Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he will take to improve the economic development of the west of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23893/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Support for job creation and investment in individual counties and regions is a day-to-day operational matter for the development agencies as part of their responsibility under the Industrial Development Acts. While I may give general policy directives to the agencies I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others.

The pursuit of the national goal of balanced and sustainable regional development is an important goal for my Department and the agencies under its remit. The National Spatial Strategy provides a framework for this goal wherein the focus is on the Gateway and Hub locations throughout the State.

The agencies under the remit of my Department are endeavouring to attract new investment, encourage the start-up of new businesses, grow existing businesses and develop the labour market in the Western region. The agencies offer supports to prospective and existing employers ranging from mentoring, training and development programmes to employment, research and development grants.

IDA Ireland which is the agency charged with the attraction of foreign direct investment to this country has set itself a target of trying to achieve 50% of all new Greenfield FDI first time jobs to locate in the BMW region including Galway, Roscommon and Mayo. Where appropriate, IDA utilises the higher grant ceilings available in the BMW Region relative to the rest of the country in order to encourage investment projects to locate within the BMW region. In addition IDA is investing significantly in the provision of planned and focussed property solutions in the West region.

The overall aim of Enterprise Ireland is to transform Irish companies into market-focused and innovation-driven businesses and to increase their exports, sales and employment. Enterprise Ireland provides preferential funding for companies, with detailed export plans, that are establishing or expanding a business in the West as part of the BMW Region.

In addition, during 2005, the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon County Enterprise Boards paid out over €1m in grant aid to 113 projects in the Western region and assisted in the creation of 238 net jobs in the area. I am confident that the policies being pursued by the agencies together with the commitment of Government to regional development will continue to bear fruit in terms of investment and employment for the region.