Written answers
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Departmental Agencies
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the annual cost to the Exchequer of establishing and maintaining the digital hub development agency and any other related or investment or grant costs since 2003 to date related to the digital hub, in tabular form. [45090/15]
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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595. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of new jobs created at or arising from the establishment of the digital hub, in tabular form. [45091/15]
Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together.
The Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) was established in 2003 under the Digital Hub Development Agency Act 2003 to support digital entrepreneurship through the creation of a cluster of enterprises focussed on digital content and technology.
The Digital Hub campus comprises a nine-acre site. Its property portfolio consists of a number of properties which have been developed by the DHDA and are being used by digital companies. It also includes many protected structures, and a number of derelict buildings. The Agency has developed a new strategy for developing the campus, including those buildings which are derelict.
In addition to commercial income, the Agency receives an Exchequer subvention from my Department towards meeting its operational and capital expenditure. A number of strategic digital initiatives have also been funded by my Department. It has also received grant funding from sources other than my Department.
The following table sets out the grant funding by year since the DHDA’s establishment and the number of persons employed full-time by digital enterprises located at the DHDA, in respect of the period commencing 2008, being the first year for which such data is available.
| Year | Subvention – Operational Expenditure (€) | Subvention – Capital Expenditure (€) | Other Grants (€) | Number of employees working for companies in DHDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 585,750 | |||
| 2004 | 0 | |||
| 2005 | 3,350,000 | 309,240 | ||
| 2006 | 1,940,000 | 57,750 | ||
| 2007 | 1,940,000 | 33,347 | ||
| 2008 | 1,940,000 | 607 | ||
| 2009 | 1,731,200 | 501 | ||
| 2010 | 2,060,000 | 204,248 | 551 | |
| 2011 | 2,473,633 | 522 | ||
| 2012 | 2,066,720 | 1,148,295 | 503 | |
| 2013 | 2,045,795 | 323,102 | 598 | |
| 2014 | 1,774,226 | 849,087 | 20,000 | 627 |
| 2015 (to date) | 1,555,422 | 622,168 | 2,281 | 701 |
The Agency is currently focussed on a significant expansion of its office capacity through the development and refurbishment of its properties. It aims to increase commercial income with a view to eliminating reliance on the Exchequer, while simultaneously contributing to the major regeneration of the Dublin 8 area.
Work is underway to prepare legislation to effect the merger of the DHDA with Dublin City Council, allowing the DHDA to leverage the considerable property and urban regeneration expertise of the Council, while simultaneously growing its client base.
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