Time Jobs |
608 |
644 |
649 |
|
Louth |
Full Time Jobs |
1,125 |
1,493 |
1,901 |
|
Mayo |
Full Time Jobs |
3,094 |
3,164 |
3,356 |
|
Meath |
Full Time Jobs |
1,100 |
1,065 |
1,077 |
|
Monaghan |
Full Time Jobs |
282 |
275 |
256 |
|
Offaly |
Full Time Jobs |
772 |
802 |
845 |
|
Roscommon |
Full Time Jobs |
748 |
785 |
786 |
|
Sligo |
Full Time Jobs |
2,041 |
2,052 |
1,828 |
|
Tipperary North Riding |
Full Time Jobs |
296 |
290 |
308 |
|
Tipperary South Riding |
Full Time Jobs |
3,060 |
2,915 |
2,697 |
|
Waterford |
Full Time Jobs |
4,631 |
4,518 |
4,657 |
|
Westmeath |
Full Time Jobs |
2,000 |
2,149 |
2,140 |
|
Wexford |
Full Time Jobs |
2,225 |
2,228 |
2,246 |
|
Wicklow |
Full Time Jobs |
2,142 |
2,067 |
2,102 |
|
Total |
Full Time Jobs |
136,260 |
141,974 |
146,928 |
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]
View answer217. 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 answerI 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 |
218. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department through Enterprise Ireland has granted aid for the creation of 80 new jobs (details supplied) in County Waterford; the value of such support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30390/14]
View answerI understand from Enterprise Ireland that the agency has not grant aided the company concerned. In addition, I have been informed that the company is not a client of Enterprise Ireland.
219. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of public sector workers that are on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment in his Department. [30403/14]
View answerMy Department has no public sector workers employed on temporary or non-permanent contracts. There are three statutory posts where the current incumbents would have fixed term contracts with the Department. These are in the Labour Court and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement.
In replying, I have excluded those staff whose assignments in the Department are directly linked to my term of office as Minister, or the term of office of the two Ministers of State assigned to the Department.
220. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is concerned by the number of appointments to State boards under his remit that do not go through the Public Appointments Service; his plans to review the manner in which State boards are appointed to ensure that the most suitably qualified persons fill vacancies that arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30805/14]
View answerSince coming to Office in March 2011, I have made 41 appointments to the Boards of Agencies under my Department’s remit within my discretion. Appointments and reappointments were also allocated under legislation to Department Representatives, social partners, nominees of other Ministers, nominees of prescribed bodies and appointments on an Ex Officio basis and were not appropriate, therefore, for public advertisement.
Of the 41 new appointments made at my discretion, 28 (68%) were selected from those who sent an Expression of Interest in response to a publicly advertised process administered by the Public Appointments Service in conjunction with relevant personnel in my own Department. Since coming to Office, the Public Appointments Service has administered this process eleven times in response to vacancies that have arisen across a variety of agencies within my Department’s remit. The processes generated a very strong response in terms of both the number and quality of the Expressions of Interest received.
Towards the end of 2013, I adopted what I believe is a more efficient approach to the public invitation of Expressions of Interest. To avoid duplication of effort and to ensure the timely availability of a pool of suitably qualified candidates, I asked the Public Appointments Service to administer a single Expressions of Interest process in respect of vacancies arising in 2014 on the Boards of all Agencies under my Department’s remit. This has produced a pool of over 200 candidates, collectively comprising a wide variety of skills and attributes that have already informed a number of board appointments I have made this year.
I am satisfied that the involvement of the PAS in this process has assisted me in appointing appropriately skilled and experienced people required for membership of State Boards and accords with the spirit of the Government Decision in this regard.
221. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in a tabular form the annual salary of all commercial State company chief executive officers under his remit. [30865/14]
View answerMy Department has no commercial State companies under its remit.
222. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in a tabular form a list of the annual salaries of the chief executive officers of all non-commercial State sponsored bodies under his remit. [30894/14]
View answerThe table shows the annual salary for the CEOs of the Non-Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies under my Department’s remit.
|
Non-Commercial State Sponsored Body |
CEO Salary |
|
Health & Safety Authority |
€143,535 |
|
Personal Injuries Assessment Board |
€173,310* |
|
National Consumer Agency |
€137,554 |
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
€175,554 |
|
IDA Ireland |
€175,554 |
|
InterTrade Ireland |
stg£84,630** |
|
Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority |
€114,843 |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
€168,210 |
|
Forfas |
€175,554 |
|
National Standards Authority Ireland |
€137,481 |
|
Shannon Development |
See note below*** |
|
Competition Authority |
€164,388**** |
*Inclusive of a €11,000 car allowance
** InterTradeIreland is based in Newry, Co Down – its operating currency is sterling
*** The CEO of Shannon Airport Authority is currently fulfilling the duties of CEO of Shannon Development so there is currently no CEO salary being paid by Shannon
Development
**** The Head of the Competition Authority is titled Chairman rather than CEO as is the case for the Department’s other Non Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies
223. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the annual saving to the Exchequer if the pay of all ministerial special advisers was capped in his Department at the first point of the principal officer grade. [30912/14]
View answerAdjustments to pay in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement were implemented from 1 July 2013. The table outlines the salary details of the two Special Advisors appointed by me as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation in line with the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments and as sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
There are no Special Advisers appointed by my Department’s Ministers of State.
|
Name |
Salary Scale |
Current Salary (8/07/14) |
Estimated Annual Saving if Pay Capped at 1st point on Principal Officer Scale* |
|
Special Adviser |
€118,840 |
€118,840 |
€43,193 |
|
Press Adviser |
€75,647 - €92,550 |
€84,706 |
€9,059 |
*Based on 1 July 2013 pay rates
224. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in a tabular form a list of all non-commercial State sponsored bodies under his remit. [30923/14]
View answerMy Department currently has the following non-commercial State sponsored bodies supporting us in our work:
|
1. |
Enterprise Ireland (EI) |
|
2. |
IDA Ireland |
|
3. |
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) |
|
4. |
Local Enterprise Offices (31) |
|
5. |
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) |
|
6. |
Forfás |
|
7. |
National Consumer Agency (NCA) |
|
8. |
The Competition Authority |
|
9. |
Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority |
|
10. |
Personal Injuries Assessment Board |
|
11. |
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) |
|
12. |
The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) |
|
13. |
The Patents Office |
|
14. |
Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) |
|
15. |
Companies Registration Office (CRO) |
|
16. |
Office of the Registrar of Friendly Societies |
|
17. |
The Labour Court |
|
18. |
The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) |
|
19. |
The Equality Tribunal |
|
20. |
The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) |
A Reform Programme underway 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. Plans are at an advanced stage to:
- Integrate Forfás into my Department and transfer the Irish National Accreditation Board from Forfás to the Health and Safety Authority, pursuant to the Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Act, 2014
- Merge the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority into one single entity
- The transfer of enterprise functions from Shannon Development to IDA, EI and tourism functions to Bord Fáilte took place during the last quarter of 2013. The legislation to merge Shannon Development and Shannon Airport into a new commercial state company, State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014, is currently at the Report and Final Stages.
In addition, I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the fact that, following enactment of the Microenterprise Loan Fund Act 2012, Microfinance Ireland was established as a private limited company in August 2012, as a subsidiary of the Social Finance Foundation and has charitable status.
I would also point out that the 35 County Enterprise Boards were dissolved on 15 April 2014 and their functions transferred to Enterprise Ireland. Those functions are now being operated by 31 Local Enterprise Offices through the Local Authorities.
225. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons on social welfare who are encouraged to take up employment as officers during polling days are then penalised by her Department for their days work (details supplied). [29969/14]
View answerWhen determining the amount of jobseeker’s allowance payable, earnings from employment are assessable, including income derived from polling day duties, regardless of whether the earnings belong to the customer or to a qualified adult. In the case of income from this employment source, the earnings are assessed after a daily disregard of €20 is applied for a maximum of 3 days a week and 60% of the balance is assessable as means.
226. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of an MS sufferer (details supplied) who has been refused disability allowance because their means were assessed at 2 cent over the statutory limit. [29974/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 1 July 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
227. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30035/14]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12 May 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
