Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to increase the level of Enterprise Ireland's supported jobs in the BMW region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18722/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of job creation is a day-to-day operational matter for the industrial development agencies under my remit, and not one in which I have a direct role. Enterprise Ireland, the agency with primary responsibility for developing indigenous industry, has at its core the objective of supporting and stimulating balanced regional development, in line with the vision set out in the national spatial strategy, and to maximise national resources allocated under the national development plan.

Enterprise Ireland's policy objectives for balanced regional development are reflected in the structure of its funding offer. For example, funding for existing company expansion is biased towards the BMW region. The maximum grant level is higher than in Dublin and the mid-east and a higher proportion of this funding is also non-repayable. Since 2000, 18,062 new jobs have been created in Enterprise Ireland client companies located in the BMW. In 2004, 4,305 jobs, or 36% of all new jobs created in Enterprise Ireland client companies, were in the BMW region.

In 2004, Enterprise Ireland supported 163 significant investment projects. Of these, 51 investments were in projects located in the BMW region. The investment in these projects will result in increased employment, productivity and export sales in these companies over the coming months and years.

Through Enterprise Ireland, State support for entrepreneurship is clearly focused on the ongoing creation of new entrepreneur-led business entities. Over the past 15 years Enterprise Ireland has supported over 500 such companies, which today employ 9,216 people and which, in 2004, had a cumulative turnover of €1.2 billion. Of the high potential start-ups, HPSUs, that Enterprise Ireland supports, 20% are located in the BMW region. The BMW region has increased its level of HPSUs in line with other regions.

Enterprise Ireland's new strategy 2005-07 entitled, Transforming Irish Industry, which I launched on 4 May 2005, places a strong emphasis on increasing even further the number of new start-ups in the regions outside of Dublin and increasing the growth rate of these companies. Specific deliverables have been set out in the strategy in terms of export growth, achieving substantially increased levels of applied research in Irish firms, and driving entrepreneurship to deliver greater numbers of new high growth companies with strong export potential and increased employment opportunities to every region of the country. In addition, Enterprise Ireland has undertaken a complete re-engineering of its overseas network and marketing supports, both in terms of business process and organisation structure, with a clear focus on client need. Enterprise Ireland provides a range of supports to companies in the BMW region who wish to expand through increased export activity. Through its network of 33 international offices, Enterprise Ireland assists companies to create and implement successful strategies for market entry, development and growth.