Dáil debates

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Enterprise Policy

11:40 am

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My colleague has corrected me by saying not an hour goes by.

Regional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation are key policy priorities of mine and of the Government. My Department is overseeing the development of nine new regional enterprise plans. These are bottom-up plans, developed by regional stakeholders which identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities and enable job creation across the regions including in the south-east region through collaborative regional actions. The new south-east plan which covers Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford will build on the core activities of IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the local employment offices and the wider range of State bodies involved in supporting enterprise development in the region.

I have responsibility for driving the delivery of the new plan in the south east, and over the past year I have engaged directly with the regional steering committee made up of our enterprise agencies, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the local enterprise offices, local authorities, higher and further education bodies, businesses and others in the south east. That committee is chaired by Patsy Carney, director of Kinetic Labs.

The regional stakeholders in the south-east region have signed off on five focused strategic objectives together with supporting actions for the region on starting and growing businesses, green growth, smart specialisation, innovation and placemaking.

It is my Department’s intention to publish the south-east plan and launch it early in 2022.

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