Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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12. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of start-up companies that have been supported by Enterprise Ireland in County Donegal over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37944/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland has supported 101 start-up entrepreneurs in Donegal in the past three years through its various programmes, and in addition the Donegal Local Enterprise Office had supported 196 start-up entrepreneurs through its programmes. As the Deputy knows, the local enterprise office now has a service level agreement with Enterprise Ireland which allows start-ups progress to EI programmes. This indicates a healthy start-up environment in Donegal. However, I have the ambition to build on this and I am looking to the Regional Action Plan for Jobs to support a 25% increase in entrepreneurship over a five year period. Some of the details of the programmes in Donegal are as follows:

- Enterprise Ireland has supported 92 entrepreneurs on New Frontiers delivered in association with Sligo and Letterkenny IT

- EI has supported four companies on Competitive Start and five High Potential Start Ups

- Donegal LEO has supported 83 companies with capital grants, 113 applicants to Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur and 235 doing start your own business courses, while ten start-ups in Donegal have availed of Microfinance.