Written Answers Nos. 285-294
285. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the sections in the action plan for jobs specifically relating to counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6152/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Jobs, one of the Government’s chief instruments to support job creation, is a whole of Government, national level initiative aimed at creating the optimum conditions for private sector and export led job creation. The Plan does not deal with actions on a county by county basis but does contain a strong focus on developing the regions.
Its objectives include the creation of an additional 200,000 jobs by 2020, including 135,000 outside of Dublin; reduction of the State unemployment rate to 6%; and at a regional level, having an additional 10% to 15% at work in each region, and closing their unemployment rates to within 1% of the State average.
Action Plan for Jobs 2017 includes a series of collaborative actions aimed at stimulating regional growth, including the progression, monitoring and support of the eight Regional Action Plans for Jobs, which aims to realise the national Action Plan’s regional employment targets.
The Regional Action Plan for the North East/North West region aims to support the creation of 28,000 jobs across Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth by 2020. The first Progress Report was published in December and shows strong progress to date, with 5,600 more people in employment across the region since the start of 2015.
Sectors targeted as part of the plan include traditionally strong sectors for the region like agrifood, manufacturing/engineering and tourism, including active promotion of the tourism potential of the Lakelands Region, which includes Cavan and Monaghan.
The Local Authorities, LEOs, and other key public and private sector stakeholders in Cavan and Monaghan have been strongly involved in, and are key drivers of, the North East/North West Action Plan for Jobs.
286. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the work that is ongoing to find a company for a factory (details supplied) in Carrickmacross; the action that has been taken by her Department to date on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6153/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency has had frequent engagement with Monaghan County Council and District Council with regard to the site in question and continues to bring the facility to the attention of prospective investors.
In mid-December, together with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I met with representatives from Monaghan County Council and IDA Ireland. We also met a further delegation of Monaghan elected representatives in January. Following these meetings, I have asked IDA Ireland to work together with Enterprise Ireland to progress the development of a new master plan. This is designed to enhance the value proposition for indigenous enterprise at IDA Ireland owned lands in Knockaconny, County Monaghan.
Securing new investment for Monaghan, as well as other regional areas of Ireland, will remain a priority of mine in the time ahead.
287. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress in the State's industrial promotional agencies' efforts to attract investment and jobs to a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6272/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn mid-December, together with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I met with representatives from Monaghan County Council and IDA Ireland. We also met a further delegation of Monaghan elected representatives in January.
Following these meetings, I asked IDA Ireland to work together with Enterprise Ireland to progress the development of a new master plan. This is designed to enhance the value proposition of IDA Ireland owned lands in Knockaconny for indigenous enterprise.
Securing new investment for Monaghan, as well as other regional areas of Ireland, will remain a priority of mine in the time ahead.
288. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA Ireland landbanks in County Wicklow, with a breakdown by town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6288/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra289. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA Ireland business parks in County Wicklow, with a breakdown by town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6289/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra290. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA Ireland owned land parcels in County Wicklow, both serviced and unserviced, with a breakdown by location and acreage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6290/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 288 to 290, inclusive, together.
IDA Ireland has a 24 hectare business park in Arklow, with 14 hectares available. The Agency also has a 25.58 hectare strategic site in Greystones, with 18 hectares available.
291. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount she has allocated to specifically assist the agrifood and drinks sector for 2017 in view of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6331/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agrifood sector is of critical importance to the Irish economy, and its regional spread means it underpins the socio-economic development of rural areas in particular.
Enterprise Ireland works closely with Irish Food and Drink companies to support innovation and build scale and resilience in order for them to be positioned to compete on world markets.
I have secured additional funding for Enterprise Ireland to respond to Brexit and this includes additional staff with sectoral knowledge and expertise.
While Enterprise Ireland is the development agency for companies in the Food and Drink sector in Ireland, Bord Bia under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible for working with these companies to access overseas markets.
The UK remains a key market, however Enterprise Ireland is also working closely with Bord Bia to help Irish Food and Drink companies build on their international reputation for product excellence and also drive growth in other key markets such as the Eurozone, Canada, the US and Asia.
292. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in the progress report of the Limerick regeneration framework plan published in December 2016 that of 32 electoral divisions in Limerick city 11 have a youth unemployment rate of 60% or more; her plans to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6332/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraYouth unemployment is primarily a policy matter for my colleague, Minister Varadkar.
Government policy to reduce unemployment is two-fold. First, through policies set out in the national Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs and second, through Pathways to work to ensure that as many of the new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including young people.
The Action Plan for Jobs is a whole of Government, national level initiative aimed at creating the optimum conditions for private sector and export led job creation. Its objectives include the creation of an additional 200,000 jobs by 2020, including 135,000 outside of Dublin.
Key actions within the Plan on increasing the numbers of apprenticeship and traineeship schemes will help to support employment growth, in particular, youth employment.
The Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy, which is the responsibility of my colleague, Minister Varadkar, has set a target of bringing youth unemployment to 12% or less by 2020 in the context of an overall employment rate of 6%. It continues to prioritise support for the long-term unemployed and youth unemployed and commits to increasing the share of workplace-based interventions for youth unemployed.
The measures in the Action Plan for Jobs designed to support jobs growth, together with the targeted measures delivered by the Department of Social Protection, will support further reductions in youth unemployment, both long and short-term.
293. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of employees employed by IDA Ireland in each of the years 2006 to 2016, in tabular form. [6333/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total number of employees in IDA Ireland for the period in question is set out in the table. The figures are representative of all IDA Ireland staff, including contract staff. The increase in staff in 2013 was due to the dissolution of Forfás and Shannon Development and the absorption of their staff back into the Department and its other agencies, including IDA Ireland.
IDA Ireland Staff 2006-2016
|
2006 |
299 |
|
2007 |
298 |
|
2008 |
302 |
|
2009 |
277 |
|
2010 |
252 |
|
2011 |
249 |
|
2012 |
247 |
|
2013 |
272 |
|
2014 |
272 |
|
2015 |
272 |
|
2016 |
272 |
294. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of employees employed with Enterprise Ireland in each of the years 2006 to 2016, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6334/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent years, Enterprise Ireland has implemented an ambitious reform agenda to ensure more effective delivery of services to Enterprise Ireland clients. As part of the organisation’s resource plan, Enterprise Ireland launched a Voluntary Leaving Programme in November 2014, which closed in January 2015. Fifty one staff availed of the Voluntary Leaving Programme in 2015 and 2016.
The reform agenda included an ongoing process to analyse the skills and capabilities of the organisation. Recruitment has been ongoing within the agency to address critical gaps in the management structure and current skill gaps in emerging and future sectors to reflect the needs of Irish industry.
In 2017, Enterprise Ireland will recruit 39 additional staff as part of its strategic response to Brexit.
Table 1 presents the total number employed in Enterprise Ireland from 2006 to 2016. These figures include all staff employed by Enterprise Ireland including Irish Based Staff, Expatriated Staff, Local Overseas Staff and Graduate Programme Staff on 31st December of each year.
Table 1 – Total number of Enterprise Ireland employees in each of the years 2006 to 2016
|
December 31st |
Total Staff (WTE)* |
|
2016 |
663.5 |
|
2015 |
658.5 |
|
2014 |
722.5 |
|
2013 |
730.0 |
|
2012 |
742.0 |
|
2011 |
797.5 |
|
2010 |
828.0 |
|
2009 |
841.0 |
|
2008 |
874.0 |
|
2007 |
831.5 |
|
2006 |
880.5 |
*Whole Time Equivalents (WTE)
