Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 15 December 2016

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Economic Impact of Brexit: Discussion (Resumed)

2:00 pm

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On an early warning system, we have an internal one in the Department, but I am open to suggestions.

The Senator asked about Enterprise Ireland's staffing numbers. In 2010, there were more employees than the current 659 employees. Enterprise Ireland has brought about a strong downsizing and reorganisation in recent years to support clients in meeting the challenges of new sectors, markets, technologies and ways of doing business. It reorganised itself around sectoral businesses. There are experts in those sectoral businesses throughout the country. For example, if a person in Ireland wanted to expand a medtech company, the medtech experts are available. In the past, it was sometimes more geographically led. As a result of the challenges associated with reducing staff levels to meet Government controls, Enterprise Ireland underwent a voluntary leaving programme in early 2015. This saw 51 staff members voluntarily exit the organisation. Enterprise Ireland was then permitted to recruit more than 20 new staff to bring much-needed new skills into the organisation. Those numbers do not include the 39 new sanctioned posts in Ireland and overseas that are to be filled as soon as possible to respond to the challenges of Brexit. Overall, Enterprise Ireland is well positioned to assist its client base and to undertake existing activities while also reacting to needs that arise as a result of a fast-changing business world, the challenges in responding to Brexit and other global economic uncertainties.

We are working with the Strategic Investment Bank to bring new products for SMEs to the market. I am satisfied that we have the appropriate finance options in place but we will continue to develop new sources and products for SMEs through ISIF.

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