Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 October 2018
195. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which emphasis is placed on facilitating and encouraging employment generating enterprises throughout the regions with particular reference to the need to ensure an even spread of investment with consequent benefit to the national economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43049/18]
View answerSince becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made regional development my top priority. Indeed, enterprise development and job creation in the regions of Ireland is a key policy priority of this Government.
The Regional Action Plan for Jobs (RAPJ) 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 percentage point of the national average.
We are well on the way to meeting this target. Progress across the eight regions has been very positive since the launch of the initiative, with an increase in employment of 146,400 people in employment Q1 2015 to Q2 2018 in the regions outside of Dublin and 240,600 additional jobs nationwide.
Numbers employed across the State increased by 74,100 over the year to Q2 2018. In the last year (Q2 2017 – Q2 2018) employment increased in 7 out of 8 regions. All regions saw increases in IDA and Enterprise Ireland employment during 2017.
The unemployment situation has improved, but a continued focus needs to remain on ensuring that all regions are developing to their potential and contributing to national economic growth.
We also have new challenges since the RAPJ process started, not least Brexit, which will impact all regions, and is of particular concern to areas close to the Border.
We not only need to keep a focus on job creation and retention, we need to ensure that the jobs created are of good quality and sustainable for the longer term.
With these challenges in mind, I and Minister Breen met with regional representatives at Farmleigh House in April last to discuss the next iteration of the Regional Action Plans.
Arising from those discussions, I have asked the RAPJ Implementation Committees in each region to lead a process to Refresh and Refocus their Plans to 2020.
They will define between five and ten clearly defined regional enterprise development objectives with job creation potential, together with measurable time-bound actions to deliver over the next two years.
Preparation of the refreshed Plans have commenced and Implementation Committee meetings have taken place to date in the North-West, North-East, Midlands, Mid-West, West, South-West, South-East and Dublin. The refreshed Plans are targeted for completion by the end of 2018.
In December last year I announced an allocation of €30.5 million in funding to support enterprise capability in the regions, with 21 projects from all over the country receiving funding. This Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) totalling €60 million 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. The Fund supports the ambition, goals and implementation of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs.
In April of this year I launched a second competitive call under the REDF in March this year, which will make available the remainder of the €60 million. The results of this competitive process will be announced by the end of the year.
The Enterprise Agencies continue to work to contribute to employment and economic growth throughout all regions. 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.
The Local Enterprise Offices operating under the auspices of the Local Authorities and Enterprise Ireland in every county continue to play a vital role in providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own businesses.
IDA meanwhile will continue to target a minimum increase in investment of 30% to 40% in each region outside Dublin to 2019.
Regional development and growth of indigenous enterprise was one of my three main priorities for Budget 2019, announced last week. In order to support this, I announced the following allocations:
- an extra €5m to the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs);
- a doubling Retail Online Pilot Scheme to €1.25m to strengthen retailers online offering;
- a new round of €175m for Seed and Venture Capital Fund;
- €2.75m for SMEs Regional Innovation and Technology Clusters Programme; and
- a €300m Brexit Future Growth Loan Scheme which addresses the lack of availability of loans in the marketplace for loan-terms of longer than five to seven years
These initiatives will operate alongside existing supports for businesses and indigenous entrepreneurs.
It is important to reiterate that any business can find out more information about the supports available to their business by visiting the SME Online Tool or they can contact their Local Enterprise Office which is the first stop shop for information, support and referral in relation to supports for business in every county.
My priority is to continue to work with stakeholders collectively across the Regions to build on the progress to date on implementation of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs over the period to 2020, and to focus on leveraging the key strengths in each region. My Department is also working closely with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in relation to the National Planning Framework and development of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, and with the Department of Rural and Community Development on roll out of the Action Plan for Rural Development.
