Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
451. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [23280/16]
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, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices with a view to ensuring that companies in Ireland have a complete suite of supports available to them to enable them to compete in difficult global markets. Across policy areas including funding for growth, management development, innovation and internationalisation my officials and their agency colleagues are constantly benchmarking what is happening in other jurisdictions.
The Action Plan for Jobs 2016 contains 304 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.
Growing the capability of Irish enterprise to compete in world markets is a specific priority of the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs. Through a range of actions, the target is the creation of over 13,000 new full-time permanent jobs and to support clients to achieve €22 billion in exports in 2016. These include:
- ensuring viable SMEs can access appropriate finance;
- supporting companies through “Lean” (efficiency) programmes;
- increasing the supply of skills to support company growth;
- enhancing management development;
- creating clusters of companies and other bodies to share knowledge and enhance efficiencies;
- leveraging the links between Irish-owned and foreign-owned enterprises in Ireland;
- supporting Irish companies seeking to participate in public procurement;
- supporting trade;
- reducing the cost of doing business.
Looking to the longer term, the ambitions targeted in Enterprise 2025 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.
