Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the grants provided to Enterprise Ireland related projects nationally per year over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36431/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Enterprise Ireland offers a comprehensive range of services, including both financial and non-financial supports, to companies with a business strategy that encompasses the elements required for business success. Enterprise Ireland provides a wide variety of supports and development programmes to client companies, including the Community Enterprise Centre scheme, Centres of Excellence, the Enterprise Platform Programme, Enterprise START Programme and Innovation Vouchers.

Enterprise Ireland assesses applications for financial assistance according to a number of criteria, including cost benefit modelling, commercial evaluation and technical assessment in order to ensure value for money to the exchequer.

Direct to business support includes grant and equity payments to companies in areas including R & D, training and broad company development. Third level support involves grants to researchers in the third level sector, support for collaborative R & D and infrastructural investment. These figures do not include supports such as Venture Capital Funding; Infrastructural Payments e.g. Community Enterprise Centres and payments to other third parties e.g. City and County Enterprise Boards. The annual breakdown of payments by Enterprise Ireland in direct financial supports to industry and third level institutions in each year of the 5 year period 2004 - 2008 are shown in the tabular statement.

Table showing the value of grant payments to companies over the 5 year period 2004–2008.