Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

80 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action she intends to take to bring new employment to the BMW region in line with the programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18255/03]

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

103 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions she intends to take to bring new employment to the midlands and surrounding counties which have seen significant job losses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18256/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 103 together.

The issue of job creation is a day to day operational issue for the enterprise development agencies of my Department and is one in which I have no direct function.

In the period 2000-03, Enterprise Ireland, the agency responsible for indigenous companies, supported the establishment of 35 high potential start-ups in locations throughout the BMW region with 12 new high potential start-ups targeted for 2003. To the end of December 2002, Enterprise Ireland approved over €20 million to clients in the BMW region. Enterprise Ireland will continue to work closely with clients in the BMW region in supporting new high potential start-up companies; developing existing businesses to enable them to grow their exports, increase their innovation and improve their competitiveness; developing incubator space such as Webworks, incubation centres in third level colleges, and community enterprise centres. The agency will also continue to facilitate access to capital through the seed and venture programme, a primary focus of which is on new regional funds and funds for new technologies.

IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland and its regions. The agency is committed to achieving a target of 50% of all new greenfield jobs in the BMW region over the 2000-03 period. However, achievement of this latter target is heavily dependent on short to medium term developments in the world economy, which can heavily influence overall international flows of mobile investment and infrastructural development in the BMW region.

Shannon Development has responsibility for indigenous industry development in south west Offaly, which is the only part of the Shannon region in the BMW region. In addition to the normal supports available to potential and/or existing entrepreneurs, recent initiatives to generate new activity and employment in south Offaly include the Birr Technology Centre, a 21,000 square feet or 1,950 square metre fully serviced technology building in the heart of Birr, which I officially opened early last month. The new centre, involving an investment of €3.8 million in a public private partnership, is one of five technology locations in the Shannon Development Knowledge Network.

Under the micro-enterprise measure of the BMW regional operational programme, which is EU co-financed, the city and county enterprise boards provide a range of financial assistance and other supports aimed at the creation and maintenance of employment. My Department supports this measure through the 13 city and county enterprise boards located in the midlands and surrounding counties. In 2002, 470 projects were sanctioned in the BMW region and a total of €6,003,764 was approved in grant-aid resulting in the creation of 1,517 net jobs.

I am confident that given the commitment of the industrial development agencies, the Border midlands and western region can remain an attractive location for both foreign direct investment and indigenous firms.