Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will give some examples of activities supported by Enterprise Ireland in the recent past in the south east. Enterprise Ireland's competitive regional enterprise development €60 million fund was launched to support all eight regional action plans and provide investment of up to €60 million over the period to 2020 to support collaborative approaches. In 2017, Enterprise Ireland announced an investment in Suir Valley venture fund, a new €20 million venture capital fund located in Waterford. From 2011 to 2016, Enterprise Ireland approved innovative high potential support to 31 companies in the south east. These companies have been approved over €13 million in funding support. In 2016, Waterford Institute of Technology signed a €2.5 million contract with Enterprise Ireland, which will fund a significant expansion of the incubation facilities in ArcLabs. The extension will enable the institute to double its capacity to support technology startups in the south east. Regarded as one of Ireland's leading technology gateways, SEAM, located at Waterford Institute of Technology, currently provides assistance to more than 100 companies. Already, El has 85 client companies based in Carlow, which created 373 new jobs in 2016, bringing total employment by Enterprise Ireland clients in the county to 2,973. Client company Netwatch recently announced the addition of 85 new jobs over the next 12 months to recruit candidates for positions in software development, digital marketing, and sales and engineering as part of a €20 million investment. The recruitment drive will see the company's workforce grow to 250 people.

In summary, there is a wide range of activity in support of growing employment and reducing unemployment in Carlow and in the south east more widely. The Department of Social Protection provides essential supports to the unemployed. Significant effort is being made by the enterprise agencies on job creation and by the educational authorities in the operation of these schemes.