Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 January 2023
55. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a full list of the regional development action plans and strategies, and funding for same, in each of the years 2021 to 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3492/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraBalanced regional enterprise development is a key policy priority of mine and this Government.
In pursuit of this, in early 2022 my Department launched nine new Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) to 2024. These plans sought to build on the success of REPs to 2020 and were developed throughout 2021, following in-depth consultation and engagement across the nine regions.
Together with the Minsters of State, I have a keen interest in supporting the work of the nine Chairpersons, Programme Managers and Steering Committees in delivering on their ambitious plans.
The REPs are available on the government website at the following link: gov.ie - Publications (www.gov.ie)
The Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) (which is being implemented through Enterprise Ireland) is focussed on investing in the strengths and advantages of all the regions aligned with the REPs.
In 2021, an additional €15m was provided in Budget 2021 to support the rollout of further calls under the REDF to help the regions withstand the dual challenges of Brexit and COVID.
In 2022, €5 million was allocated to the REDF and a further €12 million in funding was sanctioned to assist with the completion of projects under the REDF and Border Enterprise Development Fund (BEDF), for projects that have been delayed or interrupted due to increased construction and construction-related costs in 2022 and 2023.
The following Table demonstrates the allocated funding in 2021 - 2023.
|
Agency/body |
Year |
Amount funding for REDF/BEDF |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
2021 |
€15 million |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
2022 |
€5 million |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
2022/2023 |
€12 million |
|
Grand Total |
€32 million |
I can advise the Deputy that substantial funding is being made available over the coming years to complement the REDF and BEDF and drive delivery of the REPs. The Department has secured up to €145m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2021-2027 to support projects coming from the REPs.
My officials are working with Enterprise Ireland, European Commission, the Regional Assemblies and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on launching the first call of funding under the ERDF early this year.
