Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 208: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 82 of 13 October 2009, the number of those client companies supported by the Industrial Development Authority and Enterprise Ireland since October 2008 that were newly supported companies; the specific amounts granted to each company; and the number of jobs created as a result. [38494/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2008, Enterprise Ireland supported the establishment of 71 new high potential start–up companies in sectors as diverse as life sciences, medical devices, software, services and food. The Government through Enterprise Ireland is investing €21.5 million in developing the businesses of these high potential start–up companies, which in turn will leverage a total investment of over €169 million. The investment is towards expenditures such as R&D, production and operations, key skilled employees and management development, all part of the essential mix to drive sustained growth and development in competitive international markets.

These highly innovative companies are forecast to create 1,000 new jobs over the next three years with total sales over the same period to reach €615 million, and exports will account for almost 75% of this. This is the result of ongoing initiatives by the agency and over the past four years, the agency supported almost 300 start-up companies. In 2009, Enterprise Ireland aims to support a further 66 start-up companies and despite difficult economic conditions, the pipeline for achieving this is healthy.

Between 1 October 2008 and 30 September 2009, Enterprise Ireland made financial payments of €164,705,000 direct to its client companies. This direct support to businesses does not include payments made by Enterprise Ireland to businesses under supports such as venture capital funding and infrastructural payments. The wide range of Enterprise Ireland financial supports are aimed at holistically developing companies across the business function. The intended outcome of this support is to develop the company with a view to maximising economic return to Ireland, which is typically in the form of exports and job creation.

The details of grant aid to Enterprise Ireland client companies that are no longer deemed to be commercially sensitive is available in the annual reports of Enterprise Ireland.

The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are clients of the industrial development agencies. Information is collected on an annualised basis and is aggregated at county level. Figures for 2009 will not be available until early 2010.

I have been informed by IDA Ireland that in the period between 1 October 2008 and 30 September 2009 grant payments were made by the Agency to 18 "new-name" client companies.

It is not possible to give the actual number of jobs created as a result of these payments for the following of reasons: o Some grant support e.g. Training Grants and Research and Development grants are not directly linked to the creation specific numbers of new jobs; o Depending on the type of grant, there can be a considerable time lag between the payment of the grant and the actual generation of jobs; and o Information relating to the numbers of jobs created in IDA supported companies are contained in the Forfás Annual Employment Survey. Data is compiled on an annualized basis and is aggregated at county level. The information is provided by companies on a confidential basis for statistical purposes only. Information on individual companies is not disclosed for reasons of client confidentiality.

As information in relation to the amounts of grant approvals by IDA Ireland in respect of individual companies is commercially sensitive, you will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.