Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Job Creation

9:00 pm

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on a possible enterprise start-up (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1007/10]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not provide direct funding or grants to businesses but provides funding to a number of State Agencies, including the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and Enterprise Ireland, through whom assistance is delivered directly to businesses.

Subject to certain eligibility criteria new and developing micro-enterprises may qualify for financial support from the CEBs in the form of priming, expansion/development and feasibility/innovation grants. In addition, the CEBs deliver a range of non-financial supports to improve management capability development within micro-enterprises designed to help new and existing enterprises to operate effectively and efficiently so as to last and grow. All of the CEBs operate to the same criteria in relation to the assistance which they can offer i.e. they can support the establishment and/or the development of enterprises provided that the projects have the capacity to achieve commercial viability and which over time may develop into strong exporting entities.

However, I would stress that priority is given to projects in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. It is considered inappropriate to support other areas such as retail enterprises, personal services (e.g. hairdressers, gardeners, etc), professional services (accountants, solicitors, etc) lacking export potential, construction, as it is considered that these enterprises generally give rise to unacceptable deadweight (where projects would have proceeded anyway) and/or displacement (where the projects simply displace business from other players in the market) concerns.

In order to more fully explore the range of options that may be available to them the company are advised to contact their local CEB to discuss their business needs with the relevant staff of the Board. Contact details for individual CEBs can be found by accessing the following website: www.enterpriseboards.ie.

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 181: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 94 of 12 November 2009, the further discussion she has had with the industrial development agencies with a view to securing replacement jobs in the Waterford Constituency. [1014/10]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As stated in my previous reply, IDA Ireland continues to actively promote the Waterford region to overseas investors. Currently there are 31 IDA Ireland supported companies in Waterford City and County employing approximately 5,960 people. Clear evidence of a transition to more knowledge based and higher value activity is seen in the resilience of companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Honeywell, and GlaxoSmithKline, as well as newer additions to the county's portfolio, such as Citi Hedge Fund Services, Genzyme and Sun Life Financial.

Key interventions in support of attracting investment in recent years have been the development of the Waterford Business & Technology Park (28 hectares), the Dungarvan Business Park (additional 14 hectares developed) and a large scale 55 hectare Greenfield site in Belview, specifically targeted for larger scale utility intensive overseas investments. A further 20 hectare site (Knockhouse lands) adjacent to the Genzyme facility on the Kilmeaden road in Waterford City is also available for Greenfield investment. In addition, Enterprise Ireland and the Cork County Enterprise Board offer a range of supports to businesses to facilitate them in the creation and retention of jobs, and to assist those wishing to start their own business.

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