Paul Kehoe
Ceist:383 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are grants available for groups to purchase lands for industrial use (details supplied). [20720/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 21 June 2005
Ceisteanna (362, 363)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department does not provide grants for groups to purchase lands for industrial use nor does it provide direct grant aid to businesses or business start-ups. Funding is provided to a number of enterprise agencies including Enterprise Ireland, the 35 county and city enterprise boards, CEB, and Shannon Development which collectively are responsible for the delivery of assistance to indigenous industries.
The CEBs, in particular, are responsible for providing both financial and non-financial support to small businesses with ten employees or fewer. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, businesses may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the form of capital grants, feasibility study grants and employment grants. Non-financial support is available to eligible businesses in the form of a comprehensive range of development and support programmes designed to help new and existing enterprises. I would suggest that the persons concerned should, in the first instance, make direct contact with their local county enterprise board to explore what type and level of assistance, if any, would be available to them for this particular proposed project.
Arthur Morgan
Ceist:384 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if it is intended to acquire land at Ardee, County Louth, for enterprise development purposes; and if he will consider acquiring land owned by the Health Service Executive in the town for this purpose. [20768/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraIDA Ireland is an autonomous statutory agency set up under the Industrial Development Acts 1986 to 2003. The agency operates in accordance with the provisions of the Acts and under the aegis of my Department. The management of IDA Ireland's industrial property portfolio, including the purchase and disposal of property, is a day-to-day operational matter for the agency as part of the statutory responsibility assigned to it by the Oireachtas and is not a matter in which I have any function.
I have been advised that the IDA is engaged in a property development programme in County Louth which has seen the significant upgrading of the IDA's Finnabair business and technology park in Dundalk and the development of a new business and technology park in Drogheda. This investment by the IDA in Dundalk and Drogheda has been made to provide high quality property solutions in line with the IDA's projected requirements and with the national spatial strategy, in which Dundalk has been designated as a national spatial strategy gateway location and Drogheda as a primary development centre.
The IDA does not have any plan to acquire new lands in Ardee, County Louth. The current substantial landbank in the IDA's ownership in County Louth is deemed to be more than adequate to meet the requirements of the IDA's projects for the foreseeable future.