Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she is taking to support enterprise development in the midland and western regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40934/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Enterprise Ireland delivers a wide range of supports to Irish companies, targeted at the specific requirements of clients to ensure that they develop to their full potential in terms of employment, innovation and exports. The Agency works with almost 490 client companies in the West Region which employ 10,535 people. In 2008, €19.7m was approved by Enterprise Ireland for clients in the West Region. In the Midlands, Enterprise Ireland works with over 330 client companies which employ over 8,800 people. In 2008, over €23m was approved by Enterprise Ireland for clients in the Midlands.

An important feature of Enterprise Ireland's work in the West and Midlands Region is the development of High Potential Start Up Companies. Eight such companies were supported in the Midlands & West in 2008. Additionally, Enterprise Ireland has been actively involved in promoting the availability of the Seed Capital and the Business Expansion Schemes in the Region.

The Enterprise Platform Programme is a partnership between Enterprise Ireland, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and Athlone Institute of Technology. Twenty entrepreneurs, ten from the West based in GMIT in Galway and Castlebar and 10 from the Midlands, based in Athlone IT, are completing the 2009 programme. These entrepreneurs will spend the next year transforming their ideas into sustainable export oriented businesses with high growth potential.

IDA Ireland is actively marketing the midland counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly Westmeath and Roscommon and the western counties of Galway and Mayo for new inward investment across a range of sectors. In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA is concentrating its efforts on the Gateway and Hub locations in this area. This strategy involves matching investor requirements with the competencies, infrastructure and critical mass of the Gateway and Hub locations to secure the maximum amount of investment for Ireland. In this connection, under the revised EU Regional Aid Guidelines, the BMW and South East Regions are the only areas where Regional aid is available up to 2013. IDA has in recent years set a high level target to deliver in excess of 60% of investments outside the Greater Dublin Area. In 2008 this target was achieved.

Shannon Development offers the same range of State Aid / EU Approved Programmes, similar to IDA and Enterprise Ireland, for its indigenous and overseas clients in the Shannon Free Zone. During 2009, a number of Shannon Free Zone client companies have been approved for grant support under capability enhancement programmes including Training and Upskilling of employees, Strategic Management Consultancy and Market Development Supports. These include Job Retention Programmes. The Agency continues to place a strong focus on R&D supports to its client base.

The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) in the Midland and Western Region is to provide a source of support for micro-enterprise in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate economic activity and entrepreneurship at local level.

During 2008 the Midland Region CEBs, composed of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly paid out over €1.26m in grant assistance to 114 clients. The CEBs in the Western Region, comprising of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon have paid out over €1.2m in grant assistance to 104 clients. During 2009, the CEBs in the Midlands and Western Region will continue to support enterprise development through the provision of both direct financial assistance and through indirect or "soft support" assistance.