Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 22 together.

Enterprise Ireland runs many initiatives to help sustain existing jobs and to create new jobs in the county and provides funding to the Institute of Technology in Letterkenny to build research capabilities in County Donegal and the north west region. There are 180 Enterprise Ireland client companies in County Donegal employing 2,655 people on a full-time basis and 706 people on a contract or part-time basis. Donegal’s industry base is transforming from the clothing and textile industry to high-tech, high-skill activity and IDA Ireland actively promotes County Donegal as a successful location for high-end manufacturing.

There are 14 IDA-supported companies in Donegal employing 2,228 people in full- and part-time employment in software development, systems development and medical technology. IDA also actively engages with its existing base of companies in County Donegal, highlighting the ongoing importance of upskilling and reskilling and the need to add high-value activities to ensure sustainability and ongoing development.

Donegal County Enterprise Board, CEB, aims to develop indigenous enterprise potential, with the provision of financial and non-financial assistance such as priming grants, business expansion and development grants and feasibility or innovation study grants together with business advice and information services. In 2012, projects supported by Donegal CEB employed 1,578 people on a full-time basis and 856 on a contract or part-time basis.

As regards future plans, the new local enterprise offices, LEOs, will draw and build on the successful CEB model. They will be the first-stop-shop through which all information on State supports for small and micro businesses can be accessed and where businesses with clear high-growth potential can be fast-tracked to the next level of support from Enterprise Ireland. This enhanced model is designed to harness the best elements of the enterprise agencies and local government and to support local business and contribute to local development. For the first time, the skills, experience and resources of Enterprise Ireland, the CEBs and the local authorities will be combined in a structured and coherent manner to benefit micro and small businesses.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I am currently preparing the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government and we will continue, through that process, to build on the success of the actions we have taken in the past two years. At a macro level the Government’s strategy is to re-build the economy and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, jobs-rich economy based on enterprise, innovation and exports. Thus will we create the environment in which sustainable jobs will be created, living standards will be raised and Ireland will be regarded as an attractive location in which to live and work.

My Department’s focus is primarily on employment creation in the enterprise sector. We are doing this through the action plan for jobs and have already seen the positive results of the action being taken across the whole of Government to support the enterprise sector to sustain existing jobs and create new ones. The enterprise development agencies, under my Department, are at the forefront of implementing the action plan for jobs.

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