Thursday, 4 Oct 2012

Written Answers Nos. 112-122

Public Services Provision

Ceisteanna (112)

Brian Stanley

Ceist:

112. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department engage with local authorities in the provision of services and if so the details of same. [42588/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

My Department does not engage with local authorities in the provision of services. This would be a matter for the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

IDA Expenditure

Ceisteanna (113, 114, 115, 116, 121)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

113. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if financial support from the Industrial Development Agency to client companies includes conditional targets for employment; and if he will provide an overview of the conditions of offer of support to client companies. [42366/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

114. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the amount of financial support held back from Industrial Development Agency client companies who have failed to meet employment targets. [42367/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

115. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the amount of financial support claimed back from Industrial Development Agency client companies who have failed to meet employment targets. [42368/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

116. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a list of all Industrial Development Agency client companies; the amount of public financial support offered to the company; the amount of public support drawn down by the company; and the total company employment figures for each of the years since 2007. [42369/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

121. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will list all the jobs announcements made by the Industrial Development Agency since 2007; the number of respective additional jobs announced; the amount of public funds paid to the respective enterprise; and the total number of additional jobs realised as of August 2012. [42374/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 to 116, inclusive, and No. 121 together.

When approving financial assistance for a company, IDA Ireland enters into a legal and binding contract with the company. The contract, which is confidential between IDA Ireland and the company, includes conditions and milestones that the company is required to comply with before any financial assistance is paid. In order to draw down grants, a company must meet the performance targets as set out in the contract. IDA Ireland pays grants pro rata with achieved performance. Companies sign a grant agreement in full knowledge that the penalty for non-performance is pro rata repayment of the grant. In cases where companies have not achieved the agreed performance target or, in the event of a company closure, IDA Ireland will seek to recover the grants paid. The total amount of grants refunded for each of the years 2007 to 2011 are included in the financial statements in IDA Ireland’s Annual Report which are available on the Agency’s website www.idaireland.com.

IDA Ireland has approximately 1,000 client companies, not all of which have received financial assistance. I am arranging to forward to the Deputy a list of all IDA client companies who have received grant payments in the period 2007 to 2011. Information in relation to grant approvals is confidential to the client and IDA. Details of IDA Ireland’s investment announcements, including potential job numbers since 2007, are available on the IDA website. The number of actual jobs created for the year 2012 will not be available until after the Forfás employment survey is conducted in November of this year.

Jobs Data

Ceisteanna (117, 122)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a list of all the job announcements welcomed by his Department since 2007; the number of respective additional jobs announced; and the total number of additional jobs realised as of August 2012. [42370/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

122. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will list all of the jobs announcements made by Enterprise Ireland since 2007; the number of respective additional jobs announced; the amount of public funds paid top the respective enterprise; and the total number of additional jobs realised as of August 2012. [42375/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 122 together.

As Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, I welcome all announcements concerning the creation of jobs. All press releases relating to job creation issued by my Department’s Press Office are available at: http://www.enterprise.gov.ie/Press-Releases/. Details of Enterprise Ireland’s job and investment announcements to August 2012, and those of IDA Ireland and Shannon Development, are published on their respective websites – www.enterprise-ireland.com; www.idaireland.ie and www.shannon-dev.ie. However, I should point out that some investment and job creation projects in client companies are not announced by these agencies, for example, in cases where the company involved does not wish this to happen. The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development. The data is compiled on an annualised basis. In addition, Enterprise Ireland publishes each year a detailed schedule of financial support payments to its client companies for the previous year. This information is listed by client company at county level. These reports are available directly from Enterprise Ireland and EI have been requested to send a copy of the 2011 schedule to the Deputy, for information.

In relation to public funds paid to enterprises, details of individual offers of support from Enterprise Ireland to each client company are confidential and will vary, depending on the type of support being sought.

Details of Enterprise Ireland full-time job gains for the period 2007 to 2011 in the following tabular statement.

Enterprise Ireland Employment Data	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Full-Time Jobs	171,532	165,685	145,767	141,222	141,228
Full-Time Job Gains	18,133	13,886	8,464	11,001	9,076

Source: Forfás Annual Employment Survey 2011

Enterprise Ireland Expenditure

Ceisteanna (118, 119, 120)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

118. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if financial support from Enterprise Ireland to client companies includes conditional targets for employment; and if he will detail the conditions of offer of support to client companies. [42371/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

119. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the amount of financial support held back from Enterprise Ireland client companies who have failed to meet employment targets. [42372/12]

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

120. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the amount of financial support claimed back from Enterprise Ireland client companies who have failed to meet employment targets. [42373/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 to 120, inclusive, together.

The awarding of funding to companies by Enterprise Ireland is a day to day matter for the Agency and one in which I have no function. There are processes in place to ensure value for money from the State's perspective including the contribution of the project to the Irish economy and to export growth. Conditions of offer to client companies contain specific targets and milestones, and grant drawdown will only occur when these conditions are met. Additionally, offers of support from Enterprise Ireland to each client company is a confidential matter and will vary depending on the type of support being sought.

Question No. 121 answered with Question No. 113.

Question No. 122 answered with Question No. 117.