Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent of the incentives available to employers who might be in a position to increase their workforce with reference to the need to incentivise job creation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28009/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Enterprise Development agencies under the aegis of my Department, namely IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, together with the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and the Employment Training agency FAS, provide incentives to assist with jobs.

As part of its marketing strategy to attract foreign direct investment into Ireland, IDA Ireland offers a range of assistance to its clients. The four main types of grants available are employment grants, capital grants, research and development grants and training grants. The agency also offers a range of tailored property solutions.

Enterprise Ireland delivers a wide range of supports to Irish companies, targeted at the specific requirements of clients throughout all regions to ensure that they develop to their full potential in terms of employment, innovation and exports, which in turn, stimulates job creation. The agency, in recognising the significant changes in the current economy both in Ireland and globally, has prepared a new recovery strategy to identify the actions that will be undertaken to help clients in 2009. Enterprise Ireland has refocused its efforts on strengthening and sustaining companies of strategic importance through a range of initiatives focused on the needs of its client base. The Enterprise Stabilisation Fund is a new initiative which I announced recently. This Fund, which is being administered by Enterprise Ireland, will help internationally trading companies to survive the current global downturn by supporting their drive to reduce costs and gain sales in overseas markets. Sustainable economic recovery will be driven by enterprises focused on increasing their exports of innovative products and services in global markets.

The types of direct grant-aid available from the CEBs include capital grants, feasibility study grants and employment grants. The 2009 allocation for the CEBs will enable the Boards to continue to be actively involved in the area of economic development and will ensure that available funds are targeted to maximise entrepreneurial development. This will be done not just by direct grant aid to businesses but also through the provision of a range of other important business supports such as mentoring, business training and business advice, all of which help to stimulate indigenous enterprise creation.

In relation to FÁS, the agency provides a range of incentives that are available for clients and employers. The recently announced Work Placement Programme is designed to offer unemployed people, including unemployed graduates, the opportunity to obtain 6 months quality experience in a work situation. The benefit to providers is that they will, by giving someone the opportunity to gain work experience in their field, ensure the future supply of qualified and experienced people for their business or sector. Additionally, should a position become available within the business, they would have a prospective applicant with relevant work experience. The agency also promotes a range of supports and grants including the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Supported Employment Programme. The Wage Subsidy Scheme provides financial incentives to employers, outside the public sector, to employ disabled people who work more than twenty hours per week. Subsidies available through this scheme are structured under three separate strands and employers can benefit under one or all, simultaneously. The Supported Employment Programme is an active labour market initiative to assist jobseeker's with a disability to find employment in the open labour market. The programme facilitates the integration of people with disabilities into paid employment in the open labour market and provides support for the jobseeker and employer through a job coach to assist with the integration process.

I am satisfied that the range of actions which I have outlined will continue to address the jobs situation.