Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

Enterprise Ireland is the lead government agency responsible for the development of indigenous enterprise. The fundamental objective of the current Enterprise Ireland strategy is to drive export growth momentum and internationalisation in what is an increasingly challenging and competitive environment for companies. Enterprise Ireland's strategy, Transforming Irish Industry 2008-2010, identified four key strategic targets for the three year period. In 2008, despite the unprecedented downturn in the global economy, Enterprise Ireland met or exceeded its yearly targets. As stated in Enterprise Ireland's annual report 2008, agency client companies created 10,522 jobs last year.

Given the global economic turmoil, 2009 was a tough year for foreign direct investment, FDI, but IDA Ireland continued to win projects and, to date in 2009, there have been 47 IDA announcements with the potential to create more than 2,500 jobs. The IDA's focus continues to be on transformation, minimising losses as well as creating new jobs. The IDA is working with its existing client base to deepen and further embed their investments in Ireland. The agency has an active programme of engagement with clients to identify and target new investment opportunities from these clients. IDA client companies employ in excess of 136,000 full-time workers at present. The IDA continues to encourage and assist its client companies to move up the value chain in terms of both carrying out higher skilled operations and expanding their presence in Ireland. The aim is to retain existing clients, to improve the quality of employment opportunities in Ireland and to increase the positive economic impact. Ireland is now seen by the global business environment as a prime location for research, development and innovation functions. The IDA has played a key role in establishing this competitive advantage for Ireland and is heavily involved with all stakeholders to capitalise on this aspect.

The role of the county enterprise boards is to support the micro-enterprise sector in the start-up and expansion phases, to develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate entrepreneurship at local level. The overall priority for capital expenditure by the boards is on the development of sustainable growth-orientated micro-enterprises which, over time, can develop into strong export entities. The boards have a successful job creation record to date with the creation of more than 33,000 jobs in CEB assisted businesses throughout the country since the inception of the boards in 1993. In the current economic climate the expectation is that the demand for the services of the boards will increase as a greater number of people look to self-employment as an alternative to unemployment.

See this speech in context