David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 70: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the efforts she is making to develop and promote industry in the Youghal area of east Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44457/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Industrial Development agencies, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland as well as the South Cork County Enterprise Board are making every effort to develop and promote industry in the Youghal area.

IDA Ireland is actively promoting the greater East Cork region, including Youghal, to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors. The agency continues to target high value projects, which means that companies who decide to visit Ireland have more sophisticated business requirements. Their key need in determining where they will visit, and consequently where they will potentially locate, tends to centre on certain criteria. These include a high quality business environment, access to a large population base, close proximity to an international airport, a top quality road infrastructure and to other similar types of companies, adjacent to a third level institution, and located on a business and technology park with high quality office accommodation and telecoms infrastructure.

Ireland is competing for investors who are looking at locations with a large population base, typically in towns/cities with a population in excess of one million. Therefore, continued success in attracting Foreign Direct Investment must be viewed in the regional context rather than just on individual towns as regions can better demonstrate the necessary critical mass required by companies. At present in Cork city and county there are 132 IDA supported companies employing over 21,000 people and the area continues to demonstrate its attractiveness as a location for foreign direct investment with over 950 new jobs having been announced in IDA supported client companies in Cork since the beginning of 2009.

In order to drive enterprise development, Enterprise Ireland plays a key role in partnering and actively engaging with the Youghal Socio Economic Development Group and a sub-committee of that group, the Youghal Employment Creation sub-group. On a wider level, Enterprise Ireland is represented on the Cork County Development Board and the South Cork County Enterprise Board.

Since 2006, Enterprise Ireland has made payments of €58,779,468 to its client companies in County Cork. This figure includes support to over 45 High Potential Start-Up companies in County Cork since 2006. Overall, Enterprise Ireland has a client base of over 700 companies in County Cork, employing circa 18,000 people. Enterprise Ireland works closely with Community groups in the towns of East Cork, including Youghal, to foster further embryonic enterprise and to encourage young graduates to set up businesses in their own localities. In June 2006, Youghal was successful in their application for funding under the Enterprise Ireland Community Enterprise Centre Scheme and received approval of €150,000 towards the development of a new Community Enterprise Centre. Development of the centre, known as Enterprise Youghal, commenced in 2007 and was completed in 2008. St. Mary's College was developed to house the 3,500 square ft. facility. A number of clients are already in situ and Enterprise Youghal continues to market the Centre.

Enterprise Ireland also works closely with University College Cork and the Cork Institute of Technology to foster links with industry, thereby encouraging industry to increase use of technology. Under the EI Innovation Partnership and Commercialisation of Research Programme, Enterprise Ireland has, since 2008, made payments of €17,153,864 to third level colleges in County Cork for research projects with industry.

Since the County Enterprise Boards inception in 1993 to end 2008, South Cork County Enterprise Board has issued over €5.8 million in grant assistance to 424 clients. This intervention has assisted in the creation of 942 jobs in the area. In the same period 1,970 people participated in training programmes. During 2009, the Board has continued to support enterprise development through the provision of both direct financial assistance (grants) and through indirect or "soft support" assistance and will continue to ensure that available funds are targeted to maximise entrepreneurial development at local level.

County Enterprise Board assistance in the Youghal area has included support of an enterprise centre, direct grant support to eligible micro-enterprises, the promotion of enterprise related activities and of an enterprise culture in Youghal through networking and business development activities to attract new entrepreneurs from the area.