Written answers
Tuesday, 3 December 2019
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Departmental Funding
Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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305. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount allocated to businesses and organisations in a town (details supplied) in each of the years 2011 to 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50241/19]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made jobs and enterprise in the regions one of my top priorities. My Department and enterprise agencies are playing a key role in supporting the creation of sustainable, quality jobs in the regions, including in Co. Westmeath.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Westmeath is the ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and ‘soft’ supports in the form of training and mentoring to anyone wishing to start or grow a business in the area. I announced an extra €5 million in Budget 2019 to enable the LEOs, including LEO Westmeath, to support a broad range of indigenous micro-enterprises.
Along with local enterprise development groups, Enterprise Ireland (EI) has co-funded 164 Community Enterprise Centres (CECs) across the country with payments totalling €44 million. There is now a Community Enterprise Centre located in every county, including Co. Westmeath.
In 2018, 3,564 people were employed in EI supported companies in Co. Westmeath. Between 2016 and 2018, EI paid approximately €4 million to client companies based in Co. Westmeath.
In May 2017, I launched the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), rolled out by EI, with funding of up to €60m, designed to support the ambition, goals, and implementation of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs/Regional Enterprise Plans.
Under Call 1 of the fund, a project in Co. Westmeath, Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) was approved funding. The project will develop in the region a significant and important research and development capability in the areas of Collaborative Robotics and Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality.
In addition, there are 21 IDA client companies in County Westmeath employing 3,466 people and since 2012 has witnessed a 44% increase in employment in overseas companies. The County has maintained a strong reputation as a successful home to firms from the Technology and Medical Devices sectors.
A table detailing the funding given by my Department’s Agencies to businesses and organisations in Co. Westmeath is included below.
Agency payments to client companies in Westmeath 2011 to 2018*
Agency | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LEOs** | - | - | - | €634,289 | €613,474 | €745,218 | €702,511 | €1,022,122 | |
EI | €1,353,503 | €1,155,899 | €1,483,606 | €1,172,469 | €1,454,031 | €1,598,448 | €1,187,314 | €1,240,402 | |
IDA | €1,443,232 | €1,552,832 | €272,624 | €1,948,923 | €2,513,508 | €1,768,687 | €2,078,588 | €3,146,661 |
* Information on grant amounts for 2019 will not be available until they have been audited by Comptroller and Auditor General in the second quarter of 2020.
** LEOs launched in 2014, figures not available for the years prior to this.
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