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

Unemployment is a very important factor in all of our work. The economic crash saw a rise in unemployment in every region, and my Department and agencies have sought to respond to the employment challenge in every region. Since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs, approximately 70,000 extra people have got work. Enterprises in every region have increased employment and in almost all sectors.

The highest rate of unemployment has consistently been recorded in the south east and my Department has put a special spotlight on the region. Agencies under my Department give higher levels of aid in regions with lower average income and higher unemployment. Under our Presidency of the EU, we negotiated a revised map for regional aid which allowed Kerry, Kells, Athy and Arklow to be brought in within the framework in view of their high levels of unemployment. The capacity to draw a regional aid map is very severely constrained by the rules of the EU. It is not open to a Minister to pick a town here and a town there. They must be contiguous regions based on the so-called nomenclature of units for territorial statistics, NUTS III, designation of regions or areas contiguous to them.

The creation of the LEO network is designed to provide a first-stop-shop for start-ups and existing enterprises that are in a position to create jobs. It also seeks to harness the influence and reach of local authorities in delivering a better service to businesses. New initiatives driven through this network include microfinance and the roll out of Ireland’s best young entrepreneur competition with a team of investment funds designed to find and support the best young entrepreneurs.

IDA Ireland has identified regions that require the additional support of property-based solutions. We put three in place this year in Waterford, Athlone and Letterkenny. We are seeking to develop a new regional enterprise strategy.

Unemployment is at the core of what we are seeking to address. Every region has seen a reduction in unemployment. Even small areas have seen a reduction in unemployment. We continue to employ such an approach and through the measures I described in my previous reply to the Deputy, we seek to improve the way we use the assets we have to support enterprise in those regions.

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