Written answers

Wednesday, 25 January 2006

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Job Creation

8:00 pm

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 746: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of job losses and new jobs created by job creation agencies in County Louth by location in the county for each year since 2000; the amount invested in job creation; the amount of land zoned for employment by location in County Louth for each of these years; his plans to attract new employment to the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1527/06]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Job creation and job losses are a feature of economic development in all countries as various sectors expand and contract in response to market demand for goods and services, competitive forces, restructuring and technological change. State support for enterprise and job creation is channelled through the industrial development agencies, IDA Ireland, which has responsibility for foreign direct investment and Enterprise Ireland, which is concentrating on the development of indigenous industries. The Forfás Annual Employment Survey records jobs gained and lost in companies supported by the industrial development agencies. Data are compiled on an annualised basis and are aggregated at county level only. Final data for 2005 will not be available until later this year. The following tables provide details for each year between 2000 and 2004 of the total funding approved and paid by each agency to companies in the county, the number of supported companies and total employment in these companies, job gains and losses in supported companies and, in the case of IDA Ireland, the total investment in property-related capital projects.

While the IDA maintains a property portfolio to support and facilitate enterprise and job creation in the county, the zoning of land is a matter for the local authorities and not a matter in which the agencies have a function, other than in situations where, in furtherance of their statutory briefs, it would be appropriate for the agencies to make submissions or representations to the local authorities. Both agencies actively promote and encourage new investments and jobs for County Louth and also work with existing clients in the county with a view to helping them expand and or move their activities up the value chain. In addition to the activities of the development agencies, my Department also provides funding to the Louth County Enterprise Board, which was established in October 1993 to provide support for small businesses with ten employees or fewer. Between 2000 and 2005 the board paid out more than €1.4 million in grant aid to 172 projects in County Louth, which has assisted in the creation of 504 jobs in the region. The board has also organised 128 training programmes over the same period in which 1,536 people participated. With the exception of the period 2000 to 2001, there has been an overall net increase in the number of jobs created by businesses assisted by Louth CEB. In 2005 there was a net increase of 220 jobs in CEB assisted companies in the county. I am confident the strategies and policies being pursued by the development agencies in Louth, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development will bear fruit in terms of additional sustainable investment and jobs for the people of Louth.

Enterprise Ireland
Louth 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Companies 225 207 185 190 177
Jobs 5,504 5,652 4,966 4,642 4,641
Gains 241 521 265 227 531
Losses-602-373-951-551-532
Paymentsâ'¬1,665,919 â'¬3,154,837 â'¬1,407,491 â'¬1,276,173 â'¬1,194,956
IDA Ireland.
Louth 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Companies 25 22 19 19 18
Jobs 3,771 2,621 2,524 2,201 2,143
Gains 1,012 155 179 39 101
Losses-759-1,305-276-362-159
Paymentsâ'¬21,864192 â'¬34,430 â'¬316,468 â'¬29,890 â'¬241,195

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