Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2019
251. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which she continues to support and drive the creation of new enterprises in the indigenous sector nationally with particular reference on the need to encourage the generation of employment in all regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20889/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are located throughout the country and provide a range of supports for the micro and small business sector. The LEOs act as the “first-stop-shop” for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business.
My Department and I have a clear focus on regional jobs and investment and the LEOs play a crucial role in this effort. This Government has backed the Local Enterprise Offices with resources and additional funding in 2019 and the LEOs are responding with impressive jobs growth and initiatives to stimulate new ideas and new ventures locally.
It is my priority as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to see more jobs created in the regions. Regional development is a key priority for this Government and it is important that the value of collaboration and the work by the development agencies, which has yielded strong jobs results in recent years, must be complimented by a bottom-up approach in providing critical business supports and advice. In that regard, the LEOs, acting as a “first-stop-shop” provide an important role in the provision of advice, guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow a business at the local and regional levels.
Details of the number of jobs created by companies supported by the LEOs are obtained by way of an Annual Employment Survey (AES) of LEO clients. The results of the survey for 2018 show the following:
- a total of 8,007 new jobs were created in gross terms;
- a net increase of 3,656 across all jobs;
- overall at the end of 2018, total direct employment among the 7,164 LEO client companies stood at 36,666.
Enterprise Ireland’s results for 2018 show the progress that the Agency have been making in supporting and driving the creation of new enterprises in the indigenous sector at a national and regional level. Client companies assisted by Enterprise Ireland created 18,846 jobs in 2018 and 64% of the jobs created were outside Dublin, with all regions recording increases in employment. There were 215,207 people employed by Enterprise Ireland supported companies in 2018, the highest total employment in the history of the agency. Last year, Enterprise Ireland supported 82 high potential start-ups and 50 competitive start fund approvals as well as 245 client investments of over €500k.
The Government’s €60 million Regional Enterprise Development Fund, administered by Enterprise Ireland, has the objective of supporting every region to build on its unique strengths and ultimately create sustainable jobs. Administered via two competitive calls, 42 projects were approved funding totalling €59.5 million. The budget for this fund is part of Enterprise Ireland’s budget to support enterprise development in the regions.
The nine Regional Enterprise Plans which I launched earlier this year, also provide a perspective and ideas from the ‘ground-up’. They are informed by an understanding of unique local strengths and assets and have the potential to enable more effective translation of national policy into regional and local impact. They focus on leveraging the added value from regional and local actors working collaboratively, and in so doing, they aim to complement and build on the existing activities being undertaken by the Enterprise Agencies, the LEOs and the wider range of State Bodies directly involved in supporting enterprise development in the regions. These Plans will play an important role in building resilience in enterprises and in regions and realise future growth potential.
