Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in view of the changed economic environment, if he has sought to renegotiate the European regional grant aid regime that governs the grants that will be offered to foreign direct investment in each county in the State. [51898/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Regional Aid Guidelines govern the areas in which Member States may grant Regional Aid, more commonly known as investment aid. Investment aid is intended to promote the economic development of certain disadvantaged areas within the European Union in order to redress regional disparities. Decisions on Regional Aid eligibility are taken by examining, in the first instance, the relative position regarding the various Member States Gross Domestic Product. After that, unemployment rates are also taken into account.

The current Regional Aid Map for 2007-13 was drawn up in accordance with the Commission’s Current Regional Aid Guidelines. The details of the support in terms of aid intensity for each county are available on my Departments website www.djei.ie. The process of Member States agreeing the 2014-2021 Regional Aid Guidelines is underway. The Commission is scheduled to forward proposals to Member States in December 2012, documenting the structure and provisions that will form the basis of the revised Guidelines. For the 2014-2021 Regional Aid Map, economic data for all counties will once again be analysed afresh. My Department is actively engaged in this process in close consultation with the relevant stakeholders.