Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he is taking to support enterprise development in the midland and western regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41256/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Job creation is at the top of the Government’s agenda. Supporting new and existing indigenous and foreign-owned businesses, across all regions, is central to our plans for recovery, growth and jobs. The Action Plan for Jobs contains a number of measures which are aimed specifically at the facilitation and incentivisation of national enterprise development from start-ups to growth companies. The action plan is a whole-Government plan with a national focus across all regions. The Enterprise Development agencies will be at the forefront of implementing the Action Plan for Jobs across all regions and will ensure enterprises can maximise their contribution to economic and jobs growth. IDA Ireland’s strategy document, Horizon 2020, sets out the agency’s targets for the 2010-14 period. These targets include creating 63,000 new jobs in Ireland over that time and securing 50% of these investments to locations outside Dublin and Cork. The agency has invested heavily in the provision of property solutions tailored to meet the requirements of investors and has developed a network of high-quality Business Parks in locations throughout the Midlands and West regions. There are a total of 120 IDA-supported companies employing over 17,500 people between both regions reflecting the considerable success that has been achieved in attracting high quality investment to both regions.

A total of nearly €15 million was paid to Enterprise Ireland client companies in the Midland and Western regions in 2011, supporting more than 18,000 jobs. Of the 92 High Potential Start-ups assisted by Enterprise Ireland throughout the country in 2011, four are based in the Midlands region and eight in the West. As part of our support for early stage entrepreneurs, I announced an investment of €50,000 by Enterprise Ireland in each of four start-up companies in the West Region on 25 September 2012. In addition, the Taoiseach announced the €200,000 Competitive Feasibility Fund for the West Region. Support of up to 50% of eligible expenditure up to €25,000 per project is available and 17 October is the application deadline. Following Exporting Awareness Events last March and May in Athlone and Galway respectively, further Get Export Ready Workshops were held in Athlone in April and in Galway in June and July 2012, with another event planned for 23 October 2012 in Tullamore. Community Enterprise Centres located in both regions were approved funding under the Community Enterprise Centre Business Development Funding. This programme supports funding of the creation of, or maintenance of, a business development function within the enterprise centres concerned.

In 2012, County and City Enterprise Boards in the Midlands and Western regions have allocated approximately €900,000 in support of over 100 Micro Enterprise Projects. The Micro Finance Loan Scheme, which was launched last week, will initially facilitate €40 million in additional lending to businesses employing not more than ten people over the next five years, with provision for the scheme to be extended to provide an additional €50 million of lending over a further five years at that point. Start-ups, sole traders and existing micro-enterprises will be eligible to apply for a loan under the Scheme. In addition, the Credit Guarantee Scheme will also facilitate €150 million per annum in additional lending for SMEs who, because of a lack of collateral or because of the sector they operate in, face difficulties in accessing traditional bank credit. I am confident that the activities and initiatives being delivered by the Enterprise Development agencies and the County and City Enterprise Boards in both regions will continue to promote investment and employment opportunities among the communities concerned. These will be kept under review as part of the Action Plan for Jobs of 2013.