Bernard Durkan
Question:111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional information required in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45952/19]
View answerImmigration Status
Questions (111)
Written answers
I must inform the Deputy that there is no record of an immigration application to my Department from the individual referred to and therefore I cannot comment further in the matter.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service of my Department by e-mail using the oireachtas mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the parliamentary questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the Immigration Service is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
Immigration Status
Questions (112)
Bernard Durkan
Question:112. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when stamp 4 will be updated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45953/19]
View answerWritten answers
I can inform the Deputy that, in response to a notification from my Department pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation, in advance of a final decision being made.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the Immigration Service is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
Trade Data
Questions (113)
Michael McGrath
Question:113. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she has undertaken an analysis of the trade risks to the pharmaceutical and medtech industry here from the United States of America; the contingencies in place to mitigate against such risks; the number of companies in such industries that export to the US; the number of persons employed in companies in such industries that export to the US; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45989/19]
View answerWritten answers
In 2017 there were 568 active enterprises in the biopharmaceutical sector in Ireland. This includes a mix of large multinationals, start-ups, and high growth SMEs, including over 100 Enterprise Ireland supported Irish owned companies.
Ireland has a highly skilled workforce that has achieved critical mass. There are approximately 30,000 people in direct employment in the sector, of which over 60% hold a third level qualification. The sector employs approximately 25% of all PhD graduates currently employed in Irish industry.
Biopharmaceuticals are the single largest exporting sector of goods from Ireland, valued at €73bn in 2018, which represents a 32% increase on the 2017 figure. This comprised exports of organic chemicals of €27bn and medical and pharmaceutical products of €46bn. In 2018 35% of exports in this sector were to the US.
The global top 10 biopharmaceutical companies have a manufacturing presence in Ireland and major investments from these companies has facilitated the rapid growth of the industry. The indigenous sector is highly innovative, also, with Irish companies competing successfully in global markets throughout the world. Consequently, Ireland is well positioned to be a leader in Pharma 4.0 supported by investments such as the Science Foundation Ireland pharmaceutical research centre (SSPC), the IDA Ireland-funded National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) and Enterprise Ireland's Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) Technology Centre.
38,000 people are employed in 350medtech companies in Ireland, nearly one in five of whom are employed by domestic companies. Four out of five are SMEs or start-ups and 60% of these companies are Irish. These companies are major drivers of innovation and are a vital part of the medtech ecosystem.
14 of the world’s top 15 leading medtech multinationals now have operations in Ireland and many have multiple sites. Ireland is among the top destinations of choice for medtech investments into Europe.
Ireland’s medtech sector has become one of the leading producers of medical device products globally and is one of the largest exporters of medtech products in Europe with annual exports by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland supported companies of €12.6 bn to over100 countries worldwide. Of this €12.6 bn, €4.5 bn accounts for exports to the US.
Central to the success of both Irish and foreign owned biopharmaceutical and medtech companies based here has been their R&D capabilities, technical expertise, leadership and management strengths and collaborative partnerships.
Trade and investment policy shifts in the US and international tax developments intensify the need for us to continuously strengthen our competitive advantage for biopharma and medtech investment and to remain a location of choice for innovation and manufacturing.
At the same time, IDA Ireland works closely with its client base to support their ongoing presence in Ireland. This includes engaging with client companies to help them address potential risks they may face whether related to the international trading environment or otherwise. The agency also provides financial incentives to carry out in-house R&D projects and collaborative projects with third-level institutes and industrial partners for the purpose of enabling client companies to become more innovative, assists client companies to increase their capacity and capability to deliver to new and existing markets and supports client companies to replace old equipment with new technology upgrades. These supports are designed to develop the competitive capabilities of companies already located in Ireland and to help clients increase their capacity and capability to deliver to new and existing markets.
Brexit Supports
Questions (114)
Lisa Chambers
Question:114. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the uptake of each Brexit-related support to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45872/19]
View answerWritten answers
Since the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, my Department and its agencies have worked to put a wide range of Brexit supports in place for businesses. My Department's focus is on helping firms to improve their competitiveness and innovation, and to diversify markets.
The suite of enterprise and finance supports now in place covers the spectrum of potential Brexit impacts and aims to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and the practical preparatory actions to be taken over the coming months.
Since 2016, my Department and its agencies have worked to prepare Irish businesses for the potential challenges posed by Brexit by helping them to assess their preparedness and helping them to implement practical action plans in areas such as customs, supply chain and sourcing, and financial management. While we cannot yet know the form that Brexit will take, these measures aim to assist businesses in identifying and managing key risk areas and develop practical preparatory actions regardless of the circumstances of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The Government’s suite of Brexit supports includes preparedness vouchers, consultancy and mentoring supports, tariff advisory services, research on new markets and innovation supports through Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices and InterTradeIreland. Supports and advice are also available from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, the Health and Safety Authority, IDA Ireland, Revenue, Skillnet Ireland, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Bord Bia and Fáilte Ireland.
The most immediate consequences of a hard Brexit are likely to be currency movements, supply chain constraints, delays, duties and tariffs. In the first instance, there will be a strain on the working capital position of businesses.
Of my Department's suite of supports, the €300m Brexit Loan Scheme is designed to address working capital challenges brought about by Brexit. Under the Scheme, loans of up to €1.5 million are available at a rate of 4% or less, with loans of up to €500,000 available on an unsecured basis. By contrast, the €300m Future Growth Loan Scheme is designed to support strategic long-term investment in a post-Brexit environment.
InterTradeIreland also plays a major role as part of Ireland’s Brexit response and offers Brexit-related advisory services to eligible businesses. So far this year, more than 5,000 SMEs have directly engaged with the Brexit Advisory Service.
ITI offers Brexit Planning Voucher and Brexit Implementation Voucher schemes, which enable businesses to get professional advice on how best to plan, prepare and implement for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. These supports help businesses obtain advice on specific areas such as tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, goods and services.
ITI Brexit Planning Vouchers are worth up to €2,250 (inclusive of VAT) each. ITI’s Brexit Implementation Voucher provides financial support up to £5,000/€5,625 (inclusive of VAT), with InterTradeIreland paying 50%. This allows businesses to implement critical changes making them better prepared to deal with a new trading relationship.
In August, ITI launched a new advertising campaign and a new online resource to encourage and assist firms in preparing for Brexit. The online “Bitesize Brexit” resource is a one-stop-shop for cross-border traders, presenting information in easily digestible segments and includes specific actions businesses should take in preparing for Brexit.
Enterprise Ireland also recently launched 12 ‘Brexit Essential’ questions aimed at helping exporting businesses further prepare and take action ahead of the UK’s impending withdrawal from the EU. The Brexit Essentials campaign highlights the key questions and documentation that businesses need to address in order to trade successfully with the UK post 31 October.
My Department, in association with the Department of Education and Skills and key industry partners, also launched a new support measure to help customs agents, intermediaries and affected Irish businesses develop the capacity to deal with the additional customs requirements due to the UK’s departure from the EU. The new initiative called Clear Customs comprises of a training programme and a customs financial support to assist with the costs of recruiting and assigning new staff to customs roles.
In addition, the Government has held over 100 Brexit information seminars and events since last September. I also have been convening regular roundtable discussions with the main retail grocery and distribution players since December to better understand contingency planning within the sector on food supply. Revenue, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Dublin Port and relevant Government Departments also attend these meetings.
With the deadline for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU having now shifted to 31 January, the continued uncertainty around Brexit continues to represent a significant challenge for businesses in Ireland. I want businesses, particularly those most impacted by Brexit, to know my Department and its agencies are here to help.
|
Scheme |
Uptake at 25 October 2019 (except where otherwise noted) |
|
Brexit Loan Scheme |
878 applications received, 787 approved by SBCI, 209 Loans progressed to sanction at bank level to a value of €46.09 million.Of the approved applications to date, 158 were reapplications as eligibility expires after four months.(Uptake as of 1 November) |
|
Future Growth Loan Scheme |
1,814 applications received, 1,724 approved by SBCI, 431 Loans progressed to sanction at bank level to a value of €75.07 million.(Uptake as of 1 November) |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit Scorecard - online platform for Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit |
6,890 Brexit Scorecards have been completed. 1,725 LEO clients have completed the scorecard. |
|
Enterprise Ireland Be Prepared Grant |
223 Be Prepared Grants have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Market Discovery Fund - A support to EI clients to research new markets |
211 companies have been approved under this initiative |
|
Enterprise Ireland Prepare to Export Scorecard |
5,182 Prepare to Export Scorecards have been completed |
|
Enterprise Ireland Customs Insights Online Course |
1,900 Customs Insights Course participants |
|
Enterprise Ireland Agile Innovation Fund - Gives rapid fast-track access to innovation funding |
63 Agile Innovation projects have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit Advisory Clinics |
16 Brexit Advisory Clinics have been run with over 1,200 in attendance |
|
Enterprise Ireland Brexit “Act On Programme” – A support funding the engagement of a consultant to devise report with recommendations to help clients address weaknesses and improve resilience |
293 “Act on” Plans have been completed |
|
Enterprise Ireland Strategic Consultancy Grant – A grant to assist EI clients to hire a strategic consultant for a set period |
1,091 Strategic Consultancy Grants have been approved |
|
Enterprise Ireland Clear Customs Grant |
222 applications have been made to access financial support through the scheme |
|
Local Enterprise Office Technical Assistance Grant for Micro Export - an incentive for LEO clients to explore and develop new market opportunities |
793 clients were approved assistance under the Technical Assistance Grant |
|
Local Enterprise Office LEAN for Micro - The LEO Lean4Micro offer was developed in collaboration between the EI Lean department and the LEOs to tailor the EI Lean offer for LEO micro enterprise clients |
445 LEO clients have participated in the programme |
|
Local Enterprise Office Mentoring |
1,177 mentoring participants solely focused on Brexit |
|
Local Enterprise Office Brexit Seminars/Events |
5,985 Participants at the Brexit Information events |
|
Customs Training Participants |
1,347 Participants attended Customs Training |
|
InterTradeIreland Brexit Advisory Service |
5,316 SMEs have directly engaged with the Brexit Advisory Service in 2019. This is in addition to the 4,175 engagements in 2018. |
|
InterTradeIreland Brexit Planning Vouchers |
There have been 2,013 applications, with 1,727 approved and 40 still pending assessment. |
|
Pilot Online Retail Scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland |
11 retailers were awarded funding in March 2019 under Call1. A second call of the Scheme closed on the 31 July 2019. 29 retailers were awarded funding under Call 2. The Pilot Online Retail Scheme has now concluded. |
Brexit Preparations
Questions (115)
Lisa Chambers
Question:115. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the latest data on the percentage of firms without a formal Brexit plan in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45873/19]
View answerWritten answers
While the nature of the UK’s departure from the EU still remains to be determined, Brexit continues to represent a significant challenge for businesses in Ireland. The deadline for withdrawal has now shifted to 31 January, but there remains an urgent need for Irish businesses to plan, prepare and take action to mitigate their exposure to Brexit, despite the continued uncertainty.
My Department's ongoing engagement with businesses indicates that the proportion of businesses preparing for Brexit is increasing, particularly among those businesses identified as most exposed to Brexit-related impacts, and that awareness of the key Brexit challenges is also increasing. Almost 60% of Irish SMEs report a good understanding of the likely implications of Brexit impacts that are relevant to their business. The findings of our latest research suggest that planning for Brexit is increasing with almost 50% of SMEs taking some form of active engagement (up from 42% in 2018) in the form of planning or any other mitigating steps. Among the most impacted businesses, progress is also being made, for example more than half of exporters indicate that they have a Brexit plan. Among Enterprise Ireland clients, 85% have taken action in respect of Brexit.
The Government’s suite of Brexit supports includes preparedness vouchers, consultancy and mentoring supports, tariff advisory services, research on new markets and innovation supports through Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Offices and InterTradeIreland. Supports and advice are also available from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, the Health and Safety Authority, IDA Ireland, Revenue, Skillnet Ireland, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, Bord Bia and Fáilte Ireland.
The network of 31 LEOs is there to support businesses in preparing for Brexit, to ensure that businesses are informed and have plans in place to manage the new trading relationships on the island and with the UK more generally. The LEOs have organised and contributed to various events to enable companies to learn about the potential impacts and opportunities of Brexit. These are in addition to Enterprise Ireland's series of Brexit Advisory Clinics.
InterTradeIreland also plays a major role as part of Ireland’s Brexit response and offers Brexit-related advisory services to eligible businesses. Further to this, ITI offers Brexit Planning Voucher and Brexit Implementation Voucher schemes, which enable businesses to get professional advice on how best to plan, prepare and implement for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. These supports help businesses obtain advice on specific areas such as tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, goods and services.
ITI’s Brexit Planning Vouchers are worth up to €2,250 (inclusive of VAT) each. ITI’s Brexit Implementation Vouchers provide financial support up to £5,000/€5,625 (inclusive of VAT), with InterTradeIreland paying 50%. This allows businesses to implement critical changes making them better prepared to deal with a new trading relationship.
Enterprise Ireland also recently launched 12 ‘Brexit Essential’ questions aimed at helping exporting businesses further prepare and take action ahead of the UK’s impending withdrawal from the EU. The Brexit Essentials campaign highlights the key questions and documentation that businesses need to address in order to trade successfully with the UK after the withdrawal date.
While there remains little clarity on the means by which the UK will leave the EU in January, I am conscious that the repeated delays to Brexit may have led some businesses to defer their immediate planning. However, the UK’s exit from the EU will mean changes for Irish businesses, and I want businesses to know that my Department and its agencies are here to help them as they prepare for those changes.
Work Permits Applications
Questions (116)
Bernard Durkan
Question:116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when a work permit application will be considered in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45954/19]
View answerWritten answers
There does not appear to be a current employment permit application for the named person (details supplied).
An application for an employment permit by the named person will be considered should such an application be made, subject to the application fulfilling all relevant criteria.
In order to apply for an employment permit a non-EEA national must have secured a job offer for an eligible occupation from an Irish registered employer.
Details on how to apply for an employment permit are available on my Department's website at the following link - https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/.
In order to assist with the application process, the Department has produced a suite of information including various checklist documents, a ‘User Guide' to our online application system and a comprehensive FAQ Document which answers the most common queries received regarding employment permits. All this information can be found in the Employment Permits section of my Department’s website at www.dbei.gov.ie.
Foreign Direct Investment
Questions (117)
Robert Troy
Question:117. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the efforts she is making in conjunction with the IDA to secure foreign direct investment for a business park (details supplied). [45973/19]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, regional development is a key priority of mine and I am focused on maintaining existing jobs while also increasing the level of employment and investment in every county in Ireland. That was the case in 2018 and 2019 and our collective emphasis on regional development will continue in 2020.
The site that the Deputy is referring to is the IDA Ireland Business and Technology (B&T) Park which is located in Ardmore, Mullingar. The park comprises 27 hectares with 22.5 hectares available for investment. The site is fully zoned and serviced and there is currently one IDA client located there, namely Patterson Pumps. The IDA continues to actively market this B&T Park through its network of offices in Ireland and overseas.
More broadly, the FDI trend in Westmeath is positive. There are currently 21 IDA client companies located in the County, employing 3,466 people. Three of these companies are located in Mullingar, employing approximately 150 people. The wider County has seen an almost 17% increase in FDI employment from 2017 to 2018 and the IDA actively engages with its client base to support them in growing their business and footprint further.
Employment Data
Questions (118)
Michael McGrath
Question:118. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons employed in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry by region and type of manufacturing, for example, regular medicines, biological medicines and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45988/19]
View answerWritten answers
There are approximately 30,000 people directly employed in IDA-supported biopharmaceutical companies. More broadly, the life sciences sector, encompassing pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical technology, now employs more than 60,000 people in Ireland and exports in excess of €58 billion annually.
Over 80 multinational biopharma companies have significant facilities in Ireland with many of those operating multiple sites around the country. However, information on the breakdown of employment by region or by type of manufacturing is not currently available.
IDA Ireland continues to promote Ireland as a prime location for high-end pharmaceutical and biotech activities, including research and development; global business service centres; high-value manufacturing; and supply chain management.
Economic Competitiveness
Questions (119)
Robert Troy
Question:119. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the way in which Ireland has fallen to its lowest ranking in the 12-year history of the World Bank ease of doing business global rankings in its 2020 report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46002/19]
View answerWritten answers
Improving our competitiveness and ensuring that Ireland is an attractive location to do business remains a key economic priority for this Government. We continue to monitor Ireland's competitiveness and analyse the factors that are crucial to attracting further investments in the country.
The World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2019 report compares the ‘ease of doing’ business across 190 economies using quantitative indicators. The report assesses the impact of 10 areas of business regulation: starting a business; dealing with construction permits; getting electricity; registering property; getting credit; protecting minority investors; paying taxes; trading across borders; enforcing contracts; and, resolving insolvency.
In the latest report, Ireland is ranked 24th globally (and 6th in the euro area). While these rankings represent a fall of one place from the previous year, the World Bank report also suggests that Ireland has become a better place to do business in the past 12 months, as Ireland’s ‘doing business’ score improved. The primary reason Ireland fell one place in these rankings was because other countries improved relatively more than Ireland over the past year.
However, as competitiveness is a broad term, it is important to look at a range of indicators to ensure we have a holistic view of Ireland’s competitiveness. My Department considers a range of competitiveness indicators, including: (i) two other international competitiveness rankings - the IMD Competitiveness Yearbook (where Ireland is ranked 7th globally), and the WEF Global Competitiveness Report (24th). My Department also consider hard indicators such as the Harmonised Competitiveness Indicator (HCI) and Unit Labour Costs, which both suggest that Ireland is becoming more competitive.
Given Ireland’s performance in these, and a wider selection of indicators, my view (and one shared by the National Competitiveness Council) is that Ireland remains a competitive economy.
However, the fall in the World Bank rankings underline the fact that there is no room for complacency. The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) will issue recommendations on the actions needed to improve competitiveness in its forthcoming Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2019 report before the end of the year. These recommendations will be brought to the attention of Government and responded to in due course.
Brexit Supports
Questions (120)
Robert Troy
Question:120. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of approved applicants to the Brexit loan scheme that have or have not drawn down funding in the four-month eligibility period in tabular form. [46003/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are or will be Brexit impacted and which meet the scheme criteria. The €23 million exchequer funding announced in the 2018 Budget (€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 over the lifetime of the scheme.
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. Businesses can use guidelines provided on the SBCI website to determine if they are eligible, and if so, to complete the eligibility form. As part of the process, businesses must submit a business plan, demonstrating the means by which they intend to innovate, change or adapt to meet their Brexit challenges. The SBCI assesses 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 using their eligibility reference number. Participating finance providers are the Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and Allied Irish Bank. Approval of loans is subject to the finance providers' own credit policies and procedures.
As at 1 November, the SBCI had received 878 applications for eligibility under the scheme, of which 787 have so far been approved, with 20 applications deemed ineligible and 71 pending processing. To date, 209 applications have progressed to sanction at bank level. However, it should be noted that 158 of the total applications under the scheme are re-applications. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the reason for re-applications was that eligibility codes had expired.
Given that businesses have applied for eligibility under the scheme more than once, and that other applicants are still within the eligibility window, it is not possible to say definitively what number of applicants have received approval but not proceeded with their application within the eligibility window.
The lifespan of eligibility codes under the Brexit Loan Scheme has now been extended from four to six months.
|
Applications for Eligibility as at 1st November 2019 |
|
|
Approved |
787 |
|
Ineligible |
20 |
|
Pending |
71 |
|
Total Received |
878 |
|
Of which re-applications |
158 |
|
Total progressed to sanction |
209 |
|
Total value sanctioned |
€46,099,300 |
Enterprise Support Schemes
Questions (121)
Robert Troy
Question:121. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of approved applicants to the future growth loan scheme that have or have not drawn down funding in the six-month eligibility period in tabular form. [46004/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Future Growth Loan Scheme makes up to €300 million worth of loans available with a term of eight to ten years and is open to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic long-term investment. Finance provided under the scheme is competitively priced and has favourable terms, for example, no security is required for loans up to €500,000.
The scheme has been developed by my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in partnership with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and the European Investment Fund.
Loans to businesses under the scheme can be used to fund investments in equipment, machinery, buildings and associated overhead costs for organisational and/or process innovation. Loans to primary agriculture under the scheme can be used to fund investment in tangible and intangible assets on agricultural holdings linked to primary agricultural production.
The Future Growth Loan Scheme features a two-stage application process. Applications for eligibility under the scheme is made through the SBCI website. The SBCI assesses the applications and successful applicants are issued an eligibility reference number.
Eligible businesses may then apply for a loan under the scheme with one of the participating finance providers using the eligibility reference number. Approval of loans under this scheme is subject to the finance providers’ own credit policies and procedures.
As at 1 November, there have been 1,814 applications for eligibility under the scheme, of which 1,724 had been deemed eligible. 89 eligibility applications are pending processing, while one has been deemed ineligible. To date, 431 applications have progressed to sanction at bank level.
Given the volume of applicant businesses whose eligibility codes are still valid, it is not possible to say definitively what number of applicants have received eligibility approval but not proceeded with their application.
|
Applications for Eligibility as at 1st November 2019 |
|
|
Approved |
1,724 |
|
Ineligible |
1 |
|
Pending |
89 |
|
Total Received |
1,814 |
|
Progressed to sanction |
431 |
Intellectual Property Management
Questions (122)
Robert Troy
Question:122. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will consider carrying out an analysis of the impact of patent expiry and other risks for biological medicines on medicines production, that is, manufacturing here and related employment and foreign direct investment impacts; and if she discussed this matter with the Minister for Finance. [46005/19]
View answerWritten answers
The Irish life sciences manufacturing sector has grown significantly in recent years with a range of significant investments from overseas companies, along with start-ups and high-growth SMEs. The global top ten biopharmaceutical companies each now have a manufacturing presence in Ireland. Indigenous firms are also highly innovative and are competing successfully in global markets.
Ireland's strong international reputation in pharmaceutical manufacturing has been hard-earned. It is the product of a long track record as a successful home to pharma firms, an effective regulatory framework and the high esteem in which the industry's highly qualified workforce here is held. Another key consideration has been the continued quality and safety of medicines manufactured here and the important role that the Health Products Regulatory Authority has played in this context.
Patent protection for medicinal products in the EU and in Ireland remains amongst the most robust in the world. That protection is underpinned by international treaties, EU regulations and national legislation. This has contributed to Ireland's ability to attract investments of scale in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The time-scale of patents is an important consideration for companies in the biopharmaceutical sector. However, I understand those same firms consider a range of other issues when making commercial decisions on their long-term presence or growth plans in a jurisdiction. The IDA continues to work closely with all its clients in this area to better understand how these various factors, including those related to patent-expiry, could impact on their operations in Ireland.
It should be noted as well that the industry itself is responding to challenges associated with patent expiry through the development of innovative new treatments and products. Ireland continues to win new innovative investments in small and large molecule manufacture and the evolving area of cell and gene therapies. This is a result of IDA Ireland’s continuing engagement with its clients on all aspects of the industry, with a view to generating new employment opportunities and consolidating Ireland’s reputation in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
Child and Family Agency Services
Questions (123)
Bernard Durkan
Question:123. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which counselling services through Tusla can be expanded and made more readily available; if training courses for such counsellors are being provided; if so, the extent to which they are provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45793/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products Availability
Questions (124)
Bernard Durkan
Question:124. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if reimbursable alternative medication will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) who was previously in receipt of such provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45796/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme Eligibility
Questions (125)
Bernard Durkan
Question:125. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if the fair deal scheme will be made available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45797/19]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.