Written Answers Nos. 447-470
447. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 279 of 16 October 2018, the reason for the ongoing delay with a claim for compensation lodged with the State Claims Agency in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45857/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy was previously informed, the role of the State Claims Agency includes management of personal injury and property damage claims brought against certain State authorities.
I understand that the State Claims Agency is managing the claim referred to by the Deputy on behalf of An Garda Síochána.
I am informed by the State Claims Agency that it is in regular contact with the persons referred to in connection with their claim submitted in April of this year, and that it will notify them further when its investigations are complete.
I further understand from the State Claims Agency that it has additionally responded to the Deputy to update him on the progress of its investigation.
448. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the training facilities available at both Garda headquarters and the Garda Training College for the Garda driving school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45862/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for facilities for the training of the members and civilian staff of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are driver training facilities at the Garda College, Templemore and at Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin.
In the case of the Garda College, driver training is located in a separate building within the confines of the College.
In the case of both the Garda College and Garda Headquarters, the driving schools are self-sufficient as training centres and include a modern classroom containing appropriate networked computer facilities and an interactive whiteboard for classroom presentations, as well as office space and a fully functional and secure garage area. These secure garage areas are also used to ensure the training fleet can be maintained to the highest standard.
Driver training has the use of a private, secure area for slow manoeuvre training within the confines of both the Garda College and Garda Headquarters respectively. Both also have access to the Irish road network, to ensure that course participants receive instruction and training in situations that will be experienced in the live environment.
450. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the design guidance manual for Irish Prisons 2011, mentioned in the Prison Service document Unlocking Community Alternatives – A Cork Approach 2012 has been published; if so, the location in which it is available; and if it can be made available on his Department’s website. [45867/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the Design Guidance Manual for Irish Prisons 2011, mentioned in the Prison Service document Unlocking Community Alternatives - A Cork Approach 2012 sets out the technical requirements for prisons.
As there are sensitive security measures outlined within the document it is not a published document and thus cannot be made available on the Department’s website.
451. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the allocation in 2019 to North-South bodies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45900/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding to two independent commissions with a North-South focus - the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) and the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC).
The ICLVR was established by the Irish and British Governments in 1999 as one of the actions to acknowledge and address the suffering of the victims of violence as a necessary element of reconciliation in the context of the Peace Process. The ICLVR's task is to facilitate the location of the remains of a number of persons who were killed and buried secretly by paramilitary organisations during the troubles. I can assure the Deputy and, indeed, the families of the Disappeared that the ICLVR’s investigation team has had and will continue to have whatever resources it needs to carry out its work.
The IRC was established by international agreement between the Irish and British Governments as one part of the range of initiatives of the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement designed to address paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. The function of the IRC is to monitor progress on tackling paramilitarism and to report to the two Governments. The two Governments recently received and published the first report of the IRC. The Government will fully support the IRC in delivering on its important mandate.
These bodies are funded jointly by the two Governments. The precise allocation for 2019 for the relevant subhead in my Department's Vote is currently being finalised as part of the process of preparation of the Revised Estimates Volume for 2019 and will be published before the end of the year by my colleague, the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. However, I can advise the Deputy that there will be no reduction in the funding available to these bodies.
452. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount his Department has spent in 2018 on carrying out commissions of investigations and State inquiries as recommended by the Independent Review Mechanism and State tribunals; the number and name of these investigations; the individual costs in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45914/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn respect of the Deputy’s question please see the following table which outlines the amount my Department has spent on carrying out commissions of investigations and State inquiries, as recommended by the Independent Review Mechanism and State tribunals, to date in 2018. This information is up to date as of 30 September 2018.
|
Commission of Investigation/State Inquiry |
Costs € |
|
Section 42 Inquiries |
|
|
Clancy Inquiry under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended (established by S.I. no. 196 of 2017) |
€104,698 |
|
Tuohey Inquiry under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended (established by S.I. no. 197 of 2017) |
€100,184 |
|
Kelly Inquiry under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended (established by S.I. no. 198 of 2017) |
€86,186 |
|
Nugent Inquiry under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended (established by S.I. no. 199 of 2017) |
€72,917 |
|
Mulcahy Inquiry under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended (established by S.I. no. 200 of 2017) |
€92,537 |
|
General expenditure for the 5 Section 42 Inquiries |
€24,878 |
|
Total |
€481,400 |
453. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the reason €0 worth of arms exports have been reported by Ireland for the period 2009 to 2016 under the EU common code of conduct on arms exports despite over €419 million worth of licences being reported for the same period; the reason Ireland has not provided information for actual arms exports during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45229/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra454. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the value of arms exports during the period 2009 to 2016; the measures taken to ensure all information on arms exports in line with the EU common position is accurately reported in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45230/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
In 2008, the Council adopted Common Position 2008/944/CFSP defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment. The Common Position replaced an earlier political agreement, the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports. My Department is responsible for implementing these controls in Ireland.
Under Irish law, export licences must be sought in respect of the export from Ireland of goods and technology with a military classification, and any component thereof, as defined by the Common Military List of the European Union. Not all military export licences relate to commercial sales; for example, export licences are required for the temporary export of military-classified equipment for servicing and repair.
The EU Common Military list is quite expansive and includes 22 categories of arms, munitions, military equipment and technologies. Ireland does not export arms or munitions but does export other items with a military classification.
I publish an annual report under the Control of Exports Act 2008 which includes information on military licences issued. The purpose of publishing such a report is to provide the general public with greater transparency on exports of controlled goods and services.
Figures published in annual reports under the Control of Exports Act 2008 in respect of military export licences for the period 2009 to 2017 were as follows:
|
Year |
Number of Licences Issued |
Value of Licences Issued (€m) |
|
2009 |
119 |
33 |
|
2010 |
98 |
24 |
|
2011 |
72 |
27 |
|
2012 |
129 |
47 |
|
2013 |
108 |
62 |
|
2014 |
95 |
86 |
|
2015 |
81 |
43 |
|
2016 |
128 |
63 |
|
2017 |
118 |
25 |
These figures were provided to the Council Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM) and were contained in the annual reports published in accordance with Article 8(2) of Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP for the corresponding years.
As is noted in the COARM reports, Member States are only required to provide the value of goods and services which have been licensed for export. Actual exports are published only where such data are available. As noted in the report Ireland and several other Member States do not collect these data. However, the total value of licences issued represents the maximum value of permitted exports. The value of the licences issued may therefore exceed the value of actual exports for a variety of reasons; for example, anticipated repeat sales not materialising.
455. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if working visa restrictions will be relaxed to allow working visas for persons (details supplied) outside the EU. [45742/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra456. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if working visa restrictions will be relaxed to allow working visas for people (details supplied) outside the EU. [45743/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra457. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if working visa restrictions will be relaxed to allow working visas for people (details supplied) outside the EU. [45744/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 455 to 457, inclusive, together.
Ireland operates a managed employment permits system which maximises the benefits of economic migration while minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. Current Government policy is to issue employment permits for the employment of non-EEA nationals for specific vacancies and where the positions on offer cannot be reasonably filled from within Ireland, Switzerland and the EEA.
Access to a high quality, innovative and adaptable talent pool is critical for the sustainable growth of the Irish economy and keeping Ireland competitive.
Employment permits are part of the response to addressing skills needs likely to continue into the medium term. Employment permit policy has focussed on facilitating the recruitment of highly skilled personnel from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) where skills needs cannot be met by normal recruitment or training. The Employment Permits system is not orientated towards any particular country or region and almost all non-EEA nationals, including citizens from the Philippines, Brazil and the wider South American region can apply for an employment permit if all conditions are satisfied.
The system for determining eligibility for employment permits is flexible and responsive to change with the list of eligible occupations reviewed on a bi-annual basis. However, it is not intended as a long-term substitute for upskilling the State’s resident workforce or sourcing skills from within the EEA. In undertaking any adjustment in the orientation of the system, the interests of the some 210,700 people on the Live Register in Ireland and the 16.5 million unemployed in the EU 28 must be remembered.
In light of the changing economy and as we continue towards near full employment, it is imperative that the employment permits system is correctly oriented to meet the State’s labour market needs. To that end, I recently published a report reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. The report confirms that our employment permits system is largely robust with some adjustment required to ensure continued responsiveness, setting out recommendations to be addressed over the short, medium and long term that will ensure that our employment permits system will play its part in supporting Ireland's labour market needs.
458. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the supports proposed to assist SMEs in County Kildare as a result of budget 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44627/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made jobs and enterprise in the regions my top priority. Enterprise development has been central to our success in reducing unemployment from a high of 16% to 5.4% at the end of September - the lowest level in over a decade.
The Mid East region has seen good progress recently, with an unemployment rate of 5% in 2017, the lowest rate of all the regions. Overall employment figures for the region increased by 32,900 from Q1 2015 to Q2 2018. In 2017, both Enterprise Ireland and IDA reported job increases in the Mid East of 4% and 6% respectively.
I am happy to say that in Budget 2019, I secured an increase in my Department’s total exchequer allocation by 9.1% year on year, up from €871 million to €950.2 million.
This is made up of a record €620 million in capital and €330.2 million in current funding, which includes:
- an increase of €65 million in capital – up 11.7% on this year’s allocation of €555 million; and
- an increase of €14.2 million in current – almost 4.5% more than our 2018 allocation of €316 million.
Regional development was one of my three main priorities for Budget 2019 and I approved a range of measures to drive indigenous enterprise development and regional growth.
I secured additional funding of €5 million in Budget 2019 for the Local Enterprise Offices. This brings the (LEO) capital allocation for 2019 to €27.5 million, a significant increase of 22% on the 2018 figure.
This additional funding will enable the LEOs to focus on supporting, strengthening and building resilience for commercial start-ups, micro-enterprises and local businesses that will sustain and create good quality jobs in every town and county, including Kildare. The LEOs will work with the broad range of small and micro indigenous enterprises across sectors to ensure that they are informed and have plans in place to manage the new trading relationships on the island and with the UK more generally. This will include a new customs training programme for all businesses, exporters and importers, to be rolled out in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland.
I was also pleased to announce an additional capital allocation €2.75 million to Enterprise Ireland to start developing regional innovation and technology clusters with Institutes of Technology right across the country, positioning them as drivers of world-class start-ups and growth enterprises.
Through Enterprise Ireland, I also doubled funding for the Online Retail Pilot Scheme to €1.25 million in 2019, which will support SMEs in the retail sector to have a stronger online presence. This new Scheme follows through on our commitment to increase the scale and internationalisation of indigenous enterprise; increase productivity in high-employment sectors; and encourage Brexit readiness.
In addition, I also secured funding for a new phase of Enterprise Ireland’s Seed & Venture Capital Scheme out to 2024. The new scheme, which is worth €175 million, will be oriented towards seed and early stage investments, where there is a very clear market failure.
I announced an additional €1.8 million investment for the Design Craft Council of Ireland (DCCOI) which will assist craft enterprises all over the country to develop and generate additional export sales and online revenue opportunities, increased market diversification so as to underpin sustainable growth.
In addition, the Future Growth Loan Scheme announced in Budget 2019 will make a fund of up to €300 million available to SMEs for terms of 8-10 years. The scheme will be open to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic, long-term investment in a post-Brexit environment. Finance provided under the scheme will be competitively priced and have favourable terms, with loans of up to €500,000 unsecured. The scheme is expected to launch in early 2019 and will sit alongside the Brexit Loan Scheme as part of the Department’s suite of Brexit supports.
In April of this year, along with Minister Breen, I met with the Chairs of all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs committees and other regional stakeholders, to start a process to refresh and refocus all Regional Plans to ensure their effectiveness, relevance and impact out to 2020, particularly in light of Brexit. I am pleased with the ambition and quality of the proposals being developed. The refreshed Mid East Region Action Plan for Jobs will enhance the impact and delivery of the supports outlined in Budget 2019, and existing supports, to increase job creation and enterprise development.
459. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on recent statistics from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD, which show that total foreign direct investment inflows into the State declined by €71 billion for the first half of 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44708/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra460. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on foreign direct investment for the first three quarters of 2018; if an organisation (details supplied) is concerned that the tax changes by President Trump may be having a negative affect on this investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44709/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 460 together.
Ireland continues to perform very strongly in terms of attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with over 210,000 people employed in IDA Ireland client companies here. FDI flows into the country have been particularly significant in recent years with pronounced growth in total job numbers and investment projects.
The reduction in FDI in the referenced report concerns the movement of cash assets following the enactment of the US Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in late 2017. While I understand some US firms in Ireland have repatriated such financial resources since that legislation came into force, there has been little discernible impact on their actual operations here.
I am also confident, despite recent changes to the American taxation system, that US and international firms will continue to locate or expand further in Ireland. Our strengths – including our pro-enterprise policy environment, highly educated workforce and competitive taxation regime – remain attractive to international investors. Indeed, the IDA’s mid-year results reflect an active and healthy pipeline of investment into the country. The Agency, for example, secured 139 projects in the first six months of this year, compared with 114 in the first half of 2017.
The Government is nevertheless very much conscious of our need to remain as competitive as possible in FDI terms. That is why we will continue to invest, for example, in our national infrastructure and take other steps that will help ensure Ireland remains a destination of choice for overseas investors.
461. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 176 and 177 of 18 October 2018, if he will provide minutes and briefings associated with his meeting of 30 January 2018 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44720/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe meeting referenced in the response to Parliamentary Questions 176 and 177 of 18 October 2018 was not with the company named in the Deputy's question.
The meeting that took place in the Department on 30th January 2018 was with representatives of Enet and SSE. The meeting was attended by Minister Halligan and a Department official. I have arranged for the minutes of this meeting and a briefing note prepared ahead of this meeting to be forwarded to the Deputy.
462. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on an application for a critical skills employment permit. [44723/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra469. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) will receive a decision on an application for a critical skills employment permit. [44948/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra474. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on their application for a critical skills employment permit. [45097/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 462, 469 and 474 together.
The Employment Permits section of my Department inform me that an application for a Critical Skills Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 1st October 2018.
As the Employment Permits section is currently processing Standard applications received on 24th July 2018, this application should be considered within the next 10 weeks.
The Employment Permits section has experienced high levels of demand for employment permits so far this year which has contributed to increased processing times for applications. At end October 2018, 13,953 applications had been received, a 28% increase on the same time last year.
In order to reduce processing times, the Employment Permits section has introduced a number of operational changes, streamlined processes and implemented ICT solutions. Additional staffing resources have also been assigned to the section and a fast track training programme has been devised.
As a result of the implementation of these changes, processing times are now reducing. Trusted Partner processing times have reduced to 5 weeks (from a peak of 7 weeks) and Standard application processing times have reduced to 15 weeks (from a peak of 16 weeks).
Further reductions in processing times are anticipated in the coming weeks as the changes being implemented by my officials continue to manifest.
463. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she, her departmental officials and or her ministerial predecessors have met companies and an organisation (details supplied) or representatives of same in the past three years to date; if so, if a schedule of those meetings and the associated minutes will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44769/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraRecords indicate that a meeting with Enet took place in the Department on 30th January 2018. The meeting was attended by Minister Halligan and an official of the Department. I have arranged for the minute of this meeting to be sent to the Deputy.
As I outlined in response to previous questions from the Deputy, I met with a representative of Enet in December 2016 in my previous role as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. I was accompanied by a Department official at this meeting which related to matters now under the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development. That Department has informed me that, as this meeting was a short meet and greet, no minutes were taken.
The records in my Department do not indicate that there were any meetings between my predecessors and the company in question in this period.
464. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 176 and 177 of 18 October 2018, if further information will be supplied in respect of her meeting with a representative of a company (details supplied) in December 2016 in her previous role as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; if she will supply the briefing notes and minutes of this meeting; the number of meetings she had with the company since 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44788/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs outlined in my previous response, I met with a representative of the company in question in December 2016 in my previous role as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. I was accompanied by an official of the Department. The meeting related to issues now under the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development.
The meeting was a short meet and greet with a representative of the company who wished to outline the company's operating model, provide an update on its work on the Metropolitan Area Networks, and an outline of their ideas around the key issues and opportunities concerning rural telecommunications and infrastructure.
I have consulted with the Department of Rural and Community Development, who have informed me that a briefing note was prepared by officials ahead of the meeting. This briefing note has now been provided to me by that Department and I will arrange for it to be sent to the Deputy. The Department of Rural and Community Development has informed me that, as the meeting was a short introductory meeting, no minutes were taken.
I have not met the company on any other occasions since 2015 to date.
465. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the location of the submissions made to the consultations undertaken by her Department in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44852/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra466. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the consultations undertaken by her Department in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44870/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 466 together.
Details of public consultations undertaken by my Department since 2009 have been made available on my Department's website, and can be accessed at the following address:
https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Consultations/
Submissions received in response to public consultations are held in the relevant business units within my Department.
467. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to ensure there are no labour shortages with impediments preventing firms hiring overseas workers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44926/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe construction sector occupations you mention are all eligible for a General Employment Permit, which is the primary means of granting access to the labour market for skills of a more general nature following the application of certain criteria.
The employment permits system is managed in part through the operation of the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL) and the Ineligible Categories of Employment List (ICEL) and these occupations lists are reviewed twice yearly to keep pace with rapid labour market changes and to be proactively identifying and addressing shortages as they arise. My Department has commenced the Quarter 4 2018 review of the lists of occupations for employment permits with a public call for submissions from stakeholders and interest groups requesting changes to the lists. The closing date for receipt of submissions was last Friday 2nd November 2018. Submissions have been received in respect of a range of occupations including the construction sector.
In order to have an occupation considered for addition to the HSEOL, there would need to be a clear demonstration of current recruitment difficulties and shortages across the EEA and that difficulties are not as a result of other factors such as salary, employment conditions or lack of upskilling opportunities. Organisations in the sector would need to provide the necessary data to substantiate their claims. A detailed evidence-based case requesting the additional of an occupation to the highly skilled list would then need to be put forward by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government as the lead Department for the sector, to my Department for review and consideration. This evidence-based case model was used successfully recently by the agrifood sector in demonstrating the difficulties experienced and the efforts made by that sector in sourcing labour from the EEA.
In light of the changing economy and as we continue towards near full employment, it is imperative that the employment permits system is correctly oriented to meet the State’s labour market needs. To that end, I recently published a report reviewing the economic migration policies underpinning the current employment permits system to ensure our policies are fully supportive of Ireland’s labour market needs, be they skills or labour shortages in certain sectors. The report confirms that our employment permits system is largely robust with some adjustment required to ensure continued responsiveness, setting out recommendations to be addressed over the short, medium and long term that will ensure that our employment permits system will play its part in supporting Ireland's labour market needs.
468. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of meetings that took place between her Department and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement during the preparation of the prosecution case against a person (details supplied). [44938/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 949(3) of the Companies Act 2014 provides that the Director of Corporate Enforcement shall be independent in the performance of his functions. The purpose of this provision, and similar provisions in legislation in other areas of law enforcement, is to ensure that the law is enforced without the possibility of interference from any party or the appearance of any such interference.
In line with these provisions, and following a search of Departmental records, I am advised that the Department was not involved in any meetings with the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) on the issue of the preparation of the prosecution case.
However, in relation to the resourcing of the investigation, on 16 March 2011, the Secretaries General of the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and the then Department of Justice and Law Reform met with the Garda Commissioner and officials from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. The meeting was arranged to ensure that all appropriate resources were available to the Gardaí and the ODCE to progress their investigations. It was made clear at the meeting that the independence of all the agencies involved in carrying out the investigations was fully respected and there was a clear desire at all levels that nothing would be done which would in any way impinge on that.
It is important to note that it is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions as to whether he or she proceeds with the prosecution of a case following the submission of a file from an enforcement body. The preparation of the prosecution case is a matter for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions which is independent in the exercise of its functions.
470. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the work carried out following meetings with local representatives in Athy municipal district to help improve employment in the area due to the announcement of the closure of a plant (details supplied). [44982/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe decision by Coca Cola to close Athy International Concentrates was very disappointing for the town of Athy and its wider catchment area. I am informed that the closure is taking place on a phased basis from September 2018 to December 2019. While I very much regret this development, I understand that Coca Cola has committed to supporting staff through redundancy packages, financial advice and re-training. The company has made it clear that it remains fully committed to its other facilities in Ireland. I understand that more than half the roles that are being lost in Athy will transfer to its facility in Ballina.
The company indicated to IDA Ireland that they are exploring all options with regard to the building but have not yet confirmed an option.
On 14th June 2018, I attended a meeting in Athy with local representatives to discuss the closure of the plant. This meeting was a useful opportunity to hear first-hand the impact that this announcement will have on Athy and the surrounding area as well as specific challenges Athy faces.
At the meeting, I reiterated the Government’s commitment to work towards bringing regional unemployment to within one percentage point of the national average by 2020. I am pleased that the Mid-East, as a region, is currently performing very strongly on that measure with an unemployment figure of 5.8% which exceeds that target (CSO Labour Force Survey Q2 2018).
Regional development is a key priority of the IDA, with a target set of increasing investment in every region of Ireland - by 30%-40% by 2019. Co. Kildare is marketed by IDA Ireland as part of the Mid-East region, together with counties Meath and Wicklow. There are 28 IDA supported client companies in Kildare, collectively employing 9,282 people. IDA Ireland is working hard to increase these numbers further. A dedicated Regional Business Development Manager for the Mid-East has been appointed to assist the Agency in winning more investment for the area. The Agency will continue to draw the attention of potential investors to the particular strengths of Co. Kildare and the wider Mid-East region.
It is important to emphasise that FDI only forms one part of potential investment in regional locations. Indigenous enterprise is responsible for a significant portion of employment growth nationally, especially outside Dublin. My Department and all its agencies, including Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs, work together constantly and collaboratively to ensure that jobs and investment are spread as fairly as possible across this country.
Enterprise Ireland (EI) is working to improve the situation in Athy together with the Local Authority and the Local Enterprise Office (LEO). Following the announcement of the closure of the Coca Cola plant in Athy, LEO Kildare provided support to management and workers. Currently, 15 of the former employees are undergoing a Start Your Own Business programme, while Kildare County Council, through the LEO office, has also assisted with finding alternative job opportunities for the workers with other companies. In addition, EI is engaging with the Mid-East Regional Skills Forum in relation to the emerging skills agenda, alongside the Forum partners.
The Mid-East Region Action Plan for Jobs has been a key policy response for supporting employment growth in the Mid-East, through a collaborative approach working with public and private stakeholders. Earlier this year, I asked the Chairs of all the Regional Action Plan for Jobs committees and other regional stakeholders, to start a process to Refresh and Refocus the Regional Plans, including the Mid-East Plan, to ensure their effectiveness, relevance and impact out to 2020, particularly in light of Brexit and other challenges.
I met with the Chairs of the Regional Implementation Committees last month to review progress on the refresh of the Plans, including the chairperson of the Mid-East group, Eamonn Sinnott of Intel Ireland. The refreshed Mid-East Regional Action Plan will be an important element in driving new enterprise investment and growth in the three constituent counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, and I look forward to seeing the Plan completed over the coming months.
In December last year I announced an allocation of €30.5 million in funding to 21 projects to support enterprise capability in the regions under the €60 million competitive EI Regional Enterprise Development Fund. I expect to announce the results of the second call over the coming weeks, which will allocate the remainder of the €60 million.
Co. Kildare was the location of one of the 21 successful projects under the first round and secured significant funding to develop a Mid-East Regional Innovation ‘Think-Space’ to be located in Naas. This facility will be a great support to start-ups and businesses emerging from Co. Kildare and the wider Mid-East. Also under the first round, IT Carlow was successful in securing funding for the Insurtech Network Centre, which again will be an important asset to the Carlow/South Kildare area.
The Government’s role is to ensure that the right conditions are in place to allow enterprise to thrive. I was glad to see that everyone around the table that I met in Athy – TDs, Councillors, the Local Authority, State Agencies, and local businesses – are committed to a collaborative approach to drive enterprise development in Athy and the wider region.
