Written Answers Nos. 171-191
171. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if officials in his Department are tasked with conducting online and social media monitoring and completing reports on social media coverage of his Department and his Ministerial activities; if so, the number of staff involved; the respective grades of each; the estimated working hours committed to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25800/21]
View answerWithin my Department’s Communications Unit, there are currently seven staff employed to deal with press and public relations. Part of their work includes monitoring social media on an ongoing basis to ensure that the work of the Department and its Ministers is factually represented, and that clarifications or corrections are made if and when appropriate. Specific reports are not complied and as this task is just one element of routine press office work it is not possible to estimate the time specifically committed to it.
A breakdown of staff by grade is set out as follows.
|
Grade |
Number of Staff |
|
Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
2 |
|
Executive Officer |
3 |
172. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he and bodies under his aegis have engaged private investigation companies or persons in the past three years to date; and if so, the cost, duration and purpose of these engagements of this type of contractor. [25822/21]
View answerMy Department has not engaged any private investigation companies or persons during the period in question.
173. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of full-time digital investigation specialists at HEO level for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [25932/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table as requested:
|
Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Number of full-time digital investigation specialists (HEO): |
1 |
0* |
1 |
1 |
*the role was vacant during 2019, there were 2 unsuccessful competitions held to backfill it.
174. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will create a mechanism whereby local chambers of commerce and the business community can engage directly and support the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor initiative in an official capacity, in particular, that the work and data already completed in respect of the M1 corridor project and the M1 payments corridor and the persons involved in the these projects can add value to the initiative.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26040/21]
View answerThe Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor initiative is a collaborative project led by a network involving eight local authorities, North and South of the border, Dublin City University and Ulster University. I was pleased to have had the opportunity to take part in the launch of this initiative on 24 March along with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
While not directly engaged, the Government is supportive of this initiative. We have set out in the National Planning Framework how we want to build on the strengths of the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor to capitalise on the clear economic potential of the region. That will involve effectively planning and developing new growth areas, investing in infrastructure and connectivity, and also protecting distinctive landscapes, green spaces and rural activities along the corridor.
Further, through the New Decade, New Approach Agreement, the Irish Government has made a strong commitment to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to achieve greater connectivity on the island. This will help us to unlock the full potential of the all-island economy, the protection of which has been a central objective of Government over the last number of years, in particular as we have faced the challenges arising from Brexit.
Belfast and Dublin have a great deal to offer each other, and this work to strengthen business links between the two cities is very welcome. There is potential for the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor to develop a unique international brand as a cross-border region with a particularly strong offering for Foreign Direct Investment, bearing in mind the continued access for businesses throughout the corridor to the EU’s single market.
Representatives of the local chambers of commerce, enterprise agencies, business community and local authorities meet regularly through the North East Regional Enterprise Plan steering committee and I will ask them to consider the DBEC and other initiatives underway in the region at their next meeting.
175. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the development of Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26041/21]
View answerThe digital revolution has the potential to be one of the greatest disruptors in financial services over the next decade particularly in digital finance or ‘fintech’. Ireland is uniquely positioned to benefit from global investment in fintech. This is due in part to our excellent track record in attracting FDI, our entrepreneurial culture, a strong skills base and an established ecosystem that includes both international financial services and technology firms.
In order to capitalise on the opportunities for Fintech development in Ireland including developing Ireland’s policy positions in light of the legislative elements of the new European Commission Digital Finance Package, the Minister of State for Financial Services recently established a new Fintech Working Group as part of the Ireland for Finance 2021 action plan. Officials from my department will be on this Working Group, which will coordinate the approach to fintech across Government to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to development of the Fintech sector in Ireland, including regional considerations. As part of its work the group will engage with external stakeholders to build a shared understanding of the various policy and market developments in fintech across policymakers, the fintech community and technological innovations.
My Department also oversees the development and implementation of Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs), originally launched in 2019, the purpose of which is to identify growth opportunities and strengthen regional enterprise ecosystems to enable job creation in the regions. REPs complement activities undertaken by the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs and the wider range of State Bodies directly involved in supporting enterprise development in the regions.
The North-East Regional Enterprise Plan to 2020 included a strategic objective to ‘Drive a higher level of economic success by building on niche strengths and fostering clustering among enterprises’ which was progressed through establishment of the Fintech Corridor (TFC) in September 2020. There has been continued growth in the cluster which has gained 21 new members and the cluster is supported by a full-time Programme Manager funded by InterTrade Ireland. Current REPs concluded in 2020 and a process to develop new REPs to 2024 has commenced and will identify ongoing growth opportunities and opportunities to further strengthen regional ecosystems.
176. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of data breaches suffered by his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021. [26096/21]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to personal data breaches under the General Data Protection Regulation (the "GDPR").
As the Deputy will be aware, the GDPR was introduced on 18th May 2018.
Information on personal data breaches for my Department and the Offices under the aegis of my Department from this date to the current date in 2021 is set out in the following Table.
DEPARTMENT OF ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT (DETE) & OFFICES UNDER THE AEGIS OF DETE
|
YEAR |
No. of GDPR Personal Data Breaches – DETE |
No. of GDPR Personal Data Breaches – OFFICES under aegis of DETE |
|
2018 (data recorded from 18/05/2018) |
3 |
5 |
|
2019 |
6 |
24 |
|
2020 |
2 |
9 |
|
2021* (data as at 13/05/2021) |
1 |
4 |
The Offices under the aegis of the DETE are: (1) The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC); the Companies Registration Office (CRO); the Registry of Friendly Societies (RFS), the Register of Beneficial Ownership (RBO), the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI); the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) and the Labour Court (LC).
177. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to delays in processing payments for the small business assistance scheme for Covid to businesses that have been approved for the scheme, in particular, with regard to delays of payments through specific administering councils (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26172/21]
View answerI am aware that there was a delay in payments under the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) in the local authority to which the deputy refers. I understand that this delay was due to a IT software issue which has now been rectified.
I can confirm that payments are currently being processed at the moment and that all payments will be made by 21st May.
178. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if an initiative (details supplied) will receive support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26174/21]
View answerThe Government continues to work on measures as the recovery phase of COVID-19 continues and welcomes input from stakeholders.
It is heartening to see the work that many groups are doing across the country to encourage local recovery and resilience.
In this case the most appropriate minister to approach would be Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Rural and Community Development.
179. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will consider extending the start-up grant to include businesses that have a turnover of less than €50,000; and if he will consider a smaller threshold or second tier of funding to take into account businesses that would not reach this turnover threshold. [26180/21]
View answerAs you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
You will also know that Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors.
You are correct that some businesses may not be eligible for some schemes due to eligibility requirement of €50,000 turnover. Analysis carried out for similar schemes has shown that where annual turnover is less than €50,000, then it is likely that most costs will be payroll based. As you know, Government already provides subsidies or other income supports in the form of the EWSS and the PUP.
I would urge business owners to seek the supports available. I would also suggest they contact their Local Enterprise Office who can signpost them and advise them of supports that may be available for their business.
It is important to note that I along with my Government colleagues are continuing to keep government business schemes under review.
180. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports, grants or schemes that are available to micro, small and medium enterprises such as a company (details supplied) that have been excluded due to non-eligibility for the Covid restrictions support scheme and the Fáilte Ireland schemes; his views on whether there are businesses such as this that were missed in the current schemes and that should be supported; if he will devise or recommend a scheme that could support such businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26328/21]
View answerAs you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
You will also know that Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors.
The Government also announced a Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), the aim of which is to provide grants to businesses ineligible for the Government’s other existing schemes such as CRSS and is designed to help with fixed costs.
The first phase of this scheme has now closed to applications, however, local authorities will be accepting applications for a second phase which will open in the coming weeks. The business you refer to may be eligible for this scheme if they meet the eligibility requirements which will be announced shortly.
I would urge business owners to seek the supports available. I would also suggest they contact their Local Enterprise Office who can signpost them and advise them of supports that may be available for their business.
It is important to note that I along with my Government colleagues are continuing to keep government business schemes under review.
181. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to ensure that Covid-19 vaccine trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights waiver is addressed through the WTO TRIPS Agreement.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26396/21]
View answerUniversal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19.
As you are aware, International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties. In exercising that competence at the WTO, the European Commission engages with Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committee and Working Parties/Groups, including on intellectual property.
The announcement by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai regarding the U.S. Government’s support for a waiver of IP protections for COVID-19 vaccines, is significant. However, the statement acknowledged that reaching agreement on this at the WTO will take time given the consensus-based nature of the institution and the complexity of the issues involved.
The President of the EU Commission has responded to the U.S. announcement by indicating its readiness to discuss the U.S. proposal at the WTO. Ireland will engage with the European Commission and other member states on the EU position for the WTO discussions including discussions on how the U.S. proposal for a waiver on intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines can help to resolve the crisis.
The EU continues to be committed to an open and comprehensive dialogue with all WTO members to explore how the multilateral rules-based trading system can best support universal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments in order to achieve the shared goal of providing timely and secure access to safe and affordable vaccines and medicines for all. There are existing flexibilities in the TRIPS agreement that allows for compulsory licensing which is when a government permits an entity to produce the patented product or process without the consent of the patent owner. Compulsory licenses can cover exports to all countries that lack a manufacturing capability.
The President of the EU Commission has also identified three other areas which should be pursued to support the global vaccination effort in the short term. Firstly, the issue of exports needs to be addressed to tackle bottlenecks and the lack of vaccines worldwide. The EU has already exported 50% of all vaccines that it has produced. Secondly, the President of the Commission pointed to the COVAX Facility, the international initiative to ensure global supply and access to COVID vaccines, as the mechanism that is best placed to ensure that high-income countries finance the vaccines and support the developing countries to secure their share of global supply. Thirdly, the area of investment in global manufacturing capacity is key, and the EU Commission is supporting a number of initiatives to achieve this.
182. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if any transport operators, bus and travel companies availed of the SBCI working capital scheme in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26449/21]
View answerThe COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme was introduced in March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, to help businesses seeking to innovate, change or adapt to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Loans under the scheme range from €25,000 to €1.5m, for terms of up to three years. Loans of up to €500,000 are available unsecured and the maximum interest rate under the scheme is 4%. This scheme was made available by repurposing funding originally made available under the Brexit Loan Scheme. The scheme is delivered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
As of May 7th, 2021, there has been 1,018 loans sanctioned under the COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, to a total value of €138.48m.
Figures for loans availed of per county are provided as part of the quarterly reporting on the scheme. As of the most recent quarterly report (31st December 2020), in county Sligo, 52 businesses had received eligibility approval under the COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, with 16 loans drawn to a total value of €1,300,000. In county Leitrim, 24 eligibility codes had so far been approved, and four loans drawn to a total value of €605,000.
Of these, one tour company in the region applied for and received an eligibility code for the COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme. There is no data available on whether this tour company has to date proceeded with an application for lending under this scheme.
183. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a regulatory body is in place to ensure the enforcement of the late payments directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26481/21]
View answerLate payment in commercial transactions is governed by the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2012, as amended, which gives legal effect to Directive 2011/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on combating late payment in commercial transactions.
Under these Regulations it is an implied term of every commercial transaction that where a purchaser does not pay for goods or services by the relevant payment date, the supplier shall be entitled to late payment interest on the amount outstanding and a compensation payment. The Regulations provide that public authorities must pay for goods and services they procure within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or as specified in a contract and that businesses should make payments within 60 days.
In addition, in 2017 a commitment was made that public sector bodies would pay late payment interest and compensation costs (minimum of €40) automatically after 30 days without an obligation on the provider to request such a payment.
My Department collates data in respect payment made by Government Departments and makes this data available on its website. In 2019 and 2020 respectively, 98% and 97% of all invoices received by Government Departments were paid within 30 days and did not incur late payment interest or compensation.
In line with its commitment to address the issue of late payments, Government has gone a step further by requiring public authorities to pay for goods and services within 15 days. Compliance with the 15-day requirement has also been strong among Government Departments with 82% on 80% of invoices received by Government Departments having been paid in 2019 and 2020 within 15-days.
While I acknowledge that late payments to suppliers can have a negative impact on business cashflow, I would also draw the Deputy’s attention to the fact that the establishment of a regulatory body to ensure the enforcement of late payment legislation would likely increase the level of administration and reporting requirements of business. This would place an increased administrative burden on businesses, particularly the SME sector, as monitoring compliance would require payment history details to be provided by business.
The various measures undertaken by my Department and across Government to ensure the terms of the legislation have been observed have gone beyond mere transposition of the Directive and are proving very successful as is evident from the high level of compliance reported. I can assure the deputy that Officials from my Department will continue through participation in the European Commission’s Late Payment Directive Expert Group to seek ways of ensuring compliance with the Directive.
184. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will contact the Egyptian Government to register concern for cargo bound for Ireland on a ship (details supplied) that has been detained at Suez Port; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26498/21]
View answerI am not aware of specific issues raised in the details supplied. Matters related to the international transport of freight is a matter for the Minister for Transport. Assistance may be available from the Irish Embassy in Cairo in raising concerns regarding any detained cargo.
185. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs in IDA Ireland client companies in 2020 by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26531/21]
View answerForeign Direct Investment (FDI) employment continued to grow in 2020 despite the impact of COVID-19. The numbers directly employed in the multinational sector in Ireland grew to 257,394.
Throughout 2020 IDA Ireland won 246 new investments resulting in the creation of 20,123 new jobs. Of these, 95 investments were from new investors and 151 investments from existing companies. Over half (128) of the 246 projects won were for regional locations. The total number employed by IDA Ireland client companies in 2020, by county, is shown in tabular form as follows:
|
County |
Total Employed by IDA Client Companies |
|
Carlow |
1,309 |
|
Cavan |
1,200 |
|
Clare |
6,726 |
|
Cork |
43,856 |
|
Donegal |
3,812 |
|
Dublin |
112,705 |
|
Galway |
21,428 |
|
Kerry |
2,153 |
|
Kildare |
9,500 |
|
Kilkenny |
697 |
|
Laois |
135 |
|
Leitrim |
966 |
|
Limerick |
13,263 |
|
Longford |
1,160 |
|
Louth |
4,372 |
|
Mayo |
4,955 |
|
Meath |
1,920 |
|
Monaghan |
322 |
|
Offaly |
1,237 |
|
Roscommon |
1,312 |
|
Sligo |
2,351 |
|
Tipperary |
4,180 |
|
Waterford |
7,875 |
|
Westmeath |
3,776 |
|
Wexford |
3,580 |
|
Wicklow |
2,604 |
|
Grand Total |
257,394 |
Additionally, eight jobs are created in the wider economy for every ten created by IDA Ireland client companies, amounting to estimated total direct and indirect employment of 463,309.
Reflecting the ambition of the Government’s National Economic Plan, IDA Ireland’s new Strategy Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021 - 2024 identifies the opportunities for sustainable growth among IDA’s established base of clients through a focus on transformative investments to increase the productivity of Irish operations and their workforce through RD&I, digitisation, training and actions on sustainability.
The Strategy will target 800 investments and 50,000 new jobs with focus on five key pillars – Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability and Impact. 400 of the 800 investments objective in new strategy are targeted at regional locations.
186. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Enterprise Ireland supported jobs in 2020 by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26532/21]
View answerMy Department working through our agency Enterprise Ireland (EI), supports job creation nationwide. Total employment in Enterprise Ireland supported companies was 220,613 at the end of 2020.
EI supported jobs by County for 2020 are outlined in the following table.
|
By County |
Number of EI Client Companies |
Sum of 2020 Total Jobs |
|
Carlow |
89 |
3,171 |
|
Cavan |
81 |
6,045 |
|
Clare |
140 |
4,372 |
|
Cork |
607 |
25,706 |
|
Donegal |
138 |
4,148 |
|
Dublin |
2,323 |
77,352 |
|
Galway |
287 |
8,369 |
|
Kerry |
128 |
4,697 |
|
Kildare |
202 |
9,154 |
|
Kilkenny |
119 |
4,784 |
|
Laois |
52 |
1,849 |
|
Leitrim |
23 |
585 |
|
Limerick |
267 |
9,774 |
|
Longford |
45 |
2,959 |
|
Louth |
156 |
6,372 |
|
Mayo |
124 |
4,888 |
|
Meath |
175 |
7,845 |
|
Monaghan |
107 |
5,548 |
|
Offaly |
63 |
4,172 |
|
Roscommon |
54 |
1,754 |
|
Sligo |
74 |
1,992 |
|
Tipperary |
131 |
6,556 |
|
Waterford |
146 |
6,208 |
|
Westmeath |
103 |
3,296 |
|
Wexford |
119 |
5,114 |
|
Wicklow |
159 |
3,903 |
|
Grand Total |
5,912 |
220,613 |
187. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of posts made on each of his departmental social media accounts and platforms that were exclusively in Irish between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; the percentage of posts made on each of his departmental social media accounts and platforms that featured bilingual translations in Irish and English between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26578/21]
View answerMy Department conducts the vast majority of its communications through English, however is committed to also doing so through Irish for significant campaigns, most recently for Brexit and Covid.
On Twitter between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, my Department issued approximately 1,223 Twitter posts. Of these, approximately thirteen were translated into Irish. Of those posts seven were entirely in the Irish language, while six posts were bilingual in both Irish and English.
During the same period on LinkedIn, my Department issued an estimated 884 LinkedIn posts. Of these, approximately seven were in the Irish language. Two were in the Irish language, while five posts were bilingual in both Irish and English.
As a number of the statistics sought are approximates, percentages have not been calculated.
188. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount the NGO and charity sector receive in funding from his Department per annum. [26622/21]
View answer189. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a record will be provided of the annual funding received by the NGO and charity sector from his Department in each of the years 2000 to 2020. [26642/21]
View answer190. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding allocated to each NGO and charity in each of the years 2010 to 2020 by his Department. [26655/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 188 to 190, inclusive, together.
While my Department does not generally provide direct funding to non-governmental organisations, it does fund the costs of Ireland’s membership of a number of international organisations (e.g. World Trade Organisation, International Labour Organisation, European Space Agency). The total funding provided to support these memberships in 2020 was €26.355 million.
My Department also provides funding to a number of discrete committees and enquiries (e.g. Company Law Review Group, Balance for Better Business) which assist the Department in the exercise of its mandate. In 2020 a total of €186,000 was allocated to these committees.
In addition, my Department provides discrete consumer support funding to the European Consumer Centre to assist in the provision of information regarding such things as online dispute resolution bodies, geo blocking rules etc. A total of €70,000 was provided in respect of such consumer support in 2020.
Finally, since 2019, my Department provides funding for ad hoc humanitarian flood relief schemes to assist eligible undertakings whose premises have been affected by severe flooding and who have not be able to secure insurance against such events. Such schemes, which currently are administered on behalf of the Department by the Red Cross, are allocated funding on a needs basis. €251,000 was allocated to this in 2020 and €60,000 in 2019.
191. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of projects submitted under Strand 2 of the just transition project (details supplied). [26379/21]
View answerThe Just Transition Fund's objective is to fund innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Wider Midlands region and which have employment and enterprise potential. The Department held a competitive call for applications to this Fund, which closed on 17 July 2020, in response to which over 100 applications were received. 16 'Strand 1' projects, announced in September 2020, have concluded grant agreements with the Department, to a total value of €1.2m.
47 projects through ‘Strand 2’ were announced as provisionally successful in November 2020. These projects have undergone a state aid verification process, where required, and the Department is moving to finalise a grant agreement with each project once it has met all the necessary requirements and provided confirmations, such as proof of insurance and evidence of matching funding.
The Department is engaging with all projects individually as part of this process, including the project referred to by the Deputy. Where all requirements are met by projects, the Department expects to finalise grant agreements with successful applicants in the coming weeks.
