Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 49: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the second call under the employment subsidy scheme excludes companies with ten employees or fewer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48195/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Employment Subsidy Scheme is designed to support the maintenance of vulnerable jobs and prevent people from being made redundant. As a result of the First Call, companies have now committed, as part of their application, to retaining in excess of 35,000 jobs. The Second Call is open to exporting and non-exporting companies from all sectors of the economy that employ more than 10 employees.

The aim of the Employment Subsidy Scheme is to maximise the number of jobs retained and to ensure that the funding available for the Scheme is utilised to its full potential. It is also intended that deadweight and displacement effects would be minimised by ensuring that a multiple of jobs subsidised will be retained and the scope for firms employing less than 10 people to offer substantial commitment in this regard is very limited. The second call criteria, apart from the broadening of the eligibility to non-exporting firms and to include short time jobs, are identical to the First Call as required to be consistent with the Temporary Framework under which the EU approved the funding for the scheme.