Written Answers Nos. 54-73
54. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the strategy she has in place to deal with the high level of fatalities on farms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30653/17]
View answerThe agricultural sector remains one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work in Ireland with over 200 fatalities having occurred in that sector in the last 10 years despite the fact that only 5% of the workforce are employed in agricultural sector. There have been 13 fatalities in the sector in Ireland so far this year.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA, is adopting both a prevention approach and an enforcement approach in relation to improving safety on farms.
The “prevention approach” seeks to involve all stakeholders in the development and provision of sector specific information and guidance on all major areas of risk in farming. This is being primarily rolled-out through the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee which is an advisory committee to the HSA. Membership of the Farm Safety Partnership is drawn from all of the main farming organisations such as IFA, ICMSA, Farm Relief Services, Macra na Feirme, Teagasc, Irish Cattle and Sheep Association, Coillte, Farm Relief Services Network, Irish Rural Link etc.
Its current Farm Safety Action Plan runs from 2016 to 2018 and has set out six goals as follows:
- To achieve cultural behavioural change in health and safety of persons working in the agricultural sector through Research, Education and Training;
- To develop programmes which will foster Innovative Approaches and deliver Engineering Solutions to reduce the risks to persons working in Agriculture;
- To reduce the level of death and injury arising from Tractor and Machinery use;
- To establish initiatives to reduce the level of death and injuries arising from working with Livestock;
A cornerstone to the prevention approach is the Farm Safety Code of Practice (Code of Practice for Preventing Injury and Occupational Health in Agriculture) which is a simplified approach to on-site farm management of occupational safety and health. This Code of Practice has recently been updated by the HSA to reflect modern farm risks. Access to quality assurance schemes and farm modernisation grants, available from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, are now being linked to compliance with this Farm Safety Code of Practice.
In addition the Farm Safety Partnership has developed extensive user friendly guidance on all farm safety issues which is being brought to the attention of farmers through farm walks, Knowledge Transfer Groups, articles in the farming media and through farm TV at all major marts, through major events such as the Tullamore Show & National Ploughing Championships as well as dedicated farm safety campaigns.
The enforcement approach by the HSA involves farm visits and inspections to assess compliance standards. These inspections are being carried out throughout the year but particularly during three targeted inspection campaigns in 2017. The March campaign focused on Livestock Safety, the recent May campaign focused on Tractors & Machinery and the forthcoming November campaign will focus on Falls from Height and Falling Objects. These visits and inspections are carried out in a cooperative approach seeking buy in from the farmer on the fundamental importance of safe farm practices. These inspections are well received even though in about 50% of inspections some level of enforcement action will be taken by the inspector. These include written advice, legal Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices all of which legally must be complied with.
In addition to the activities of the HSA my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has advised me that Teagasc is also re-focusing its efforts to assist the farming community to improve safety standards in the following ways;
- Teagasc Advisory and Education and Training staff are highlighting the current trend in fatal farm accidents at all Teagasc events and classes and highlighting preventative measures;
- Teagasc recently provided training on farm health and safety to all Knowledge Transfer Programme Facilitators operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This training was conducted in association with Health and Safety Authority staff and focused on adapting farms to make them safer places in which to both work and live;
- Teagasc provides an on-going programme on Occupational Health and Safety which includes Research, Advisory and Education and Training components and is conducting a national survey of farm accident levels to gain knowledge on the level of non- fatal farm accidents;
- Teagasc issues media releases, and monthly newsletters to keep farmer up-to-date with current health and safety trends and practices;
- Teagasc will include a major health and safety exhibit at the upcoming National Dairy Open Day on 4th July at Moorepark Dairy Research Centre (Cork)
Both the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. and the Minister for Small Business and Employment, Pat Breen T.D., recently convened a meeting of the main farming representative organisations to express their concern at the ongoing high level of farm accidents and deaths and to call on the farming community to collectively, and individually, re-double their efforts to reduce and eliminate farm accidents and fatalities.
It was agreed at the meeting that it is farmers themselves, along with their families and their Communities, who can play the most vital role in putting adequate farm safety measures in place in the first instance. All attendees were invited to submit proposals and suggestions on cross cutting actions that can be taken at farm level to complement the work being done by at a national level by the HSA and Teagasc and on how attitudes and behaviours can realistically be changed to ensure that health and safety considerations in farm work become much more prominent, automatic and widespread
55. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department has received requests for additional staff or funding in 2017 from the IDA, Enterprise Ireland or InterTradeIreland. [30108/17]
View answerAn additional €3million was secured in respect of Pay in Budget 2017 and is being targeted specifically to assist in our response to the evolving Brexit scenario. It is enabling the Department and, primarily, our Agencies recruit some 40 to 50 additional staff to supplement existing staffing numbers. These numbers may grow as Agencies allocate additional Own Resource Income, by agreement with the Department, to recruit further staff to work on "Brexit-related" activity. My Department is proactively engaged with the Agencies most notably Enterprise Ireland (EI), IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to the individual sanction and recruitment processes. To date, EI has recruited 13 additional staff, IDA Ireland have recruited an additional four staff, while SFI and the HSA are progressing their recruitment processes.
In so far as InterTradeIreland (ITI) is concerned oversight and funding of ITI is a joint responsibility of my Department and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy. My Department provided additional funding for ITI for Brexit related work in 2017. We have not however received any formal requests for additional staff resources this year. My Department will continue to engage with ITI and with our counterpart Department in Northern Ireland on resourcing issues in the time ahead.
As we progress the 2018 "estimates" process, and on an ongoing basis, my Department will keep under review the adequacy of resources available for staffing having regard to the other demands on my Department and family of Agencies given our wide remit.
56. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the implications for CETA of the judgment of the ECJ regarding the competence of the European Union in respect of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30462/17]
View answerThe opinion of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) was sought in relation to the competence of the European Union to sign and conclude the EU Singapore Free Trade Agreement. The opinion of the CJEU issued on the 16th of May 2017, and found that the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Singapore (EUSFTA) cannot be signed and concluded by the EU alone: it has to be signed and concluded both by the EU and by each of its Member States, i.e. that it is a ‘Mixed Agreement’.
In its Opinion the CJEU found that some aspects the agreement fall within the EU’s exclusive competence while other aspects will require additional approval from national and regional legislatures. These are referred to as ‘shared competences’.
The competences shared between the EU and the Member States are provisions on investment protection in so far as they relate to non-direct foreign investment (i.e., portfolio investments); and provisions on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS).
The Opinion means that those aspects of a trade agreement in respect of which the EU does not have exclusive competence, cannot be applied until ratified by Member States according to the requirements of their national law.
Consideration must now be given by both Member States and the EU Commission as to whether existing agreements which have yet to be ratified, or current agreements, which are under negotiation, should be concluded as ‘Mixed’ or ‘EU-only’ agreements. My Department is currently examining the Court's judgement including its implications for the ratification of future EU trade agreements.
As you may be aware, on the 30 October 2016, CETA was signed by representatives from Canada, the EU and its Member States. On 15 February 2017, the European Parliament voted in support of the provisional application of CETA. The provisions relating to investment protection, investment dispute settlement and the Investment Court System are excluded from provisional application. This means that these provisions will not take effect until voted on by the Dáil and every other Member State according to their national procedures.
57. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has received the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement report on the reason a case collapsed (details supplied); if she will publish the report immediately; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30594/17]
View answer73. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 54 of 22 June 2017, if she has received the report on the collapse of the trial in question from the ODCE; if so, if she will publish the report without delay; her plans regarding the recommendations made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30715/17]
View answer76. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she will take following the publication of a report by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement regarding a trial (details supplied). [30763/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 73 and 76 together.
I received the report under section 955(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2014 from the Director of Corporate Enforcement on 23 June. I have sought advice from the Attorney General on the report.
Upon receipt of advice from the Attorney General, I will be in a better position to determine next steps.
It is important that any actions we take are done with full knowledge and in line with fair procedures, due process and natural justice. We do not want any action taken that would further exacerbate the situation.
58. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to raise the minimum wage (details supplied). [30648/17]
View answerThe Low Pay Commission was established in 2015 to examine and make recommendations annually on the national minimum wage. The aim is to ensure that the national minimum wage is adjusted incrementally over time having regard to changes in earnings, productivity, overall competitiveness and the likely impact on employment and unemployment levels.
The Commission made its first recommendation in July 2015 when it recommended that the rate be increased to €9.15 per hour. That increase came into effect on 1st January 2016. The Commission’s second recommendation that the rate increase to €9.25 per hour was made in July 2016. It was subsequently accepted by Government and came into effect on 1st January last.
The Commission is currently working on its next recommendation and will report to me on the matter in July. Any recommendation the Commission makes will then be considered by Government in the context of Budget 2018.
The Programme for Partnership Government provides that the Government will rely on the annual recommendations of the Low Pay Commission. Relying on an independent body such as the Low Pay Commission is the most appropriate approach to achieving the right balance and yearly adjustment to the national minimum wage levels.
It is important that Ireland’s statutory National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage concept are not conflated. The Living Wage is a voluntary societal initiative centred on the social, business and economic case to ensure that, wherever it can be afforded, employers will pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual’s basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare. The Living Wage is voluntary and has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement. It is different to the National Minimum Wage which is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis.
I have no plans to bring forward proposals outside of the work of the Low Pay Commission.
59. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which adequate incentives remain available to encourage the indigenous business sector with particular reference to job creation enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30669/17]
View answer63. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which support continues to remain available for small and medium sized enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30673/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 63 together.
My Department, through Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide a range of supports to help Irish companies start, grow and export.
Finance is a critical ingredient to enterprise development. My Department also ensures that companies can access the right type of funding, appropriate to their stage of development. This ranges from microfinance right through to seed and venture capital, development capital and risk-sharing credit guarantees through the banks.
Following significant analysis and stakeholder consultation, my Department is currently working on measures targeted at the needs of companies across the economy around working capital and business development.
The objective of Enterprise Ireland’s new “Global Ambition” strategy 2017-2020 is to support enterprises across the economy to grow into strong Irish international companies, developing world-leading products and services and exporting them all around the world.
These programme supports include management capability, leadership and marketing/sales skills, as well as promoting innovation and R&D. Investment in these areas is the key to developing bigger and better Irish companies that can compete globally.
In the context of Brexit, the “Brexit SME Scorecard” launched by Enterprise Ireland (EI) in March 2017, is a new interactive online platform which can be used by Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit. In addition, Enterprise Ireland’s #PrepareforBrexit communications campaign includes a “Be Prepared Grant” that supports the costs of EI’s SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities.
The Local Enterprise Offices are the “first stop shop” for advice and guidance on starting or growing a business. As well as providing training, mentoring and financial support in some instances, the LEOs can refer business clients to other sources of support.
Finally, our 8 Regional Action Plans for Jobs are building on the jobs potential of each region. The Plans bring together the public and private sector interests in each region to deliver upon a suite of actions in support of enterprise.
To further support this work, my Department launched a new Regional Enterprise Development Fund in May to support collaborative approaches to grow and sustain indigenous enterprise and jobs across the regions. Funding of up to €60m will be available over a period of four years to 2020.
The Fund will support significant collaborative regional initiatives to build on specific industry sectoral strengths and improve enterprise capability, thereby driving job creation. Competitive Feasibility funding to support the development of high quality regional projects is also available as part of this initiative.
60. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she expects to be in a position to encourage job creation throughout the regions with particular reference to those areas most deeply affected by the downturn in the economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30670/17]
View answerThe Regional Action Plan for Jobs initiative is a central pillar of the Government’s ambition to create 200,000 new jobs by 2020, 135,000 of which are outside of Dublin. A key objective of each of the plans is to have a further 10 to 15 per cent at work in each region by 2020, with the unemployment rate of each region within one per cent of the national average.
Progress to date is good and employment continues to grow strongly. Encouragingly, the unemployment rate has fallen in all regions in the past year while, during the same period, more than three out of every four new jobs created were outside Dublin.
In 2016, almost two thirds of new jobs created by Enterprise Ireland supported companies, and over half of those created by IDA supported companies, were outside Dublin.
Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for 2017-2020 aims to create a further 60,000 jobs, while sustaining existing ones, which will make an important contribution to jobs and economic growth across all regions of Ireland; IDA will continue to target a minimum increase in investment of 30% to 40% in each region outside Dublin to 2019.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shop’ State support service for micro and small businesses in each local area. The LEOs are providing advice and direction, covering all government supports and requirements, to anyone who wishes to start or expand a business. Last year's LEO annual jobs survey results highlighted three consecutive years of local jobs growth throughout the country: in 2016 there was a net increase of 3,679 jobs and total direct employment among LEO client companies stood at 34,634.
To further support enterprise development across all regions, additional funding of up to €60m is being rolled out by Enterprise Ireland over the next 4 years to support the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative projects that can sustain and add to employment at a national, regional and county level. This regional competitive fund will support the ambition, goals and implementation of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs.
In addition, additional funding of €150m is being made available to the IDA to support its Regional Property Programme and drive job creation in the multi-national sector.
61. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if consideration will be given to the creation of special development zones in areas of the country unable to attract job creating investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30671/17]
View answerEffective regional development is a key concern for my Department. Consequently, our Regional Action Plan for Jobs initiative is working to promote regional and rural job creation by bringing different stakeholders in each of the eight regions together to identify innovative and practical actions, to be taken across a range of Departments and agencies, with clear timelines for delivery over the period 2015 – 2017. The focus of my Department is on the delivery of the Regional Action Plans as the approrpiate level of policy and operational focus and we do not operate a programme of 'special' development areas or zones.
The Plans are being monitored and driven in each region by Implementation Committees, comprising representatives from the Enterprise Sector, as well as the Local Authorities, Enterprise Agencies, and other public bodies in the region. Collaboration between the private and the public sector has been a core element in each plan’s development, and will be central to each plan’s delivery.
Furthermore, my Department is working closely and continuously with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on the development of the new National Planning Framework (NPF). This engagement, informed by Enterprise 2025, relates to a number of issues including the role of enterprise, the factors that shape the potential of each region, the need to cater to the differing development potential and requirements across regions to optimise potential for growth and the importance of investments in economic infrastructure (and combinations of infrastructures) to support economic development.
The most recent figures from the CSO also show that over 70% of all jobs created in the past year were created outside Dublin.
62. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which foreign direct investment remains available; her views on whether the political situation in the United States of America or Europe will affect inward investment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30672/17]
View answerThe State has a long track record – built up over 67 years by the work of IDA Ireland – in winning foreign direct investment (FDI) for the Irish people. Over that period, the world economy has changed shape many times, yet Ireland has remained an attractive destination for FDI. As the global investment climate continues to evolve, we will adapt accordingly – as we have done in the past – and make sure that Ireland continues to secure new FDI projects and the jobs that go with them.
Our capacity to continue winning such new investment, despite geopolitical changes, will be aided by the underlying strengths of our FDI offering. These include our talented workforce, pro-enterprise business environment, first-rate education system and our proven track record as a home to global businesses. Our continued membership of the European Union and Eurozone has also become particularly important in light of Brexit.
64. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which innovation and technology remain central to job creating opportunities indigenously or through foreign direct investment; her views on whether particular initiatives are required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30674/17]
View answer67. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans for continued industrial expansion utilising innovation and technology to the greatest possible extent and ensuring the creation of adequate job opportunities in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30679/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 67 together.
My Department recognises the key role that innovation has played in Ireland’s economic recovery to date. It contributes significantly to job creation, exports and investment, and the competitiveness of the indigenous enterprise base, and also to embedding the foreign direct investment base in Ireland.
It is clear that a strong interdependence exists therefore between science, technology and innovation policy and enterprise policy. My Department has developed its Innovation 2020 strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology and its Enterprise 2025 policy side by side. A critical objective for my Department is delivering on the actions and commitments set out in Innovation 2020.
A report published by my Department in October 2016, Economic and Enterprise Impacts from Public Investment in R&D in Ireland, focuses on the public R&D investments that are aimed at achieving enterprise impacts. These relate to investments by this Department, through Enterprise Ireland (EI), IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, and also through the Irish Research Council and the Higher Education Authority.
This study has shown that investment in R&D translates into improved job creation and enterprise performance. Among the findings are:
- Firms that invested in R&D grew employment by 14% between 2000 and 2014 while those that did not invest in R&D saw employment decline by 40%
- R&D performing companies grew exports by 181% between 2003 and 2014 compared to a loss of 42% in exports for non-R&D performing companies over the same period
- R&D activity was identified as being one characteristic of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client firms that has driven growth in sales and exports since 2003. During the recession these firms exhibited greater resilience than non-R&D active firms and have increased their contributions to sales, exports and employment
- For Enterprise Ireland client firms funded through its R&D Fund scheme, there was an 8% growth in net employment (22,003 jobs to 23,739 jobs) between 2002 and 2012. In comparison there was a 6.2% decline in employment in the total Enterprise Ireland client base over the 2002 to 2012 period (131,144 jobs to 119,935 jobs).
EI has played a particularly important role in supporting job creation in Ireland. Between 2014 and 2016 employment in EI backed companies reached 200,000. In its new strategy 2017 - 2020, Building Scale, Expanding Reach, EI is aiming to increase this further with a new target to create an additional 60,000 new jobs by 2020.
The Strategy also aims to drive innovation in Irish enterprise to unprecedented levels through new supports to reach the target of €1.25bn in R&D expenditure by its client companies per annum by 2020.
Enterprise Ireland operates a range of supports to help companies engage with third level researchers to undertake collaborative research for the benefit of companies. Again, evidence shows that R&D active firms who collaborate with the Higher Education sector do significantly better in terms of job creation and exports than those that do not collaborate.
A further aspect of Enterprise Ireland’s work is to extract maximum value from Ireland’s investment in the research system – the objective is to secure commercial purpose, leading to jobs and sales by transferring technologies and ideas developed in Irish research institutions out into firms. Knowledge Transfer Ireland is instrumental in this area.
Going forward, in order to support companies to increase job creation and exports, EI will continue funding its critical existing programmes along with new supports for Innovation such as:
-The Business Innovation Initiative (BII) aimed at driving innovation beyond selling products based on technical innovations, providing more customer focussed process and service solutions;
- The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Initiative which is a cross-government process that allows public bodies to use public procurement to source R&D and innovative solutions to solve identified ‘challenges’. This provides significant business opportunities for innovation focused companies;
- New initiatives to equip graduates and researchers in the higher education system with the key skills required by the enterprise base.
As the outcome of the Brexit vote forces Irish companies to employ R&D in a bid to protect their current exports in the UK and to explore different markets, innovation will continue to play a central role in growing exports as well as employment. To address this and in addition to the new supports listed above, Enterprise Ireland will also:
- Help companies develop their internal innovation capabilities and capacities through training and assistance with new key Hires and access to Innovation expertise and capabilities at home and abroad.
- Help companies increase their investment in Innovation (up by 50% by 2020) with the introduction of the new Innovation toolkit which includes:
- Redevelopment of EI Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Offer
- The Health Innovation Hub – a new support to unlock and focus the Irish Healthcare system’s ability to drive healthcare Innovation through access to companies
- Support to provide Multinational Sub supply and partnering opportunities for SMEs.
- Increased focus on assisting young Irish disruptive technology companies to access the significant EU H2020 SME instrument.
- Support to enable Irish companies to access funding support and contracts from H2020 and the European Space Agency respectively.
- Extensions of the Campus Incubation facilities (In Athlone, Waterford and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology) to provide more support for regional start-ups.
- Access to key talent: Enterprise Ireland will help with finding, hiring, growing and reaching impactful innovation people particularly through the Marie Curie Co-Fund which will enable 50 leading edge international researchers to work for Irish companies and a new offer to better condition new Graduates to work in industry so that they can contribute to companies growth more quickly and effectively.
IDA Ireland’s main objective is to encourage investment into Ireland by foreign-owned companies. The Agency reported a second, consecutive record year in 2016. 199,877 people are now employed in IDA Ireland supported client companies, up from 188,035 in 2015. This is the highest level of employment in the Agency’s history.
The area of RDI is of strategic importance to IDA Ireland. A company decision to invest in RDI may be to support improvement in productivity; to develop a strengthened reputation for quality or to develop new products and services.
IDA Ireland’s strategy Winning FDI 2015-2019 outlines a plan to support clients in creating 80,000 new jobs and increase employment in the client portfolio to 209,000 by 2019. Support for RDI will be key to achieving these targets. Research, development and innovation investments not only embed existing FDI operations and employment but pave the way for future investment, job creation and export growth. As the global battle for FDI intensifies, investment in research and development will become even more critical to attracting and retaining FDI companies.
The increase in RDI investment since 2000 has improved our attractiveness as an FDI location. 60% (just under €60m in 2015) of IDA’s total grant-aid budget is allocated to RDI projects each year. This investment leverages RDI expenditure of €600m by IDA clients for these approved projects and an overall annual spend by IDA supported companies of €1.53bn per annum on RDI. This has the effect of anchoring FDI clients and securing sustainable employment and related benefits to the Irish economy.
The National Support System for Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for research and innovation, is coordinated by Enterprise Ireland. Horizon 2020 is one of seven flagship initiatives in Europe 2020, the European Union's ten-year jobs and growth strategy. It has a budget of almost €75 billion and runs over the period 2014-2020. Horizon 2020 includes a programme tailored specifically to the needs of SMEs, namely the SME Instrument, which has €3 billion in funding available over the period 2014-2020. The SME Instrument helps high-potential SMEs to develop ground-breaking innovative ideas for products, services or processes that are ready to face global market competition.
Companies in Ireland (both foreign-owned and Irish-owned) that compete successfully for funding from Horizon 2020 will boost their innovative capability and competitiveness which in turn will deliver strong national economic impacts, including job creation.
Ireland has won €424 million from 2014 to May 2017 in competitive, EU funding from Horizon 2020. Higher Education Institutions accounted for €233 million of the total and companies, €151 million. The funding for companies included €94 million awarded to SMEs. Ireland has the highest success rate in Europe for the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument with a 16% success rate, compared to a European average of 6%.
A budget of €30 billion has been allocated to the final three years of Horizon 2020, which will provide significant funding opportunities for companies in Ireland that participate in the programme over the period 2018-2020.
The recent national ex-post evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) estimated that the European Commission contribution of €625M to Ireland from 2007 to 2013 would lead to an estimated 2,000 jobs created per year. It is expected that such figures will grow considerably in the context of Ireland’s current target to double participation in the period 2014-2020.
65. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she expects support from the EU Commission in the context of innovation and technology in respect of job retention or job creation here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30675/17]
View answerInnovation is a key mechanism by which companies can gain competitive advantage. Innovation can lower costs, increase productivity and add value to a company's products or services. A competitive advantage is necessary for success in global markets, which for a small open economy like Ireland, is necessary for creating sustainable, quality employment.
Innovation 2020, the national strategy for Research and Innovation, which was launched in December 2015, sets out the Government's ambition for Ireland to become a global innovation leader. International cooperation is an integral part of that strategy. International cooperation maximises the impact of international and national investment in research and innovation. It contributes to the development of Ireland as a research and enterprise partner, underscoring and enhancing the excellence of our research and innovation system and facilitating engagement with the Irish diaspora. A key plank of our engagement in international cooperation is participation of our researchers and enterprise in the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation.
Horizon 2020 is the current Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. It is one of seven flagship initiatives in Europe 2020, the European Union’s ten-year jobs and growth strategy. H2020 has a budget of €75 billion and runs from 2014 to 2020. H2020 funding (grant aid) is awarded on a competitive basis to researchers and companies across three main pillars: Excellent Science; Leadership in Industrial Technologies; and Societal Challenges.
Ireland has won €424 million from 2014 to May 2017 in competitive, EU funding from Horizon 2020. Higher Education Institutions accounted for €233 million of the total and companies, €151 million. The funding for companies included €94 million awarded to SMEs.
A dedicated SME Instrument within Horizon 2020 has a budget of €3 billion to support high-potential SMEs to develop ground-breaking innovative ideas for products, services or processes that are ready to face global market competition. Irish SMEs have recorded the highest success rate in the SME Instrument at 16%, compared with an EU average of 6%.
My department chairs the Horizon 2020 High Level Group, a cross-Government committee tasked with coordinating Ireland's participation in Horizon 2020. In addition, Enterprise Ireland leads a National Support System that assists researchers and companies to participate in the programme.
In the autumn the European Commission will launch the Horizon 2020 work programme for 2018-2020. This will have a total budget of €30 billion and will provide significant funding opportunities for companies in Ireland. The National Support System is actively preparing for that programme in order to maximize the participation by researchers and companies.
66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she remains satisfied regarding the ability of the manufacturing and services sectors to compete nationally and internationally with particular reference to their cost base; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30678/17]
View answerAddressing Ireland’s cost competitiveness remains a key economic priority for Government, therefore we continue to monitor Ireland's cost competitiveness on a regular basis.
The National Competiveness Council publishes the Costs of Doing Business in Ireland every year. In its Report of June 2017, the National Competitiveness Council found that Ireland’s cost base has improved across a range of metrics over the last five years (e.g. the cost of starting a business, communications costs and average income taxes). This has made Irish firms more competitive internationally and made Ireland a more attractive location for firms to base their operations in. However, despite these improvements Ireland remains a relatively high cost location and already the return to sustained levels of growth has resulted in upward pressures in property, labour and business service costs.
Ireland is particularly vulnerable to negative economic shocks which are outside the influence of domestic policymakers. A number of short and medium term downside risks have already emerged that could undermine national competitiveness. Over the past 12 months, we have seen the challenges created for Irish firms exporting to the UK as a result of Brexit, resulting from the weakness of sterling on international currency markets. The international price of oil has almost doubled over the past 12 months and the low international energy prices, which to date have countered increases in other domestic costs, is now dissipating. To pre-empt such threats we must improve our cost competitiveness. In this regard, costs are paramount: a competitive cost base helps to create a virtuous circle between inflation, wage expectations and cost competitiveness.
Government is committed to take action to address unnecessarily high costs (i.e. cost and price levels not justified by productivity) wherever they arise. A range of initiatives, as set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, are in train across Government Departments to improve the ease of doing business, reduce the administrative burden, enhance our cost competitiveness and increase productivity and drive greater efficiencies across the enterprise base. The issue of rising cost residential property will be addressed through a suite of measures in Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The Cost of Motor Insurance Action Plan provides measures to help reduce the cost of insurance cost.
The National Competitiveness Council and my Department and its agencies are continually engaged with relevant stakeholders on the particular policy needs required to support cost competitiveness. The stakeholders include other Government Departments, regulatory bodies and public and private bodies. In this regard, there is a role for both the public and private sectors alike to proactively manage the controllable portion of their respective cost bases, drive efficiency and continue to take action to address unnecessarily high costs. Such actions will ensure that improvements in relative cost competitiveness are more sustainable, leaving Ireland better positioned to cope with external shocks.
As part of these engagements, my Department, the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland and the SBCI are working on developing of Brexit Working Capital Guarantee Scheme and to scope out the need for a longer term Business Development Loan Scheme which would assist Irish firms in investing for a post-Brexit environment and increase their competitiveness. Development of these proposed responses is at an early stage, and is subject to resources being agreed as part of the annual budget process, and with due regards to State aid rules.
68. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she and her Department have examined the skill requirements in the workplace with a view to ensuring continued job creation and productivity in line with modern standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30680/17]
View answerThe Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) plays a key role in advising the Government on the current and future skills needs of the economy. Recent EGFSN reports have anticipated future job opportunities arising from both expansion and replacement demand for a range of occupational roles, including in biopharma, ICT, data analytics, hospitality, manufacturing, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, international sales and marketing, project management, freight transport, distribution and logistics.
The EGFSN also provides information on employment trends, job opportunities and demand for skills through the annual “National Skills Bulletin” and the “Vacancy Overview” reports. It also provides information on the supply of skills from the Irish education system through the “Monitoring Ireland’s Skills Supply” publication. The EGFSN also publishes reports on specific sectoral, or cross-sectoral skills needs, as well as “Regional Labour Markets Bulletins” which assist in informing regional education and training provision.
The development of ICT skills is one example which this Department has examined and worked closely with the Department of Education and Skills to deliver on. ICT skillsets are important in both the manufacturing and services sectors. The 2013 EGFSN report on “Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills” indicated that the continuing strong demand from employers for people with high-level ICT skills across the economy could lead to 44,500 new job openings arising from expansion and replacement demand over the period to 2018. To achieve this jobs potential, the report noted that all available policy levers would need to be utilised to increase high-level ICT skills supply.
In this context, the Government has initiated an ICT Action Plan, now in its second iteration, which provides an integrated response within the education system to increasing the domestic supply of high level ICT skills. The aim of the Plan is to support the flow of people into ICT education, training and careers. Overall implementation of the Plan is driven by a High Level Steering Group which my Department co-chairs with the Department of Education and Skills.
The skills needs in other areas of the economy are being addressed through the Further and Higher education system, through Springboard+ courses which help to upskill or re-skill unemployed people, and through the enterprise-led Training Networks Programme run by Skillnets. This year, Skillnets will deliver over 43,000 training places for those in employment, in a range of sectors and regions across over 63 training networks who will identify training needs and source provision to ensure it is aligned to the needs of workers and enterprise.
In the Higher Education Sector, the primary objective of Springboard+ in 2017 is to provide upskilling and reskilling courses to develop the talent base in Ireland in key growth sectors of the economy including ICT; hospitality; biopharma, medical device technologies and manufacturing; financial services; and entrepreneurship. This year the eligibility criteria has been expanded to include homemakers and those in employment who wish to upskill or reskill in specific high demand skills areas such as in Biopharma.
The Governments Action Plan for Education 2016 – 2019 provides a key statement on the reform agenda across the education and training system. The Plan contains a range of actions to be implemented with particular focus on disadvantage, skills needs, and continuous improvement within the education service.
The Governments National Skills Strategy 2025 has over 120 Actions involving over 50 stakeholders. The purpose of the Strategy is to provide a framework for skills development that will help drive Ireland’s growth both economically and societally over the next decade
Within the Further Education and Training (FET) sector, significant improvements have been made in the planning and funding of provision since the publication of the FET Strategy in 2014. Education and Training Boards engage in a service planning process annually against a range of detailed parameters set by SOLAS. This process has been refined and improved each year and includes the use of strengthened labour market data provided by the SLMRU to ensure that the skill needs of learners and enterprise are met.
In 2015, the Minister for Education and Skills announced the development of 25 new Apprenticeships which cover a wide range of sectors such as manufacturing and engineering, tourism and sport, financial services, information technology, transport distribution and logistics, and business administration and management.
Earlier this year, the Government launched an Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020 was launched, setting out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitments on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period to 2020. The Plan sets out how the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals in 2015 will be managed to provide for the needs of all sectors.
In May 2017, the Apprenticeship Council's announced the second call to employers for proposals for new apprenticeship programmes, where areas where apprenticeships have not traditionally existed will be targeted, so as to offer robust new career pathways and options to at least 20% of school leavers. The call is a key action in the plan to double the number of annual apprenticeship and traineeship registrations in 120 different schemes so that by 2020, 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes.
In April 2017 the National Skills Council and nine Regional Skills Fora were established - both of which are key elements of the new skills architecture as set out in the National Skills Strategy 2025. Working together with Government Departments and agencies along with education and training providers, the work of the Council and fora, will ensure that we can anticipate and respond to current, future and rapidly changing skills needs across all sectors of the economy.
The Council had its first meeting on the 15th May 2017. The Council will oversee research and advise on prioritisation and delivery of identified skills needs. Skills information from the EGFSN, the SLMRU and the Regional Skills Fora will feed into the work of the Council.
Co-operation between employers and the education and training system has proven to be crucial in developing effective responses to skills needs, and this co-operation is being strengthened through the Further and Higher education and training systems, including via the new Regional Skills Fora put in place by the Department of Education and Skills to connect employers, enterprise development agencies and education and training providers.
The Governments Action Plan for Jobs has proven to be an effective mechanism for coordinated cross government action focused on job creation and on creating an environment that is conducive to entrepreneurship, investment and enterprise growth. The existing process will continue to ensure the required focus on the achievement of sustainable full employment on an annual basis in the context of considerable international uncertainty.
The ambition in Enterprise 2025 is to achieve sustainable full employment by 2020. The required actions to achieve sustainable full employment were set out in Enterprise 2025, in terms of building the resilience of the enterprise base through productivity, innovation and market diversification. These are to be delivered by DJEI and the enterprise development agencies and also by a number of government departments that have a role to play in ensuring we have a supportive and internationally differentiated business environment.
The delivery of the right skills and talent is essential for the in terms of building up the enterprise base and the Department of Enterprise and Innovation will continue to work closely with the Department of Education and Skills to ensure a supply of the right skills which will support continued job creation and productivity growth. Enterprise also has an important role to play investing in the skills development of its workforce aligned to their strategic business plan.
69. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she expects Ireland to be in a position to increase trade with the US, Canada and other EU and non-EU locations post-Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30682/17]
View answerAs the UK’s exit negotiations have only recently commenced it is hard to predict at this stage the full impact of Brexit. Much will depend on the nature of the future trade deal that will be negotiated between the EU and the UK. These negotiations are likely to be complex and multifaceted.
Promoting diversified export markets in light of the potential impacts of Brexit is a key priority for my Department. With a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets is essential to our continued economic growth. Overall, export growth in Ireland in recent years has been exceptionally strong and exports continue to contribute positively to growth. Since 2009, the value of exports from Ireland has risen by over 60%.
The EU’s suite of Free Trade Agreements with third Countries help to open new markets, break down barriers and provide new opportunities for Irish firms. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) covers virtually every aspect of economic activity. It will remove over 99% of tariffs and will create sizeable new market access opportunities in services and investment in many sectors for Irish firms.
Irish firms will be able to bid for Canadian public contracts at the federal and sub-federal level. They will benefit from the recognition of product standards and certification, thus saving on ‘double testing’ on both sides of the Atlantic. CETA provides significant opportunities for the Irish dairy industry and has strong protections for our beef industry through restricted quotas for Canadian beef entering the EU. There are a wide range of sectoral opportunities for Irish firms in Canada, including financial software, telecoms, digital media, agricultural machinery and life-sciences and medical devices.
The provisional application of CETA in the coming months will ensure that Irish firms can immediately benefit from the Agreement and in turn generate jobs and growth for Ireland.
The US remains one of Ireland’s most important partners for trade and investment. Goods exports from Ireland to the US in 2016 increased by 13% and imports increased by 14%. In fact in the last four years, our goods trade with the US has increased by 54%. Data available for Q1 of this year shows a further increase in the value of our goods trade with the US, when compared to Q1 last year.
The latest data available for Services trade shows a 34 % increase in services exports to the US in 2015 and a 20% rise in services imports from the US compared to the previous year.
I am hopeful that the value of Ireland-US trade will continue to increase and the general indicators are strong. However, the global trading environment is uncertain, particularly in light of Brexit and an increase in protectionist sentiment. Our programme of trade and investment missions and high level visits to the US have provided a key foundation on which to further build our strong economic and trading links with the US and these will continue into the future.
70. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she remains satisfied that Ireland's position in the context of the knowledge development box remains such as to ensure that Ireland's peripheral geographic location does not become in any way an impediment to the future development of the economy in both the manufacturing and service sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30683/17]
View answerI am satisfied that Ireland's will continue to attract foreign direct investment, as it has always successfully done, despite its periperal geographic location.
The KDB, introduced in Budget 2016 forms part of Ireland’s competitive offering to continue to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and to support Irish owned companies to innovate and to compete effectively on international markets.
Ireland is the first country world-wide to introduce an OECD compliant Knowledge Development Box (KDB) offering. The certainty, predictability and clear signal that this sends to enterprise - including both Irish owned and foreign owned entities establishing and doing business from here - remains essential. This certainty has become even more important in the current dynamic and uncertain geopolitical landscape.
With successful enactment of the KDB (Certification of Inventions) Act 2017, the KDB will benefit companies of all sizes.
The KDB (Certification of Inventions) Act 2017 which applies to certain small and medium sized companies facilitates their ability to avail of it without the need for public disclosure of their innovative concept. The Act is intended to open up the opportunity for companies across a broad spectrum including companies in incubation units right through to high-potential start-ups in all industry sectors once they are generating income resulting from research and development activities. The scheme should serve to significantly boost innovation and investment in research and development in Ireland and to generate economic benefit and jobs.
The KDB complements the existing suite of initiatives and supports available to companies that undertake R&D activities in Ireland across the lifecycle of research and development - including R&D tax credits, RD&I grant supports, support for technology acquisition (S291A), significant state investments in National Research Centres and knowledge transfer infrastructures, and advisory supports for accessing Horizon 2020 funding - providing a competitive proposition for business investment.
71. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she remains satisfied that the manufacturing and service sectors remain capable of withstanding any negative impact arising from Brexit; if every effort continues to be made to replenish and replace losses arising from the debate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30684/17]
View answerThe Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) contains a suite of actions to support enterprise development and job creation in manufacturing and services sectors, and APJ 2017 contains a chapter dedicated to responding to Brexit. According to the latest data from the CSO, unemployment has decreased to 6.4% in Q1 2017. This is the nineteenth quarter in succession where unemployment has declined on an annual basis. Employment is up in the industry sector, as well as in key services sectors such as transportation, construction, wholesale/retail, professional/scientific/technical activities, and tourism-related services. All of this demonstrates a resilience in manufacturing and services sectors despite uncertainties arising from Brexit and other developments.
Every effort will continue to be made by my Department and Agencies to maximize employment across all sectors and regions. My Department, through Enterprise Ireland (EI) provides a range of supports to help Irish manufacturing and services companies start, grow and export. There are now over 201,000 people employed by EI supported companies across the country, an all-time high for the Agency. IDA Ireland reported a second consecutive record year in 2016. 199,877 people are now employed in IDA Ireland supported manufacturing and services companies, up from 188,035 in 2015.
Regarding opportunities arising from Brexit, my responsibility, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is to ensure that Ireland as a whole is best placed to capitalise on potential foreign direct investment opportunities that may emerge on account of Brexit. We will continue to focus on assisting Irish owned companies to build capabilities and to enter new geographic markets with innovative products and services. That is why I secured significant additional funding for both agencies, to help better respond to the challenges and opportunities Brexit may present.
72. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of full-time and part-staff employed in the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by grade, legal personnel and other staff; and the Exchequer funding allocated to the CCPC in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [30706/17]
View answerThe Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) was established on 31 October 2014, as a result of the amalgamation of the National Consumer Agency (NCA) and the Competition Authority. Numbers of staff and exchequer funding has been provided in respect of each year of the Agencies existence (from 2014).
My officials are collating the staffing numbers and funding in respect of the NCA and Competition Authority for the previous years (2010-2013). As soon as this is available, I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy.
|
2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
|
|
No of Staff |
88 |
89 |
89 |
86 |
|
Full-time |
88 |
89 |
89 |
86 |
|
Part-time |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Chair |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Member |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
PO |
10 |
9 |
9 |
11 |
|
AP (higher) |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
AP |
11 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
|
Case Officer |
13 |
15 |
27 |
27 |
|
HEO |
20 |
19 |
12 |
9 |
|
AO |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
EO |
22 |
23 |
22 |
19 |
|
SO |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
CO |
2 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
|
Service Officer |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Legal Personnel* |
4 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
*Legal Personnel figures refer to the number of legal advisors and doesn't include other staff members who might be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister and are employed as investigators by the CCPC. It should also be noted that the Legal Personnel are of varying grades and already included in the overall staff number for each year.
In relation to the funding provided to the CCPC by the Exchequer for each year the figures are as follows:
|
Year |
Funding €m |
|
2017 |
12,138 |
|
2016 |
12,141 |
|
2015 |
12,230 |
|
2014 |
12,287 |
