Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the supports available to promoters business expansion scheme willing to invest in the construction of commercial space for projects for which employment grants have been approved; the supports or reliefs from agencies within his Department that are available to such a promoter. [29308/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Finance Act 2011 introduced the Employment Investment Incentive (EII) in replacement of the old Business Expansion (BES) Scheme. The new Scheme has significantly increased the amount of investment a company can receive under the Scheme and also increased the number of SMEs who can receive investment under the Scheme. Under the old BES Scheme, only companies in the manufacturing, internationally traded services and tourism sectors were eligible. This widening of the criteria also means Enterprise Ireland as no further role in certifying projects under the Employment Investment Incentive (EII) Scheme as certification is now a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.

However, the following trading activities were specifically cited in the legislation as not being eligible for investment under the Scheme:

Adventures or concerns in the nature of trade;

Dealing in commodities or futures in shares, securities or other financial assets;

Financing activities;

Professional service companies;

Dealing in or developing land;

Forestry;

Operating or managing hotels, guest houses, self-catering accommodation or comparable establishments or managing property used as a hotel, guest house, self-catering accommodation or comparable establishment;

Operating or managing nursing homes or residential care homes or managing property used as a nursing home or residential care home;

Operations carried on in the coal industry or in the steel and shipbuilding sectors;

The production of a film.

The development of land is specifically cited as not being an activity eligible for investment under the Employment Investment Incentive Scheme. Such a company would also not fall under the legislative remit of Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland.