Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2016
753. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding that has been provided to County Louth over the three years 2014 to 2016 by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37225/16]
View answer754. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the applications submitted for funding projects from Louth County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016 in tabular form; and if the applications were successful. [37241/16]
View answer755. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding for projects in 2017 in County Louth to be funded by her Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37257/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 753 to 755, inclusive, together.
My Department is focused on ensuring that the effects of economic recovery are felt throughout all regions of the country. While employment has increased in all our regions, it has not been as fast in some. The Government’s ultimate target is to achieve sustainable full employment, and to assist in achieving this objective, my Department’s agencies are ensuring that targeted supports for enterprise and job creation are provided throughout all regions. The Action Plan for Jobs for the North West/North East region, which includes Louth, sets out a comprehensive plan to build on the strengths of the region to develop its full potential for enterprise and jobs growth.
Details of funding for projects in County Louth in 2014, 2015 and 2016 provided by the agencies of my Department are set out in the following tables where available. The levels of funding to be provided for projects in 2017 have not yet been determined.
IDA Ireland
IDA Ireland continues to work towards achieving job creation and investment targets set out in its strategy ‘Winning Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019’, and is particularly focusing on job creation outside Dublin. In 2016 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. Details of grant payments in 2016 are not yet available.
|
Project Name |
Location |
Funding Amount |
Other relevant information |
|
Kelton Tech Solutions Limited |
Drogheda |
Confidential |
Establishment of an EMEA HQ with the creation of 100 jobs. |
In 2015 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. In addition, grant payments to IDA Ireland clients in Louth during 2015 totalled €993,000.
|
Project Name |
Location |
Funding Amount |
Other relevant information |
|
Prometric |
Dundalk |
Confidential |
A leading US Testing company expanding its operation in Dundalk with the creation of 40 jobs and also entering a three-year research partnership with DCU, valued at almost €1million. |
In 2014 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. In addition, grant payments to IDA Ireland clients in Louth during 2014 totalled €3,672,307.
|
Project Name |
Location |
Funding Amount |
Other relevant information |
|
Becton Dickinson |
Drogheda |
Confidential |
€16 million investment in new equipment to expand its production of BD syringes with the creation of 20 jobs. |
|
Paypal |
Dundalk |
Confidential |
400 jobs created as an expansion of its operation centre. |
Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets, thus supporting sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment. Details of the funding amounts provided by Enterprise Ireland for projects in Co. Louth are set out in the following table. Data for funding provided by Enterprise Ireland in 2016 is not available at present.
|
Year |
Location |
Funding Amount |
|
2014 |
Louth |
€868,531.84 |
|
Year |
Location |
Funding Amount |
|
2015 |
Louth |
€2,359,406.23 |
Local Enterprise Offices
Capital funding from my Department for Local Enterprise Development is allocated to the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) through the Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland. This funding is allocated among the LEOs to support clients through the provision of grants (Measure 1) and soft supports (Measure 2), such as training and mentoring, and used to fund the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) programme. Details of the total payments made by LEO Louth in 2014 and 2015 are set out in Table 1. Details of total payments made in 2016 are not available.
Table 1: Total Payments by LEO Louth in 2014 and 2015
|
Louth LEO |
Total Payments |
|
2014 |
€225,203 |
|
2015 |
€195,023 |
PQ 37241/16 refers
LEO Louth is effectively a Unit of Louth County Council and made a successful application under the LEO Competitive Fund in a collaborative project with a number of other LEOs as set out in Table 2. This was one of four applications in which LEO Louth was involved under the Fund.
Table 2: Applications for Funding from Louth County Council
|
Project Name |
Was application successful YES/NO |
Any other relevant information |
|
The ACCELINVEST programme, in conjunction with the LEOs Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan: the aim is to create a clear pathway for export focused, investment-ready regional companies to progress from the LEO Network to Enterprise Ireland. |
Yes |
The project was approved for funding of €175,000 in 2016, although the amounts to be allocated to the individual participant LEOs, including the LEO Louth, will not be known until later in the project lifecycle. |
PQ 37257/16 refers
A total of €22.5m in Capital funding has been allocated to my Department for Local Enterprise Development in 2017. The allocations to individual LEOs will be calculated next year in line with an agreed methodology.
Credit Guarantee Scheme
The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme is a government initiative that was set up to encourage additional lending to commercially viable SMEs which, under normal lending criteria, are unable to obtain new or additional facilities from their bank. The total amount of loans sanctioned under the Credit Guarantee Scheme in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out below.
|
Year |
Location |
Funding Amount |
|
2016 |
Louth |
€1,140,000 |
|
2015 |
Louth |
€215,000 |
|
2014 |
Louth |
€50,000 |
Microfinance Ireland
Microfinance Ireland provides small loans through the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund to help to start up a small business or expand an existing business. The total applications received and approved in Louth in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out in the following tables.
2016
|
Applications Received |
Amount |
Applications Approved |
Amount |
|
27 |
€466k |
7 |
€99k |
2015
|
Applications Received |
Amount |
Applications Approved |
Amount |
|
18 |
€295k |
9 |
€126k |
2014
|
Applications Received |
Amount |
Applications Approved |
Amount |
|
10 |
€187k |
3 |
€38k |
Other Relevant Information
With regard to applications received from Louth County Council for funding by my Department and its agencies, LEO Louth is effectively a Unit of Louth County Council and made a successful application under the LEO Competitive Fund in a collaborative project with a number of other LEOs as set out below. This was one of four applications in which LEO Louth was involved under the Fund.
Applications for Funding from Louth County Council
|
Project Name |
Was application successful YES/NO |
Any other relevant information |
|
The ACCELINVEST programme, in conjunction with the LEOs Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan: the aim is to create a clear pathway for export focused, investment-ready regional companies to progress from the LEO Network to Enterprise Ireland. |
Yes |
The project was approved for funding of €175,000 in 2016, although the amounts to be allocated to the individual participant LEOs, including the LEO Louth, will not be known until later in the project lifecycle. |
