Written Answers Nos. 509-529
509. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the net increase in IDA supported jobs during 2018; the regions of the country which lost and gained such jobs in 2018; the impact of Brexit on FDI job creation; the cost per job of the new positions created by FDI in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1099/19]
View answerIDA Ireland's performance in 2018 resulted in the sixth consecutive year of strong growth under the Agency's current strategy. By the end of last year, total employment in the Agency's client companies stood at 229,057 with 14,040 net new jobs added. Every region in Ireland has seen foreign direct investment (FDI) employment gains and there are now over 132,000 people employed in 681 IDA client companies located outside of Dublin, with 56% of all net new FDI jobs created last year based in regional locations.
Information on the IDA cost per job for 2018 is currently unavailable. I have been informed by the Agency that it will be available when the 2018 Annual Report is published in June of this year.
IDA Ireland is actively supporting its clients in responding to the challenges raised by Brexit while also seeking to capitalise on possible investment opportunities that may arise. I am pleased to say that the Agency secured over 55 Brexit-related investments in 2018 with over 4,500 associated jobs.
Despite these positive FDI trends, the Government is focused on our need to remain as competitive as possible. A new five-year strategy for IDA Ireland will be prepared this year to ensure the Agency remains able to compete for, and secure, more first-rate investment projects and to meet other challenges ahead.
510. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of work permits applied for in each of the years 2010 to 2018; the number refused; the number granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1204/19]
View answer511. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the average waiting time for a work permit to be processed; the number of permits awaiting processing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1205/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 510 and 511 together.
The Employment Permits section in my Department has experienced a large increase in demand for employment permits throughout 2018 due to our continued economic success, growing labour market and reduced labour surplus, which has in turn contributed to increased processing times for applications.
In 2018, 16,768 employment permit applications were accepted, a 27% increase over 2017 (13,217). Over the same period 13,398 permits were granted, an 18% increase over 2017 (11,354) so productivity is improving. My officials inform me that, at the end of 2018, approximately 2,620 applications were awaiting processing.
Good progress had been made in reducing processing times in Q4 2018, with processing times for Trusted Partners falling from 7 weeks to 5 weeks, and from 16 weeks to 12 weeks for standard applications by December last. This was achieved through a combination of increased resources, staff working overtime and some ICT and other operational improvements. In addition, solutions are also being developed to eliminate the impact on processing times of seasonal challenges and work is underway on developing a new IT system which will further reduce processing times.
Finally, the statistics requested by the Deputy are set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Applications Accepted |
Permits Granted |
Permits Refused |
|
2010 |
7,967 |
7,877 |
1,212 |
|
2011 |
6,054 |
5,374 |
1,216 |
|
2012 |
4,925 |
4,139 |
965 |
|
2013 |
4,602 |
3,923 |
547 |
|
2014 |
6,303 |
5,496 |
588 |
|
2015 |
9,021 |
7,265 |
906 |
|
2016 |
11,317 |
9,383 |
1,651 |
|
2017 |
13,217 |
11,354 |
1,516 |
|
2018 |
16,768 |
13,398 |
1,38 |
512. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have availed of the Brexit scorecard to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1208/19]
View answerEnterprise Ireland has introduced a number of Brexit specific programmes to help Irish companies remain resilient in the face of uncertainty. One of these measures is an online “Brexit SME Scorecard” to help all Irish businesses self-assess their exposure to Brexit. As of 7 January 2019, 3,712 Brexit Scorecards have been completed.
The Scorecard generates a report on weak areas with suggested actions and resources, and information on events for companies to attend, to prepare for Brexit. While the Brexit Scorecard is available to all companies, Enterprise Ireland client exporting companies that utilise the Scorecard will then be able to engage with the agency’s experts both domestically and through the overseas offices in global markets for support in devising a strategy.
I should also point out that the Brexit Scorecard is only one of a wide range of supports offered by my Department and its Agencies to help businesses prepare for Brexit.
513. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have availed of the be prepared grant to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1209/19]
View answerBrexit presents the most significant economic challenge of the past 50 years, and it is important that we prepare for any long-term structural and disruptive change that may emerge. Being prepared is crucial to ensure resilience to emerging challenges. In 2018, EI approved funding of €74m for 535 of its most Brexit-exposed clients with exports to the UK of greater than 20%, or an average of €140,000 per company to support their business growth in the context of Brexit.
To promote awareness, and supported by a national Prepare For Brexit campaign, Enterprise Ireland (EI) launched a €5k Be Prepared Grant that supports the costs of SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. To date, 151 Be Prepared Grants have been approved to client companies.
Enterprise Ireland provides a range of other financial and non-financial supports to companies to prepare for Brexit. These include:
- The Brexit SME Scorecard, an interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars.
- The Act On Programme which provides an independent consultant to companies for a course of two half day to assist them decide on specific actions to address some of the risks and opportunities from Brexit.
- The Strategic Consultancy Grant supports the hiring of a strategic consultant typically to assist the company in the development and/or the implementation of strategic initiatives. It is designed to facilitate business growth as the consultants can act as coach, mentor, facilitator, analyst for the company.
- The Market Discovery Fund specifically supports companies in their market diversification plans. The grant aims to incentivise companies to research viable and sustainable market entry strategies.
- The Agile Innovation Fund has been developed to support product, service and process innovation to build competitive advantage.
- Brexit Advisory Clinics to increase the awareness of Brexit amongst companies. Last year Enterprise Ireland ran 11 Brexit advisory clinics throughout the country. Approximately 915 people attended these events.
- A new Customs Insights Online course at the end of 2018 to demystify customs procedures. This is available for any company to use, importers or exporters and whether they are agency clients or not . The course will highlight the responsibilities of companies and will explain some of the main customs procedures and documentation involved.
A major initiative which my Department introduced last year for all Brexit impacted firms was the €300 million Brexit Working Capital Loan Scheme, under which accessible finance is made available to businesses at favourable terms. So far, 332 companies have been approved for eligibility under this scheme. My Department is also exploring the development of a longer-term Business Development Loan Scheme which would assist firms in long term investing for a post-Brexit environment.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide have organised a range of events and initiatives to assist their client companies prepare for Brexit. These include technical assistance, a lean for micro initiative, mentoring and training, seminars and workshops.
Finally, InterTrade Ireland are rolling out a €2,000 Brexit ‘Start to Plan’ readiness voucher scheme, which enables companies to purchase specialist advice in areas such as customs, tax, tariff and non-tariff barriers, legal and labour mobility issues.
514. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have availed of the market discovery fund to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1210/19]
View answerA key strategy for Irish companies to withstand current global economic challenges is to diversify their export footprint. Enterprise Ireland (EI) launched the Market Discovery Fund in January 2018 with the aim of encouraging companies to expand into new markets by helping with the costs of researching viable and sustainable market entry strategies. Since then, 208 Market Discovery Grants have been approved by EI.
The Fund provides support towards both internal and external costs incurred by companies when researching new markets for products and services. Eligible companies can receive support when they are looking at a new geographic market for an existing product/service, or when looking at exporting a new product/service to a market that they already do business in.
The Market Discovery Fund is available across three levels:
- Level 1: Grant up to €35K
- Level 2: Grant greater than €35K but less than €75K
- Level 3: Grant greater than €75K but less than €150K
The maximum funding is 50% of eligible expenditure up to a maximum grant of €150,000. Eligible expenditure includes, but is not limited to, salary support, consultancy costs, trade fair costs and foreign travel.
EI is actively promoting the suite of supports available to client companies to ensure that they are prepared for Brexit.
The Market Discovery Fund is only one of a wide range of supports offered by my Department and its agencies to help support businesses prepare for Brexit. In 2018, EI approved funding of €74m for 535 of its most Brexit-exposed clients with exports to the UK of greater than 20%, or an average of €140,000 per company to support their business growth in the context of Brexit.
515. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have applied for loans from the Brexit loan scheme; the number of applications that have been refused; the number of businesses by county that have been approved funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1211/19]
View answerThe Brexit Loan Scheme 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. The €23 million exchequer funding (€14 million from my Department and €9 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) has been leveraged to provide a fund of up to €300 million.
It has been designed to assist eligible Irish businesses in the short-term to deal with the challenges of Brexit, which include the pressures of increased market instability and currency volatility. The scheme is open to both State Agency clients and businesses that do not have any relationship with State Agencies. Sole traders may also apply.
The scheme features a two-stage application process. First, businesses must apply to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to confirm their eligibility for the scheme. The SBCI assess the applications and successful applicants receive an eligibility reference number.
Successful applicants can then apply for a loan under the scheme with one of the participating finance providers. Approval of loans under the Brexit Loan Scheme is subject to the finance providers’ own credit policies and procedures.
The scheme was launched in March 2018, as of 11 January 2019, there have been 369 applications received, of which 325 have been approved, and a further 36 are being processed and 63 loans progressed to sanction at finance provider level to a value of €14.8 million. Six businesses were deemed not eligible. These figures were issued as an interim update, more detailed information is available on a quarterly basis.
Information on the number of businesses approved for funding by county could identify individual enterprises. A more meaningful approach is to look at the activity by industry, economic regional level and innovation criteria. For example, Manufacturing accounts for 38% of approvals, Brexit impacted exporters account for almost 50% of approvals while 20% of approved applications relate to investments in new products or markets.
516. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have availed of the Brexit start planning vouchers to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1212/19]
View answerMy Department and its agencies and bodies are providing a range of supports to help companies to prepare for Brexit.
The “Start to Plan” voucher scheme is offered by InterTradeIreland (ITI) as part of its Brexit Advisory Service. 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 North-South challenges associated with Brexit.
The “Start to Plan” vouchers, valued at €2250, enable companies to access professional advice on specific areas such as tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, goods and services. There has been strong demand for the voucher scheme, with over 650 vouchers approved to date.
ITI is planning to expand its range of Brexit supports in 2019. The proposed initiatives will include a ‘‘Start to Act’ voucher, valued at €5,000, which will assist companies to implement recommendations and advice received through the initial voucher scheme. The Brexit Advisory Service will also increase its digital learning delivery, making content available in an online training environment that can be conveniently accessed by SMEs.
To support this important work, my Department is providing an additional €1 million in capital funding to ITI in 2019. This funding will enable the body to engage with more of the companies that are seeking its support through the Brexit Advisory Service, as well as meeting demand for existing programmes which are all designed to promote and support cross-border trade.
517. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of new jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2018, by county in tabular form; the number of jobs supported by Enterprise Ireland by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1571/19]
View answer518. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2018, by county in tabular form; the number of new companies supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2018, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1572/19]
View answer519. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of grants provided to businesses by Enterprise Ireland by county in 2017 and 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1573/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 517 to 519, inclusive, together.
On an annual basis Enterprise Ireland (EI) works with approximately 5,000 manufacturing and internationally traded services companies through the agency’s network of 10 offices in Ireland and 33 international offices.
In 2018, EI client companies reported strong employment performance with 215,207 people employed and 18,846 new jobs created. The tables below present the figures for the following:
- The number of new jobs supported by EI in 2018 by county
- The number of total jobs supported by EI in 2018 by county
- The number of companies supported by EI in 2018 by county
- The number of new companies supported by EI in 2018 by county
- The amount paid to EI companies by county in 2017 and 2018
Support to client companies is tailored to meet the individual needs of each client company in order to equip them to succeed in global markets. Every EI client company is assigned a developmental adviser who works with them to identify areas that can be optimised and improved. These areas are not just addressed through direct financial assistance, but through a wide range of soft supports, such as mentoring and management development programmes. These soft supports are not captured in the following tables.
Table 1: The number of new jobs supported by EI in 2018 by county
|
By county |
2018 Total Gains (PFT+Other) |
|
Carlow |
332 |
|
Cavan |
549 |
|
Clare |
425 |
|
Cork |
1,810 |
|
Donegal |
512 |
|
Dublin |
7,286 |
|
Galway |
658 |
|
Kerry |
237 |
|
Kildare |
393 |
|
Kilkenny |
430 |
|
Laois |
179 |
|
Leitrim |
63 |
|
Limerick |
874 |
|
Longford |
216 |
|
Louth |
565 |
|
Mayo |
582 |
|
Meath |
563 |
|
Monaghan |
514 |
|
Offaly |
342 |
|
Roscommon |
127 |
|
Sligo |
158 |
|
Tipperary |
448 |
|
Waterford |
681 |
|
Westmeath |
196 |
|
Wexford |
276 |
|
Wicklow |
430 |
|
Grand Total |
18,846 |
Table 2: The number of total jobs supported by EI by county
|
By county |
2018 Total Jobs |
|
Carlow |
3,221 |
|
Cavan |
5,842 |
|
Clare |
4,102 |
|
Cork |
23,902 |
|
Donegal |
3,818 |
|
Dublin |
76,815 |
|
Galway |
8,091 |
|
Kerry |
4,727 |
|
Kildare |
8,923 |
|
Kilkenny |
4,549 |
|
Laois |
1,527 |
|
Leitrim |
607 |
|
Limerick |
9,553 |
|
Longford |
2,979 |
|
Louth |
5,923 |
|
Mayo |
4,692 |
|
Meath |
7,135 |
|
Monaghan |
5,626 |
|
Offaly |
4,307 |
|
Roscommon |
1,764 |
|
Sligo |
1,916 |
|
Tipperary |
5,921 |
|
Waterford |
6,849 |
|
Westmeath |
3,536 |
|
Wexford |
4,674 |
|
Wicklow |
4,208 |
|
Grand Total |
215,207 |
Table 3: The number of companies supported by EI in 2018, by county (measured by the number of companies that have received payment in 2018)
|
County |
No. of companies Paid in 2018 |
|
Carlow |
21 |
|
Cavan |
22 |
|
Clare |
36 |
|
Cork |
157 |
|
Donegal |
31 |
|
Dublin |
526 |
|
Galway |
100 |
|
Kerry |
45 |
|
Kildare |
52 |
|
Kilkenny |
22 |
|
Laois |
18 |
|
Leitrim |
7 |
|
Limerick |
63 |
|
Longford |
14 |
|
Louth |
49 |
|
Mayo |
43 |
|
Meath |
39 |
|
Monaghan |
31 |
|
Offaly |
15 |
|
Roscommon |
11 |
|
Sligo |
27 |
|
Tipperary |
33 |
|
Waterford |
28 |
|
Westmeath |
19 |
|
Wexford |
30 |
|
Wicklow |
41 |
|
Grand Total |
1,480 |
Table 4: The number of new companies supported by EI in 2018 by county (measured by the number of HSPUs receiving payment from EI in 2018)
|
Client County |
No. of HPSUs |
|
Carlow |
<5 |
|
Cavan |
<5 |
|
Clare |
5 |
|
Cork |
26 |
|
Donegal |
6 |
|
Dublin |
145 |
|
Galway |
20 |
|
Kerry |
5 |
|
Kildare |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
5 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
|
Longford |
<5 |
|
Louth |
7 |
|
Mayo |
7 |
|
Meath |
6 |
|
Monaghan |
<5 |
|
Offaly |
<5 |
|
Roscommon |
<5 |
|
Sligo |
5 |
|
Tipperary |
5 |
|
Waterford |
7 |
|
Westmeath |
<5 |
|
Wexford |
<5 |
|
Wicklow |
5 |
|
Grand Total |
285 |
Table 5: The amount paid to EI companies by county in 2017 and 2018
|
Payment € by County |
2017 Payments |
2018 Payments |
|
Carlow |
€1,118,817 |
€856,501 |
|
Cavan |
€2,509,330 |
€3,864,594 |
|
Clare |
€3,490,451 |
€1,711,261 |
|
Cork |
€9,630,852 |
€8,258,735 |
|
Donegal |
€1,738,720 |
€1,306,644 |
|
Dublin |
€34,113,688 |
€32,090,000 |
|
Galway |
€4,678,283 |
€5,050,853 |
|
Kerry |
€2,683,363 |
€2,471,050 |
|
Kildare |
€3,567,276 |
€4,131,644 |
|
Kilkenny |
€2,943,649 |
€2,593,097 |
|
Laois |
€345,759 |
€561,312 |
|
Leitrim |
€142,319 |
€350,560 |
|
Limerick |
€3,475,348 |
€4,297,737 |
|
Longford |
€1,076,148 |
€4,000,876 |
|
Louth |
€4,063,517 |
€3,079,928 |
|
Mayo |
€5,021,555 |
€1,034,750 |
|
Meath |
€1,177,941 |
€996,976 |
|
Monaghan |
€7,191,630 |
€2,088,998 |
|
Offaly |
€1,408,973 |
€1,031,220 |
|
Roscommon |
€1,524,042 |
€121,099 |
|
Sligo |
€981,489 |
€758,406 |
|
Tipperary |
€2,507,609 |
€2,243,651 |
|
Waterford |
€1,269,362 |
€1,732,163 |
|
Westmeath |
€1,162,769 |
€1,226,009 |
|
Wexford |
€2,136,312 |
€4,716,005 |
|
Wicklow |
€1,740,122 |
€3,944,132 |
|
Total |
€101,699,324 |
€94,518,201 |
521. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the uptake of all Brexit related supports and services under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1644/19]
View answerMy Department and its agencies are working to provide 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 weeks.
I made Brexit one of my top priorities in the allocations of funding for 2019 in my Department and I have allocated further funding to Brexit-related support from agencies and offices of my Department as part of Budget 2019. I have allocated an additional €5 million capital funding to the Local Enterprise Offices, an increase of 22% for 2019, and a further €1 million allocated to InterTrade Ireland to help SMEs prepare for the particular North-South challenges associated with Brexit. I have allocated an additional €3m to Enterprise Ireland and €2m to IDA Ireland to expand their global footprints and drive the diversification of trade and investment. Additional resources have also been distributed across Science Foundation Ireland and the Health and Safety Authority and the NSAI for 2019 to support enterprises adjust to the new relationships with the UK and pursue new opportunities.
Informed by detailed research, my Department has put in place a package of measures in response to the needs of businesses affected by Brexit-related uncertainty. The Brexit Loan Scheme, launched in March of 2018, provides relatively short-term working capital, 1 to 3 years, to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees to help them to innovate, change or adapt to mitigate their Brexit challenges. 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.
As at 11 January, there have been 369 applications for eligibility under the scheme, of which 325 have been approved to date, with a further 36 being processed by SBCI. 63 of those applications have progressed to sanction at bank value, to a total value of €14.83m.
Work continues on the development of the Future Growth Loan Scheme, which will provide a longer-term facility, 8 to 10 years, of up to €300m to support strategic capital investment for a post-Brexit environment by business at competitive rates.
InterTrade Ireland also plays a major role as part of Ireland’s Brexit response and offers Brexit-related advisory services to eligible businesses. To date, more than 4,000 SMEs have directly engaged with the Brexit Advisory Service.
ITI offers a Brexit Start to Plan voucher scheme, which enables businesses 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. As of its most recent report and the end of November 2018, 811 businesses have applied for a Brexit Start to Plan voucher, of which 657 have been approved.
Enterprise Ireland has established a Prepare for Brexit online portal and communications campaign, as well as an online “Brexit SME Scorecard” to help Irish businesses self-asses their exposure to Brexit and a “Be Prepared Grant” to support SME clients in planning to mitigate risks arising from Brexit. It has also launched a new Eurozone Strategy to help SMEs broaden their export footprint beyond the UK.
Over 3,700 business have used Enterprise Ireland’s Brexit Scorecard to date and 85% of EI client firms are now taking actions, while 151 applications for the Be Prepared grant have been approved. 165 EI clients have received funding under its “Act On” programme, which supports the engagement of a consultant to help clients identify weaknesses and improve resilience. EI has also hosted 11 Brexit Advisory Clinics.
EI also recently launched a Customs Insights Online course which is a new online training support to help all businesses understand how customs work including the documentation and process required to operate and succeed post Brexit. The Customs Insights course explains in clear and simple terms the main customs rules and included the key actions companies can take to prepare for customs after Brexit and the options from Revenue that are available to make the customs process more efficient. This will be available for any company to use whether they are importers or exporters and also whether they are agency clients or not.
The Local Enterprise Offices [LEOs] 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, over 400 LEO clients have received one-to-one mentoring solely focused on Brexit. Technical Assistance Grants for Micro Export are offered as an incentive for LEO clients to explore and develop new market opportunities. 391 LEO clients have been approved for the Technical Assistance Grant.
My Department has also been 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. These events have so far taken place in Cork, Galway, Monaghan, Dublin, Limerick and Donegal.
522. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will consider producing a small business strategy as proposed by an association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1690/19]
View answerAs Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I want to assure the Deputy that small firms are at the heart of my Department’s business supports and strategies. I am acutely aware of the importance of SMEs to the Irish economy. The latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) Business in Ireland 2016 report states that in Ireland, SMEs accounted for 99.8% or nearly 250,000 active enterprises and over 68% of all persons engaged. SMEs generated 50.2% of total Turnover in the business economy and over 41% of Gross Value Added was attributed to these enterprises.
My Department’s supports for SMEs include access to finance, management development, mentoring supports, business development programmes, market supports and trade promotion, in additional to a range of progressive regulatory and oversight functions. The agencies and offices under the aegis of my Department that work directly with SMEs include Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices, InterTradeIreland, Microfinance Ireland, Companies Registration Office, Registry of Friendly Societies, National Standards Authority of Ireland, Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court, Science Foundation Ireland, Patents Office, Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Health and Safety Authority.
I have discussed the need for a strategy focused on entrepreneurs and small businesses with my officials since I became Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. We have been engaging with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) regarding such a strategy. I launched the “Review of SME and Entrepreneurship issues and policies in Ireland” with the Secretary General of the OECD Ángel Gurría and my colleague Pat Breen TD, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection on 8 March 2018.
This is a pivotal 18-month project which will see a comprehensive review of the SME business ecosystem and policies, using OECD expertise in a structured and defined process. My Department hosted two study missions in June and November of last year, where the OECD team and international experts met with over 100 stakeholders from multiple departments, agencies, representative groups and business owners. The Small Firms Association along with other small firms’ representative groups, including members of my Department's Advisory Group on Small Business which Minster Breen chairs, and other bodies such as Chambers Ireland and ISME were involved in this engagement.
The resulting recommendations and issues identified by the report will form the basis of a long-term SME Strategy for Ireland. We will hold an SME strategy conference in Dublin in mid 2019; engaging with stakeholders and policymakers to ensure we use the levers available to enact the OECD's recommendations. It is intended to include recommended actions in the government wide Future Jobs Initiative as part of my focus on keeping small businesses at the heart of the government policy.
Areas covered by the OECD analysis include taxation, the regulatory environment, productivity challenges, skills and regional development. It also includes an assessment of the main SME-targeted programme areas, including SME workforce skills, standards adoption, internationalisation, financing and innovation.
I am committed to keeping the focus of the government’s business strategy on indigenous firms. As the vast majority of Irish firms are SMEs, this strategy will be aimed at smaller companies. My Department and I will ensure that Ireland continues to be an excellent place to start, grow and scale a business.
The OECD report is due to be published in Q3 of 2019.
523. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of emigrants who have been facilitated to return here as part of the commitment outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1787/19]
View answerThe Government’s goal is to support the creation of an additional 200,000 jobs by 2020, including 135,000 outside of Dublin, and to attract back at least 70,000 emigrants. The whole of Government effort to deliver on these objectives is supported by the annual Action Plan for Jobs, and from 2019, its successor, the Future Jobs programme.
The CSO estimates that between April 2017 and April 2018, 28,400 Irish emigrants returned to Ireland. As the economy continues to grow and approaches full employment, this trend is likely to continue.
Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012, there are almost 385,700 more people at work bringing total employment in the State to 2,265,000 (as of Q3 2018). My Department and its agencies have a range of initiatives to connect with Irish emigrants (and others) to outline the careers and entrepreneurial opportunities in Ireland. These include:
- IDA Ireland actively promotes Ireland as a location for new investment and Enterprise Ireland has specific targets to attract entrepreneurs to Ireland with a focused marketing programme underway in international markets.
- Since 2016, my Department has funded TechLife Ireland- a partnership with Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Irish Technology industry- to promote and brand Ireland as a top destination to pursue a career in technology and attract top tech professionals to Ireland. Industry is playing an important role in supporting the initiative and driving its development.
- Science Foundation Ireland encourages leading researchers to move to Ireland raising Ireland’s profile as a location for research excellence and career advancement: for example, through SFI’s Future Research Leaders and Research Professorships Programmes.
Finally, I would emphasise that ensuring a continued focus on attracting foreign direct investment and maintaining and improving competitiveness is critical to attracting talent back to Ireland.
524. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the average of one job created or supported by Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and InterTradeIreland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1788/19]
View answerIDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland client companies create highly skilled, well-paid and sustainable jobs. The cost of those jobs to the State is calculated by taking into account IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland expenditure to all firms in the period of calculation. Only jobs created during and sustained to the end of each seven-year period are credited in the calculations.
The average cost per Enterprise Ireland job is €4,828 in the 2011-2017 period compared to €7,350 in the period 2010-2016, a decrease of 34%. The cost per IDA Ireland job for the period 2011-2017 is €8,057 compared to €9,148 from 2010-2016, a decrease of almost 12%. Information for the 2012-2018 range will be available when both Agencies publish their annual reports later this year.
InterTrade Ireland (ITI) does not measure cost-per-job but operates a range of programmes to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) explore new cross-border markets, develop new products, processes and services. These initiatives, through supporting cross border firms to grow and expand, do help create and sustain jobs on the island of Ireland. While figures for last year are not yet available, in 2017 there were 2,611 companies engaged in North-South business through ITI’s trade and innovation activities & services.
525. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies Enterprise Ireland initiated proceedings against to revoke grants in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the number of these that were successful; the value of grants that were revoked in these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1789/19]
View answerEnterprise Ireland supports companies in regional and rural areas to start, innovate and remain competitive in international markets, now and into the future. Enterprise Ireland provide a range of financial and non-financial supports for homegrown business start-ups to scale and succeed in international markets, these supports are tailored to a company’s stage of growth and level of ambition.
Enterprise Ireland understands that businesses may succeed and fail and the agency seeks to recover funding from businesses who have not met the terms and conditions of the funding awarded. Each grant agreement includes a clause that requires the business to return funding if these terms and conditions are not met which is signed by the businesses.
Proceedings for reclaiming funds are ongoing and may take time in some cases. There are also companies who have closed down and therefore have no ability to repay. In the last three years, monies from 8 companies have been recovered in full with 5 more companies making part payments to Enterprise Ireland.
The following table represents the number of companies with proceedings issued, value of funding revoked and the amount recovered to date.
The number of companies Enterprise Ireland initiated proceedings against to revoke grants in each of the years 2016 to 2018
|
Year |
No of companies |
Amount Revoked |
Amounts Recovered |
|
2016 |
6 |
€393,303.94 |
€53,537.00 |
|
2017 |
11 |
€673,405.69 |
€162,196.40 |
|
2018 |
6 |
€484,193.81 |
€13,480.00 |
526. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies the IDA initiated proceedings against to revoke grants in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the number of these that were successful; the value of grants that were revoked in these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1790/19]
View answerIDA Ireland is authorised by my Department to provide a range of financial supports in the form of employment, capital, research and development, environmental and training grants. These grants are an important means of encouraging companies to invest in Ireland, particularly in regional locations.
In all instances where financial assistance is approved by IDA Ireland for a client company, the Agency and the client enter into a grant agreement which is a legal and binding contract. While the content of the contract is confidential, the agreement includes conditions and milestones that the client is required to comply with before any financial assistance is provided.
Clients sign the grant agreement in full knowledge that the penalty for non-performance is a pro-rata repayment of grants. IDA Ireland revokes grants where clients have not achieved the agreed performance target or, if appropriate, in the event of a company closure. These cases are reported in the Agency’s Annual Financial Statements. In 2017, the IDA recovered €5.031m in respect of four clients with €346,000 recovered from one client in 2016.
The IDA initiated proceedings against one company in 2017. No proceedings were initiated in 2016. Information on grant repayments for 2018 will be available when the Annual Financial Statements are published as part of the Agency's Annual Report later this year.
527. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of companies InterTradeIreland initiated proceedings against to revoke grants in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the number of these that were successful; the value of grants that were revoked in these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1791/19]
View answerInterTradeIreland (ITI) offers a range of trade and innovation initiatives which assist SMEs to explore cross-border markets, develop new products and services and to become investor ready. It does not, however, provide grant assistance to firms in the way that the State's principal enterprise agencies do with their clients. ITI did not, therefore, initiate any proceedings against companies in order to revoke grants in the period referenced.
528. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the customer complaints received by her Department in each of the years since 2016; if the complaints are grouped into categories; the nature of the complaints; the resolution of same; and the number progressed to the relevant Ombudsman in each of the years since 2016. [1865/19]
View answerCustomers who wish to complain about the quality of customer service provided by my Department can submit a complaint under the Department’s complaint procedures. These procedures, along with the Department’s customer charter and customer action plan, were updated recently in accordance with the customer service actions outlined for implementation in “Our Public Service 2020”. In keeping with best practice, the Department’s complaint procedures provide an accessible, transparent and user - friendly system of dealing with complaints about the quality of service received which are available on the Department's website. These complaint procedures do not, however, provide for complaints relating to business decisions taken by the Department e.g. the non granting of an employment permit. Appropriate appeal mechanisms are available for these situations.
Complaints made about the quality of customer service provided by the Offices of my Department fall to be dealt with under the complaint procedures developed by each Office having regard to their business needs and appropriate appeal mechanisms are available for business decisions taken by the Offices of the Department.
Over the period 2016 to date, I can confirm that there were no complaints received by my Department or its Offices under the complaint procedures relating to the quality of customer service provided.
529. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health the reason persons on the invalidity pension have not been allowed to obtain the benefits of working longer hours, such as counterparts on the disability benefit scheme which was announced in December 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54066/18]
View answerFrom the 1st December 2018, the medical card earnings disregard for persons in receipt of Disability Allowance was increased from €120 to €427 per week and applies to the assessment process for both single persons and to family assessments. This measure gave effect to one of the key recommendations of the Make Work Pay for Persons with Disabilities Report. It follows the implementation of another recommendation of the Report to dispense with the requirement that work be of a "rehabilitative nature" for the medical card earnings disregard purposes, that was implemented by the HSE in May 2017. Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment made by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and meet the appropriate social insurance (PRSI) contributions. It is a social insurance payment and therefore is not subject to a means test or have an income disregard/taper in the same way as Disability Allowance. However, for persons in receipt of partial capacity benefit, further work will be undertaken in 2019 to examine how this measure might also be applied to this cohort.
