Written Answers Nos. 81-94
81. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the value of individual dual-use licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued in 2017 and the first six months of 2018. [50440/18]
View answerInformation on export licences issued by my Department during 2017 are contained in the annual report for 2017, which I published in August 2018, as required by the Control of Exports Act 2008. These data, updated with the corresponding data for the first 6 months of 2018, are set out in Table 1.
Table 1: Individual Export Licences
|
2017 |
Jan-Jun 2018 |
|||
|
Number of licences |
Value of licences€ |
Number of licences |
Value of licences€ |
|
|
Saudi Arabia |
||||
|
Category 1 |
1 |
320,147 |
||
|
Category 2 |
1 |
16,000 |
||
|
Category 5 |
21 |
7,016,877 |
17 |
11,946,199 |
|
U.A.E. |
||||
|
Category 1 |
1 |
388 |
||
|
Category 2 |
3 |
2,277 |
3 |
11,585 |
|
Category 5 |
32 |
16,193,022 |
20 |
5,599,046 |
The categories of Dual-use Items are defined in Council Regulation (EC) no 428/2009 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports, transfer, brokering and transit of dual-use items:
Category 1 – Special materials and related equipment;
Category 2 – Materials processing; and
Category 5 – Telecommunications and information security.
82. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the contingency measures and supports in place to safeguard County Cork SMEs from a hard Brexit situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50517/18]
View answerMy Department and its agencies are working as part of a coherent cross-government approach to helping businesses and the country to prepare for a worst-case Brexit scenario, while continuing to work with our EU partners on securing the best possible Brexit outcome.
As the Deputy is aware, this Government has placed preparing for Brexit at the top of the Budget 2019 priorities. I have also prioritised Brexit preparedness as one of my three main priorities, alongside regional growth and innovation. I am confident that SMEs in Co. Cork and throughout the country will be best placed to meet the challenges ahead.
Budget 2019 provided over €110 million for additional Brexit preparedness resources and initiatives across government departments and agencies.
My Department and its agencies are participating in the new cross-government awareness campaign ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’ with events in Cork, Galway, Monaghan and Dublin in October and Limerick and Donegal last month.
Over 3,000 businesses have used Enterprise Ireland’s Brexit Scorecard to date and 85% of Enterprise Ireland's client firms are now taking Brexit related actions, such as diversifying their export markets, improving operational competitiveness, and investing in research and development.
I have provided funding for 98 additional staff for the agencies and regulatory bodies under the remit of my Department to date in order to prepare Irish businesses for Brexit. In addition, I am providing an additional €8 million for 2019, for my Department, as well as its agencies and regulatory bodies to continue the work on our Brexit response and increasing our global footprint.
The additional work of my Department's agencies such as the Health and Safety Authority and the National Standards Authority of Ireland is particularly important in helping businesses prepare for a worst-case scenario. I am providing an additional €1 million to InterTrade Ireland for 2019 to expand their essential work in providing support and advice to businesses to sustain cross-border trade and on the specific issues relating to potential tariffs under a reversion to World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime.
In relation to any new customs arrangements, Enterprise Ireland and Revenue are working closely on the design and development of an on-line platform on future customs requirements for when the UK leaves the EU and becomes a third country. This will be rolled-out from early 2019 to all importers and exporters, including those in Co. Cork, through the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs).
I am acutely aware that in the event of a worst-case scenario, access to finance and liquidity may become issues of concern for exporting businesses in particular. I am working with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on the roll-out of a new €300 million Brexit Long Term loan scheme, to come into effect from early 2019, to provide loans of up to 10 years.
The Brexit Working Capital Loan Scheme which I launched earlier this year provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are, or will be, impacted by Brexit and meet the scheme criteria. As at 23 November 2018 there had been 307 applications for eligibility, of which 270 were approved ranging from agri-food, retail and distribution, manufacturing, hospitality and transport sectors. 54 loans have progressed to sanction at the finance provider level, to a total value of €12.51 million.
My Department is also continuing to work with the European Commission in relation to State aid flexibilities. Specifically in May this year I agreed a temporary restructuring aid scheme with the Commission, which is in addition to the rescue and restructuring scheme agreed in 2017.
83. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the length of time to process work permits; the actions being taken to reduce the timeframe; and her views on whether the qualifying criteria are too restrictive. [50529/18]
View answerThe Employment Permits section of my Department is experiencing high levels of demand for employment permits this year and this has contributed to increased processing times for applications.
At end October 2018, 13,953 applications had been received, a 28% increase on the same time last year. The Department regrets these unacceptable delays, and those involved are working hard to bring processing times back to within our customer service target times.
Through a combination of additional resources, fast-tracked training for new processors and various operational and ICT improvements, processing times are now reducing. Trusted Partner processing times have reduced to 5 weeks (from a peak of 7 weeks) and Standard application processing times have reduced to 11 weeks (from a peak of 16 weeks). This is still well below the previous average timeframe of 2 weeks for Trusted Partner applications and 4 weeks for general applications, but compares with international norms.
Further reductions in processing times are anticipated in the coming weeks as the changes being implemented by my officials continue to show results. I am determined to bring employment permit processing times back to within our customer service targets as soon as possible and I regret any inconvenience caused to businesses and potential employees in the meantime.
The employment permits system is managed through the operation of the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL) and the Ineligible Categories of Employment List (ICEL). These occupations lists are reviewed twice yearly to keep pace with rapid labour market changes and to be proactively identifying and addressing shortages as they arise. My Department has commenced the Quarter 4 2018 review of the lists of occupations for employment permits with a public call for submissions from stakeholders and interest groups requesting changes to the lists. The closing date for receipt of submissions was Friday 2nd November 2018. Submissions have been received in respect of a range of occupations and those submissions are now being examined.
In light of the changing economy and as we continue towards near full employment, it is imperative that the employment permits system is correctly oriented to meet the State’s labour market needs. To that end, I recently published a report reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. The report confirms that our employment permits system is largely robust with some adjustment required to ensure continued responsiveness so that our employment permits system will play its part in supporting Ireland's labour market needs. An Action Plan has been drawn up to implement the Report’s recommendations with a specified timeframes. Some actions can be achieved in the short term, others will require further work and some will need legislative change
84. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the decision-making process for funding applications when it comes to the new disruptive technologies innovation fund that is part of the National Development Plan 2018-2027. [50501/18]
View answerMy Department launched the first call of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund on 29 June 2018 and Expressions of Interest were sought by the deadline of 3pm on Friday, 17 August 2018. Information on the fund and how to apply was provided by my Department with the support of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. Expressions of Interest were sought for funding commencing in 2019. Subsequent calls will be announced in due course.
My Department received over 300 Expressions of Interest for this first call for funding. All of these represented collaborations of two or more partners with at least one SME in each partnership. As you know, the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is a competitive offer and all applications for funding under this first call are subject to the same assessment and selection criteria.
In line with what was agreed by Government in May 2018 for all departments involved in running National Development Plan (NDP) Funds, my Department appointed an Advisory Board with civil servants and relevant experts from the sector as members. Accordingly, an Advisory Board chaired by the Department and comprised of nominated members of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, along with nominated members of other Government Departments and public sector organisations was appointed to oversee the assessment and selection process of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. A panel of independent international experts comprised of both technical and commercialisation experts was also formed to assess applications.
Under Call 1, all the Expression of Interest (EOI) forms were screened for eligibility. Only eligible applications were put forward for assessment by the Advisory Board and the panel of experts. Assessment of these eligible applications was based on the selection criteria set out in the guidelines for this fund, but briefly they are: 1.) the strength of the disruptive technology dimension; 2.) economic and market impact of the proposal; 3.) the quality and efficiency of the collaboration; and 4.) the overall excellence of the proposed approach.
Decisions on Expressions of Interest were made in September 2018 and were communicated to the lead partner of all collaborations. Only those applicants that met all of the eligibility criteria and met the minimum threshold of the Selection Criteria were invited to submit a full application. Projects that are deemed ineligible for this first call under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) may still be able to apply in subsequent calls.
45 consortia were invited to submit a full application to be received by 12.00 noon on 5th November. Since that date, the panel of international experts has been assessing the detailed applications against the same selection criteria as set out above and interviewing each consortium that submitted a valid application.
The DTIF Advisory Board has met in recent days to review the outcome of the international assessment of the projects and I will be provided with the recommendations of the Advisory Board in the near future. I expect to make an announcement about the first tranche of projects to receive an offer of DTIF funding later in December.
85. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the steps she is taking to assist companies in the Border counties to prepare for Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50266/18]
View answerMy Department and its agencies are providing extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and the practical preparatory actions to be taken over the coming months.
My Department and I have been very active in the 'Getting Ireland Brexit Ready' public information campaign. This campaign includes workshop events throughout the country aimed primarily at business and people most impacted by Brexit. A ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’ event was recently held in Monaghan in October and I was delighted to welcome many businesses from the Border Region. Officials from my Department and agencies also participated in the Getting Ireland Brexit Ready event in Letterkenny in Donegal on Friday 30 November last, which included Enterprise Ireland, IDA, the LEOs, NSAI and the HSA.
InterTradeIreland (ITI) works with SMEs on an all-Ireland basis and is particularly well-placed, given its remit to develop cross-border trade, to help SMEs prepare for the particular North-South challenges associated with Brexit.
The ITI Brexit Advisory Service provides a focal point for SMEs working to navigate any changes in cross-border trading relationships on account of Brexit. As part of the service, ITI has organised a series of awareness events focused on improving knowledge of customs processes and procedures and identifying actions that can be taken in areas such as logistics and supply chain management.
ITI also offers vouchers which enable companies to get professional advice on how best to plan and prepare for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. This support helps businesses obtain advice on specific areas such as tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, goods and services. ITI vouchers are worth up to €2,250 (inclusive of VAT) each. Companies are finding the vouchers very useful and there has been strong demand which can be attributed to the media campaign conducted by ITI across a range of platforms.
The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in the Border Regions are the first-stop-shop for anyone seeking guidance and support on starting or growing their business. The LEOs have organised various events to enable companies to learn about the potential impacts and opportunities of Brexit. In addition, 263 LEO clients have received one-to-one mentoring solely focused on Brexit.
The LEOs engage in a number of other schemes to help companies prepare for Brexit. Technical Assistance Grants for Micro Export are offered as an incentive for LEO clients to explore and develop new market opportunities. Also, additional capital funding of €5 million was announced in Budget 2019 for local enterprise development.
In addition, the six LEOs in the Border region are working together with their Northern Ireland counterparts under the EU Co-Innovate Programme. The aim of Co-Innovate is to give SMEs from the manufacturing and tradable services sectors in the eligible regions the tools and tailored support to help them to innovate, differentiate and compete successfully.
Yesterday, in Meath, I announced a further €30 million in funding for successful projects under Call 2 of the competitive Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF). Taking the first and second calls of the REDF together, the Border Region had seven successful projects with a total funding allocation of more than €10.6 million. This funding will drive enterprise development and job creation in the Border Region.
The €300 million Brexit Loan Scheme provides relatively short term working capital, 1-3 years, to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees to help them innovate, change or adapt to mitigate their Brexit challenges. The scheme is open to eligible businesses from all regions of the country, including those in the Border counties. Businesses can confirm their eligibility with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and if deemed eligible, can apply to one of the participating finance providers for a loan under the scheme.
Enterprise Ireland (EI) is also actively engaging with companies in the Border Region. The Agency recently met with the Killybegs Harbour Group which is a mix of industries and companies and explained the suite of supports available.
In November, EI ran a Spotlight on Skills Workshop in Carrickmacross, Monaghan. The aim of the Spotlight on Skills Workshops is to assist client companies to identify their critical skills needs, and to support the growth of their businesses.
EI also recently supported the Enterprise Europe Network Meet the Buyer event focused on Engineering Companies in the Border Region. The event, organised out of Donegal Local Enterprise Office (LEO) office, took place in Combilift in Monaghan and was attended by a mix of EI, LEO and Invest NI Clients.
While I have seen a very positive uptake of the supports available, not everyone is engaging. With Brexit around the corner, I want business, particularly around the Border counties to know my Department and agencies are here to help.
86. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when she plans to publish an account of the investigative failures identified by a judge and the steps being taken to address them emanating from the trial of a person (details supplied); and the status of action points committed to in the report "Measures to Enhance Ireland's Corporate, Economic and Regulatory Framework" that was published in November 2017. [50499/18]
View answerThe account of the investigative shortcomings identified by Judge Aylmer was published today on the website of my Department. The purpose of publishing the account is to understand the factors that led to such investigative shortcomings and to take appropriate steps to address them.
These steps include ongoing reform within the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, including ongoing recruitment of specialist expertise and the establishment, as announced by Government in November 2017, of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement as an agency, to provide it with greater autonomy in relation to staffing resources and ensure it is better equipped to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law. The General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to this decision was considered by Government today.
On 2 November 2017, the Government published “Measures to Enhance Ireland’s Corporate, Economic and Regulatory Framework: Ireland combatting “white collar crime”. A comprehensive set of 28 measures was developed to augment the existing regulatory and legislative framework in Ireland in the area of corporate, economic and regulatory crime. The implementation of these measures is progressing across 3 Departments: Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Justice and Equality; and Finance.
There has been considerable progress on the delivery of these actions, with most of the actions either completed, on schedule or on track to be completed.
Of the actions assigned to my Department:
- The Companies (Statutory Audits) Bill was signed into law on 25 July 2018.
- The Company Law Review Group has submitted its Report on Corporate Governance. Proposals for legislative change, on foot of this Report on Corporate Governance, are included in the General Scheme of the Bill to establish the ODCE as an agency
- The transposition deadline for the Shareholder Rights Directive is 10 June 2019. This is expected to be met. Submissions were received from a public consultation, which concluded on 9 February 2018. Draft regulations were sent to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on 28 November 2018 for finalisation and settlement.
- The General Scheme of a Bill to establish the ODCE as an Agency was considered by Government today and will be published shortly.
The establishment of the ODCE as an Agency is intended to:
- enhance the ODCE’s independence, by providing it with more autonomy in relation to staffing resources, particularly the ability to recruit the required specialist skills and expertise;
- build on its existing expertise and experience;
- strengthen its capability to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law; and
- build on the organisational and procedural reforms that have been implemented.
87. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of progress on the development of a business cluster (details supplied) at Shannon Airport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50055/18]
View answerMy Department has long recognised the major contribution that the aviation sector plays in Ireland’s economy. The sector provides skilled, quality jobs around the country. In addition, as an island nation it is essential for our tourism industry and trading relationships to connect Ireland with the rest of the world.
The aircraft manufacturing industry is increasingly moving towards tiered manufacture and larger entities are capturing market share. It is a competitive industry, and the best way for Ireland to win business is for companies to pool resources and create entities that will enable members to bid for contracts that are not possible on an individual basis. This is the model that Emerald Aero Cluster has adopted.
The Emerald Aero Cluster was approved for funding under the first call of Enterprise Ireland’s Regional Enterprise Development Fund. The Cluster is comprised of 14 indigenous manufacturing companies and is working to develop Ireland – and the Mid-West region in particular – as a hub for excellence in global aerospace manufacturing.
The Cluster has made good progress to-date having succeeded in winning numerous high value contracts for its members and attended international trade shows. The cluster has recruited a number of specialist consultants in the key territories of France, Germany, UK, and USA to target key industry opportunities across a number of key segments of the industry.
I look forward to seeing the further progress this cluster of innovative companies make in the future.
88. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the reform of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50483/18]
View answerOne of the actions in the Government's package of Measures to Enhance Ireland’s Corporate, Economic and Regulatory Framework, published in November 2017, is the establishment of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) as an agency.
Work on the development of the legislative framework for the establishment of the ODCE as an agency is well advanced. I intend to bring a General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to that action to Government shortly.
Changing the structure of the ODCE from an office to a statutory agency will provide greater autonomy to the agency in relation to staffing resources and ensure it is better equipped to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law. Sourcing of expertise and specialist staff, such as forensic accountants, will be enhanced under the agency model.
This establishment of the ODCE as an Agency is intended to:
- Enhance the ODCE's independence, by providing it with more autonomy, particularly the ability to recruit the required specialist skills and expertise;
- Build on its existing expertise and experience;
- Strengthen its capability to investigate increasingly complex breaches of company law; and
- Build on the organisational and procedural reforms that have been implemented.
Organisational reforms in the ODCE were commenced in 2012 to enhance the capability of the Office to investigate complex breaches of company law and to ensure a more efficient and effective use of its resources. These include:
- Reorganising the structure of the Office;
- Recruiting additional expertise, including 8 Forensic Accountants, a Digital Forensic Specialist, 2 Enforcement Portfolio Managers and 2 Enforcement Lawyers;
- As senior-level vacancies have arisen, reconfiguration of the skill sets, competencies, roles and responsibilities associated with those posts to better reflect the organisation's current needs;
- Amending the investigative procedures used by the Office so that members of An Garda Síochána take the lead in all criminal investigations; and
- Fostering a greater culture of risk management within the Office.
89. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the steps her Department and the IDA are taking to increase job creation and attract companies to Fingal and north County Dublin; the recent occasions on which the IDA visited Fingal and north County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50527/18]
View answerAs Minister, my objective is to create the best possible environment for enterprise, entrepreneurship, innovation and investment. Ireland continues to perform very strongly in terms of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and encouraging further FDI from multinational companies remains a major priority of mine.
The pipeline of FDI into Dublin continues to be very strong. There are currently 735 FDI companies operating in the County, employing over 88,000 people. From 2016 to 2017, FDI-driven employment in Dublin increased by 7.8%, with approximately 6,400 new jobs added. The County remains highly attractive to overseas investors on account of many factors, including its proven track record as a successful home to multinational firms.
As regards Fingal and North County Dublin in particular, data on IDA Ireland site visits and job creation is collated on a county-by-county basis only. Information on site visits and job numbers to particular locations and towns is therefore unavailable.
That said, the Agency continues to promote all areas of Dublin City and the County to overseas investors. Site visits represent a useful tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in particular locations and the IDA always does its utmost to ensure that overseas firms consider all possibilities when visiting the country. Dublin has had 209 site visits so far in 2018 with 68 of these taking place in the third quarter of this year. It is important to remember, however, that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the company concerned.
The following table sets out the number of site visits by IDA client companies to County Dublin from 2013 to Q3 2018.
|
Site Visits |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
Q1-Q3 2018 |
|
Dublin |
180 |
205 |
242 |
284 |
327 |
209 |
90. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on the way in which businesses here are Brexit-ready; if she has concerns about certain sectors or businesses in particular geographical locations; the assistance being offered in the event of a hard Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50387/18]
View answerMy Department and its agencies are providing extensive supports to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These supports aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and the practical preparatory actions to be taken over the coming months.
As part of its work in assessing where supports are most needed, my Department regularly surveys companies to determine the Brexit issues affecting them and to gauge their level of preparedness. Our most recent SME survey published earlier this year found that 44% of all businesses strongly impacted by Brexit have a plan in place – almost twice as many as a year previously. It is planned to rerun this survey early in the new year.
More recently, a survey of 2,400 Enterprise Ireland clients found that 85% of firms are taking Brexit-related actions. This is up from 38% this time last year. In the first 6 months of this year alone, 43% of the most exposed firms backed by Enterprise Ireland received grant aid.
The Government will continue to focus on our communications with enterprise to ensure that they are as informed as possible about Brexit and can take timely action to prepare.
Furthermore, I regularly meet with businesses to discuss their concerns and issues, as do officials in my Department. On an ongoing basis, I chair an Enterprise Forum on Brexit and Global Challenges which is an effective tool for ensuring open, two-way communication between Government and the enterprise community regarding Brexit issues. This Forum meets regularly and provides a vehicle for discussion of enterprise, trade and investment policy implications arising from wider global challenges, with a specific focus on Brexit.
In terms of sectors and regions of concern, my Department has undertaken a wide range of studies into the possible impacts of Brexit and a number of these have highlighted the potential regional effects associated with the UK’s departure from the EU.
Amongst a range of studies undertaken and funded by my Department, the Copenhagen Economics study “Ireland and the impact of Brexit: Strategic implications for Ireland arising from changing EU-UK Trading Relations”, published earlier this year, identified the most vulnerable sectors in respect of Brexit.
The study found that 5 sectors account for 90% of the possible economic impact. They are agri-food, pharma-chemicals, engineering and machinery, wholesale and retail and air transport. Around 80% of the employment in these sectors is outside the Dublin region. As noted in the study, Brexit will therefore be felt more in rural parts of the country where these sectors dominate, particularly agri-food.
From a regional perspective, the Regional Action Plan for Jobs is central to my Department’s targeted approach to boosting regional employment. While progress has been very good, it is clear that we also have new challenges since the Regional Action Plan for Jobs process started, not least Brexit. In this context, I have asked the Implementation Committees in each region to lead a process to refresh and refocus their Plans to 2020 which will focus on building each region’s own competitive advantage, develop areas that are already strong, examine vulnerabilities and take account of the challenges that Brexit presents.
For 2019, I am allocating an extra €8 million to the enterprise agencies and regulatory bodies under my Department, who work with firms to develop their supports for business. I have also allocated an additional €5m to the Local Enterprise Offices for 2019 to increase their Brexit supports to businesses in every county.
The level of uptake of these supports shows that businesses are aware of the assistance on offer and are engaging with various initiatives and schemes that have been made available. For instance, the EI ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’ is an interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit. To date, 2,962 Brexit Scorecards have been completed.
Enterprise Ireland has run eight Brexit advisory clinics throughout the country to date. Approximately 590 people have attended these events and three more clinics are due to take place before the end of the year in Dundalk, Waterford and Limerick.
The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have organised various events to enable companies to learn about the potential impacts and opportunities of Brexit. 3,925 participants have taken part in these events. In addition, 263 LEO clients have received one-to-one mentoring solely focused on Brexit.
The Brexit Loan Scheme, launched in March this year, makes a fund of up to €300 million available to eligible businesses to help them innovate, change or adapt to mitigate their Brexit challenge.
While I am encouraged by the fact that businesses are engaging in high numbers with these and other supports on offer, not everyone is engaging. With Brexit around the corner, I want businesses to know we are here to help. It is vital that businesses take the required steps of gathering information and preparing Brexit contingency plans.
91. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if funding will be provided for Ireland to join CERN in order that businesses, scientists, researchers and students here can benefit from the advanced scientific research taking place there; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50486/18]
View answerIreland is in discussions with CERN regarding our potential membership, in particular in relation to the relevant costs and benefits of associate membership as distinct from full membership. In July 2018, I and officials from the Department met with the Head of Associate Member and Non-Member State Relations of CERN to further discuss Ireland’s potential membership of CERN, and the different types of membership and accompanying costs and benefits.
The information gathered during this and previous engagements has provided Departmental officials with a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of membership of CERN. While these benefits are recognised as significant, the cost is also significant and must be assessed in the context of other Departmental and national investment priorities.
No funding is available in current budget projections for membership in 2019, but due consideration is being given to membership in line with the Department's policy. Innovation 2020, the national strategy for research and innovation, recognises that in order for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader, our research and innovation system must be open with strong international collaboration links. Membership of leading international research organisations is an important mechanism for facilitating this engagement.
For this reason, the Government gave a specific commitment in Innovation 2020 to initiate discussions with a number of international research organisations. In particular, four organisations – CERN, the European Southern Observatory, ELIXIR and LOFAR - were identified and I am pleased to confirm that membership of three of these organisations has been completed.
The Department continues to keep the position in relation to CERN membership, and its cost, under review and maintains contact with officials in CERN in relation to Ireland's potential membership.
92. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on whether the housing crisis is having a detrimental impact on skills availability and foreign direct investment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50389/18]
View answerIreland has made significant strides in improving our national infrastructure over recent decades, which is partly why overseas firms continue to locate here. While there is no doubt that we need to improve in some areas, I believe the levels of investment that we continue to attract here reflect the continuing confidence that international companies have in our economy and infrastructure.
The current difficulties we are experiencing in our housing market, and most particularly the insufficient national supply of quality homes and apartments, are well-documented. However, overseas firms – who my Department and the IDA regularly engage with about issues that affect their capacity to invest here – understand how much of a priority the Government has placed on addressing this problem. They know that we are working hard to increase supply and that the overall national trend is now one of steady progress and improvement.
The Government remains fully focused on doing everything it can to address the housing situation. That is why we published the ‘Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan’, which includes an array of measures to improve the availability of homes in this country. The primary objective is ensuring that people and families, across Ireland, have better access to quality and affordable housing. The work undertaken to improve housing also serves to reinforce our national infrastructure in terms of its capacity to accommodate further foreign direct investment (FDI).
Significant progress has already been made on the action plan. As reflected in the November Monthly Housing Activity Report, construction and housing supply are improving. There have been steady increases in the number of planning permissions, commencement notices, registrations and the availability of new houses, all of which will help alleviate pressures on housing supply. The launch of the Land Development Agency will also help to achieve greater stability in the housing market.
More broadly, we should not forget that the States Ireland competes with for FDI often have difficulties of their own. Thankfully, Ireland’s strengths in attracting mobile investment are well known in the global marketplace. Businesses continue to be attracted here because of our talented workforce, membership of the EU and pro-enterprise policy environment. These aspects of our value proposition remain strong and continue to position Ireland as a favoured location for FDI.
93. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the scoping of a future cycle of PRTLI that was undertaken by her Department in collaboration with the Department of Education and Skills; when this exercise will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50519/18]
View answerThe current Cycle 5 of the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) was announced in 2010 and has involved exchequer expenditure of approx. €277m with a further €59m of private investment. Cycle 5 projects have now been completed and my Department is addressing the remaining payments associated with these awards. In addition to supporting the provision of top-class research infrastructure (buildings, laboratories and cutting-edge equipment), PRTLI saw significant investment in human capital development, through Structured PhD/Emergent Technology programmes across Ireland's Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).
Innovation 2020, the Government's strategy for research and innovation, includes an action to scope out and develop a successor to PRTLI to support new investment in research infrastructure, including buildings and equipment. It also contains an action to increase the enrolment of PhD and research masters students. The scoping of a future cycle of PRTLI has been undertaken by my Department, working with the Department of Education and Skills (DES).
While future cycles of PRTLI are referenced in the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2040, it is important to note that actions are already being taken by DBEI and DES to fund all of the key elements that had been encompassed by PRTLI including research buildings, equipment and structured PhD programmes. These actions include:
- DBEI, through Science Foundation Ireland, has allocated more than €50m for research equipment across the higher education system since the start of 2016. SFI will announce shortly the results of its 2018 Research Infrastructure Call, providing significant additional investment for research equipment.
- DBEI, again through Science Foundation Ireland, has commenced roll-out of a new €100 million programmes of investment in PhDs and Research Masters through new Centres for Research Training (CRT). The annual budget for this programme will increase to €15 million from 2019. The CRT programme will provide training for cohorts of Research Masters and PhD students with new cohorts of students enrolling each year for four years from 2019. It will provide training for 600 postgraduate students in areas of nationally and internationally identified future skills needs of digital, data and ICT.
- The Department of Education and Skills also announced funding in the context of Budget 2018 and 2019 to address the need for physical space for research in the higher education sector. This included Budget 2018 announcements of €200m for public private partnerships in the Institute of Technology sector and €257m for investment in the higher education sector generally, including for research. Budget 2019 then saw announcements of €57 million to be invested in higher education initiatives in 2019 along with capital investment of €150 million being allocated to the higher education, further education and training and research sectors. Project Ireland 2040 signals a significant commitment in capital investments in the region of €2.8 billion by the Department of Education and Skills in higher education over the coming decade, this includes public private partnership investments and support for research.
The actions being taken by my Department and the Department of Education and Skills are addressing to a significant degree the requirements for increased investment in both physical infrastructure and human capital in higher education research as identified in Innovation 2020.
94. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of regional IDA site visits in addition to vacant IDA properties nationwide in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50502/18]
View answerThe Government is doing everything possible to ensure the best possible distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI) across the country. Progress is being made towards that goal. In 2017, for example, IDA Ireland secured 99 regional investments with 45% of all new jobs created outside Dublin. The last three years have also seen 30,000 new FDI jobs created outside Dublin.
The availability of marketable serviced land and buildings in advance of demand is a key element in the IDA's ability to compete for mobile FDI and win new investment for regional Ireland. Not only does such a supply of properties help the Agency to secure job-rich investment but it also allows projects to begin at an earlier date by diminishing many difficulties associated with land acquisition, planning and construction. It is therefore an important means by which the IDA can encourage and attract new investors to Ireland.
I understand that IDA Ireland owns 30 properties across the country. Of these, 13 are currently occupied by IDA clients with a further 17 properties available for prospective or existing investors.
Excluding Dublin, there has been a total of 252 site visits across Ireland in the first three quarters of 2018. Such site visits remain an important tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas and the IDA always does its utmost to ensure that overseas firms consider all potential locations when visiting Ireland. This is in line with the priority that has been placed on investment outside of our main cities, with the Agency continuing to target an increase in investment of 30% to 40% in every region of the country by the end of its current strategy in 2019.
It should, however, be emphasised that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the firm concerned. It is also the case that some companies will only consider investing in urban areas, for a variety of commercial reasons. Site visit activity also does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as almost 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA client companies.
