Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2018
362. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the level of expenditure by Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise office in counties Offaly, Laois, Longford and Westmeath to promote job creation and the establishment of new businesses and enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9641/18]
View answerOn an annual basis, Enterprise Ireland (EI) works with approximately 5,000 companies through a network of market and sector advisers based across 10 national offices and 33 international offices. These manufacturing and internationally traded services companies are a critical source of existing employment and job creation in every county in Ireland. EI’s focus for 2018 is to help clients build on the strength of their 2017 performance by supporting them to innovate, be competitive and to diversify their global footprint - key attributes required to be resilient to economic shocks, such as those emerging from any kind of Brexit.
Enterprise Ireland is committed to job growth throughout the country. This was reflected in its end of year statement for 2017, which saw job growth in every county. Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath all saw net job increases in EI supported client companies of 5% or greater.
Table 1 presents payment made to companies by Enterprise Ireland in Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath in 2017.
Table 1: Enterprise Ireland’s Payment to Companies in 2017
|
EI Payments to Companies |
2017 |
|
Laois |
€345,759 |
|
Longford |
€1,076,148 |
|
Offaly |
€1,408,973 |
|
Westmeath |
€1,163,469 |
The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are the ‘first-stop-shops’ in Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business in the area.
Total expenditure by the four LEOs in these counties for 2017 was €3,322,225 (current and capital). The expenditure includes a financial contribution by the Local Authorities for each of the LEOs towards the administrative (current) costs associated with the provision of the LEO services. Details of the number of jobs created in 2017 by companies who received financial support from the four LEOs will be published shortly.
Table 2: Local Enterprise Office Expenditure in Laois. Longford, Offaly and Westmeath for 2017
|
County |
Capital |
Current |
Total |
|
Laois |
510,020 |
254,268 |
764,288 |
|
Longford |
402,973 |
303,493 |
706,466 |
|
Offaly |
553,347 |
282,905 |
836,252 |
|
Westmeath |
701,029 |
314,190 |
1,015,219 |
My Department, through EI and the LEOs, will continue to support indigenous companies as they start, scale and endeavour to create quality jobs throughout the country.
