Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
30. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of his Department’s commitment to increase engagement with islands in the Regional Enterprise Plans, as promised in the recently published Our Living Islands action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31541/23]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that Our Living Islands Policy and associated Action Plan were published on Árainn Mhór island off the coast of Donegal on 7 June 2023 by my colleague Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development.
Balanced regional enterprise development is a key policy of mine and this Government and is reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in a number of ways, including through oversight of development and implementation of nine Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024.
Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) are bottom-up plans which facilitate stakeholders to work collaboratively to identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and in response strengthen the regional enterprise ecosystem.
Each REP is unique and is underpinned by an understanding the local strengths and assets in each region.
At a regional level, implementation of the REPs is overseen and monitored by a regional Steering Committee which is chaired by a senior level private sector business-person. The Steering Committee includes the Local Authorities, the enterprise agencies, local enterprise offices, regional skills forum and education and training institutes in each region.
Following the recent launch of the Our Living Islands Policy and Action Plan, my officials will engage with the REP Programme Managers for the North-West, West and South-West regions on this matter.
Given each REP has a unique focus, each region will be asked to consider the most effective way of increasing engagement with the Island enterprise communities to deliver the REP objectives through to the end of 2024.
The Deputy may wish to note that the Islands Action Plan contains a number of actions under the remit of my Department.
The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland has committed to deeper engagement with island craft enterprises through the establishment of an Island Guild and highlighting island crafts as part of their annual August craft month.
The Local Enterprise Offices, together with Údarás na Gaeltachta, and supported by Enterprise Ireland, are also committed to ensuring island enterprises have access to the range of businesses supports on offer.
I understand the Department of Rural and Community Development is in the process of establishing an official monitoring committee for the Islands Policy and Action Plan. Officials from my Department are available to participate as required.
