Written Answers Nos. 300-305
300. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will detail, by county enterprise board, the number of applications to the microenterprise loan fund; the value of applications; the number of successful applications; and the value of successful applications. [14924/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMicrofinance Ireland (MFI) began operating in October 2012. As of 25 March 2013, 97 loan applications have been received via the CEBs and 41 have been received directly from applicants. To date, 72 of the applications furnished via the CEBs have been processed (i.e. approved/declined/in appeal or withdrawn by applicant). So far 28 of the applications received via the CEBs have been approved i.e. an approval rate of 39% and 25 are not yet fully assessed and are work in progress.
It is my intention that progress reports on the Microenterprise Loan Fund will be published via the MFI website microfinanceireland.ie and on my Department’s website enterprise.gov.ie on a quarterly basis. Quarter 1 Progress Report for the period January 2013 to March 2013 will be made available in mid-April, with subsequent quarterly reports made available in mid-July, mid-October and mid- January 2014.
Below is a breakdown by County Enterprise Board of the 97 applications, the total value of applications, the number of successful applications and the value of successful applications received as of 25 March 2013.
|
Enterprise Board Name |
Number of applications via CEBs to the Microenterprise Loan Fund |
Total value of applications € |
Number of successful applications |
Value of successful applications € |
|
1. Limerick County Enterprise Board |
11 |
212,494 |
4 |
54,499 |
|
2. Meath County Enterprise Board |
7 |
136,997 |
1 |
15,000 |
|
3. Dublin City Enterprise Board |
7 |
106,899 |
3 |
44,999 |
|
4. Fingal County Enterprise Board |
6 |
134,498 |
3 |
60,998 |
|
5. Mayo County Enterprise Board |
4 |
71,999 |
2 |
30,000 |
|
6. Tipperary North County Enterprise Board |
4 |
67,900 |
0 |
0 |
|
7. Tipperary South County Enterprise Board |
4 |
47,700 |
1 |
6,000 |
|
8. Wexford County Enterprise Board |
4 |
85,998 |
1 |
16,000 |
|
9. Leitrim County Enterprise Board |
4 |
95,997 |
0 |
0 |
|
10. Carlow County Enterprise Board |
4 |
99,996 |
1 |
24,999 |
|
11. Laois County Enterprise Board |
4 |
65,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
12. Kerry County Enterprise Board |
3 |
59,999 |
2 |
39,999 |
|
13. Wicklow County Enterprise Board |
3 |
74,997 |
1 |
24,999 |
|
14. Roscommon County Enterprise Board |
3 |
51,999 |
1 |
24,999 |
|
15. Cork South County Enterprise Board |
3 |
54,998 |
1 |
5,000 |
|
16. Clare County Enterprise Board |
3 |
21,500 |
0 |
0 |
|
17. Galway County/City Enterprise Board |
3 |
52,499 |
2 |
29,999 |
|
18. Cork North County Enterprise Board |
2 |
32,499 |
1 |
24,999 |
|
19. Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown CEB |
2 |
34,999 |
1 |
10,000 |
|
20. Kildare County Enterprise Board |
2 |
44,999 |
0 |
0 |
|
21. Limerick City Enterprise Board |
2 |
35,500 |
0 |
0 |
|
22. Longford County Enterprise Board |
2 |
28,999 |
0 |
0 |
|
23. Sligo County Enterprise Board |
2 |
49,998 |
0 |
0 |
|
24. Westmeath County Enterprise Board |
2 |
42,499 |
1 |
17,500 |
|
25. Monaghan County Enterprise Board |
2 |
34,999 |
0 |
0 |
|
26. Cavan County Enterprise Board |
1 |
24,999 |
1 |
24,999 |
|
27. Dublin South County Enterprise Board |
1 |
24,999 |
1 |
15,000 |
|
28. Louth County Enterprise Board |
1 |
24,999 |
0 |
0 |
|
29. Waterford County Enterprise Board |
1 |
22,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
30. Cork City Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
31. Cork West County Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
32. Donegal County Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
33. Kilkenny County Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
34. Offaly County Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
35. Waterford City Enterprise Board |
0 |
- |
0 |
0 |
|
Totals |
97 |
1,842,959 |
28 |
469,989 |
301. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount set aside for loans from the microenterprise loan fund from Government; and the amount leveraged from the private sector for 2013. [14925/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt a meeting on 24 November 2011 the Government approved the allocation of €10 million in the form of a non-repayable grant as seed capital for the Microenterprise Loan Fund. The allocation of €10 million to Microfinance Ireland was met from savings in the Vote of my Department. Using an initial 5 year horizon, this €10 million seed capital, supplemented by a further €15 million bank borrowing in tranches of €5 million over years 2, 3 and 4, is expected to generate €40 million in loan expenditure and create 3,800 jobs over a 5 year period. To date, no private sector financing has been utilised, but Microfinance Ireland, through its parent Social Finance Foundation, has been engaged in discussions with banks in recent months with a view to obtaining loan funding during the Summer of 2013.
302. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there is legislation planned to reform the law on collective bargaining to ensure compliance with recent European Court of Human Rights judgements, as was mentioned in the Programme for Government. [15115/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra303. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the Programme for Government commitment on updating rights to collective bargaining and the planned date for the introduction of legislation in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15206/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.
Acting on the commitment in the Programme for Government requires consultation with stakeholders, including employer and worker representatives, and a review of the experience of the operation of the existing legislative framework as put in place under the Industrial Relations Acts of 2001 and 2004 and the consequences of the litigation that has arisen in the course of the operation of these Acts. To this end, I have written to relevant stakeholders inviting submissions on how the Industrial Relations Acts of 2001 and 2004 have functioned to date.
I hope to be in a position to come forward with any relevant proposals to reform the law as appropriate during 2013. In this context, I am certain that satisfactory arrangements can be put in place that will reconcile Ireland’s constitutional, social and economic traditions, and international obligations, whilst at the same time ensuring continued success in building Ireland’s domestic jobs-base and in attracting overseas investment into the economy.
304. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applications for new work visas in 2011 and 2012; the number of new work visa applications approved in 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15350/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra305. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the different sectors of the economy in which work visa applications were approved in 2011 and 2012 including retail and distribution and security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15351/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 305 together.
Since 2004, Irish labour market policy has been to ensure that general labour and skills needs are met from within the workforce of the European Economic Area (EEA). Current Government policy is to issue employment permits for the employment of non-EEA nationals for specific vacancies and in response to employer demand for strategic skills and labour shortages in designated occupations in key economic sectors such as health care, information technology and financial services.
The number of permits processed in 2011 and 2012 is detailed in Appendix 1.
The numbers of employment permit applications submitted and issued have dropped since 2009 in line with economic conditions and the narrowing of eligible job categories and sectors where it was considered that a sufficient supply of labour exists. The majority of positions within the retail, distribution and security trades are currently ineligible for new first time permits.
New and renewal permits issued over the last few years in those sectors were in respect of highly skilled positions, non-EEA nationals already resident in the State changing employers or in respect of spouses of existing permit holders.
APPENDIX 1
Permits issued in 2011 by Economic Sector
|
Economic Sector |
New |
Renewal |
Total |
Refused |
Withdrawn |
|
Total |
3179 |
2021 |
5200 |
1030 |
201 |
|
Healthcare |
718 |
627 |
1345 |
147 |
62 |
|
Information Technology |
1023 |
174 |
1197 |
73 |
27 |
|
Services |
387 |
301 |
688 |
210 |
33 |
|
Catering |
219 |
225 |
444 |
244 |
20 |
|
Manufacturing |
196 |
91 |
287 |
38 |
8 |
|
Agriculture and Fisheries |
95 |
161 |
256 |
82 |
19 |
|
Financial Services |
187 |
61 |
248 |
28 |
8 |
|
Retail |
57 |
125 |
182 |
74 |
9 |
|
Tourism |
62 |
76 |
138 |
40 |
4 |
|
Education |
76 |
46 |
122 |
19 |
1 |
|
Domestic |
41 |
76 |
117 |
30 |
2 |
|
Sport |
42 |
13 |
55 |
8 |
4 |
|
Construction |
33 |
15 |
48 |
9 |
3 |
|
Transport |
14 |
13 |
27 |
13 |
1 |
|
Entertainment |
17 |
1 |
18 |
7 |
0 |
|
Research |
8 |
9 |
17 |
6 |
0 |
|
Government |
3 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
|
Legal Services |
1 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
Permits issued in 2012 by Economic Sector
|
Economic Sector |
New |
Renewal |
Total |
Refused |
Withdrawn |
|
Total |
2918 |
1088 |
4006 |
827 |
246 |
|
Information Technology |
1220 |
147 |
1367 |
87 |
35 |
|
Healthcare |
384 |
250 |
634 |
87 |
18 |
|
Services |
428 |
158 |
586 |
190 |
57 |
|
Catering |
171 |
116 |
287 |
209 |
52 |
|
Financial Services |
215 |
52 |
267 |
21 |
10 |
|
Manufacturing |
170 |
79 |
249 |
25 |
6 |
|
Agriculture and Fisheries |
60 |
154 |
214 |
80 |
31 |
|
Education |
58 |
32 |
90 |
13 |
2 |
|
Domestic |
43 |
28 |
71 |
23 |
6 |
|
Retail |
31 |
25 |
56 |
37 |
5 |
|
Sport |
43 |
11 |
54 |
15 |
1 |
|
Tourism |
18 |
16 |
34 |
15 |
1 |
|
Entertainment |
20 |
7 |
27 |
5 |
14 |
|
Construction |
20 |
6 |
26 |
10 |
2 |
|
Transport |
21 |
5 |
26 |
7 |
4 |
|
Research |
13 |
2 |
15 |
1 |
1 |
|
Legal Services |
3 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
Government |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
