Written answers

Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Departmental Funding

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

753. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding that has been provided to County Louth over the three years 2014 to 2016 by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37225/16]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

754. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the applications submitted for funding projects from Louth County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016 in tabular form; and if the applications were successful. [37241/16]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

755. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding for projects in 2017 in County Louth to be funded by her Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37257/16]

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 to 755, inclusive, together.

My Department is focused on ensuring that the effects of economic recovery are felt throughout all regions of the country. While employment has increased in all our regions, it has not been as fast in some. The Government’s ultimate target is to achieve sustainable full employment, and to assist in achieving this objective, my Department’s agencies are ensuring that targeted supports for enterprise and job creation are provided throughout all regions. The Action Plan for Jobs for the North West/North East region, which includes Louth, sets out a comprehensive plan to build on the strengths of the region to develop its full potential for enterprise and jobs growth.

Details of funding for projects in County Louth in 2014, 2015 and 2016 provided by the agencies of my Department are set out in the following tables where available. The levels of funding to be provided for projects in 2017 has not yet been determined.

IDA Ireland

IDA Ireland continues to work towards achieving job creation and investment targets set out in its strategy ‘Winning Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019’, and is particularly focusing on job creation outside Dublin. In 2016 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. Details of grant payments in 2016 are not yet available.

Project NameLocationFunding AmountOther relevant information
Kelton Tech Solutions Limited Drogheda Confidential Establishment of an EMEA HQ with the creation of 100 jobs.

In 2015 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. In addition, grant payments to IDA Ireland clients in Louth during 2015 totalled €993,000.

Project NameLocationFunding AmountOther relevant informationProject NameLocationFunding Amount
Prometric Dundalk Confidential A leading US Testing company expanding its operation in Dundalk with the creation of 40 jobs and also entering a three-year research partnership with DCU, valued at almost €1million.Kelton Tech Solutions Limited Drogheda Confidential

In 2014 the following project announcements were made in relation to IDA Ireland companies in Louth. In addition, grant payments to IDA Ireland clients in Louth during 2014 totalled €3,672,307.

Project NameLocationFunding AmountOther relevant information
Becton Dickinson Drogheda Confidential €16 million investment in new equipment to expand its production of BD syringes with the creation of 20 jobs.
Paypal Dundalk Confidential 400 jobs created as an expansion of its operation centre.

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets, thus supporting sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment. Details of the funding amounts provided by Enterprise Ireland for projects in Co. Louth are set out in the following table. Data for funding provided by Enterprise Ireland in 2016 is not available at present.

YearLocationFunding Amount
2014Louth€868,531.84

YearLocationFunding Amount
2015Louth€2,359,406.23

Local Enterprise Offices

Capital funding from my Department for Local Enterprise Development is allocated to the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) through the Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland. This funding is allocated among the LEOs to support clients through the provision of grants (Measure 1) and soft supports (Measure 2), such as training and mentoring, and used to fund the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) programme. Details of the total payments made by LEO Louth in 2014 and 2015 are set out in Table 1. Details of total payments made in 2016 are not available.

Table 1: Total Payments by LEO Louth in 2014 and 2015

Louth LEOTotal Payments
2014€225,203
2015€195,023

PQ 37241/16 refers

LEO Louth is effectively a Unit of Louth County Council and made a successful application under the LEO Competitive Fund in a collaborative project with a number of other LEOs as set out in Table 2. This was one of four applications in which LEO Louth was involved under the Fund.

Table 2: Applications for Funding from Louth County Council

Project NameWas application successful YES/NOAny other relevant information
The ACCELINVEST programme, in conjunction with the LEOs Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan: the aim is to create a clear pathway for export focused, investment-ready regional companies to progress from the LEO Network to Enterprise Ireland. YesThe project was approved for funding of €175,000 in 2016, although the amounts to be allocated to the individual participant LEOs, including the LEO Louth, will not be known until later in the project lifecycle.

PQ 37257/16 refers

A total of €22.5m in Capital funding has been allocated to my Department for Local Enterprise Development in 2017. The allocations to individual LEOs will be calculated next year in line with an agreed methodology.

Credit Guarantee Scheme

The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme is a government initiative that was set up to encourage additional lending to commercially viable SMEs which, under normal lending criteria, are unable to obtain new or additional facilities from their bank. The total amount of loans sanctioned under the Credit Guarantee Scheme in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out below.

YearLocationFunding Amount
2016Louth€1,140,000
2015Louth€215,000
2014Louth €50,000

Microfinance Ireland

Microfinance Ireland provides small loans through the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund to help to start up a small business or expand an existing business. The total applications received and approved in Louth in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out in the following tables.

2016

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
27€466k7€99k

2015

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
18€295k9€126k

2014

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
10€187k3€38k

Other Relevant Information

With regard to applications received from Louth County Council for funding by my Department and its agencies, LEO Louth is effectively a Unit of Louth County Council and made a successful application under the LEO Competitive Fund in a collaborative project with a number of other LEOs as set out below. This was one of four applications in which LEO Louth was involved under the Fund.

Applications for Funding from Louth County Council

Project NameWas application successful YES/NOAny other relevant information
The ACCELINVEST programme, in conjunction with the LEOs Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan: the aim is to create a clear pathway for export focused, investment-ready regional companies to progress from the LEO Network to Enterprise Ireland. YesThe project was approved for funding of €175,000 in 2016, although the amounts to be allocated to the individual participant LEOs, including the LEO Louth, will not be known until later in the project lifecycle.

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

756. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding that has been provided to County Meath over the three years 2014 to 2016 by project name, location and funding amount in tabular form. [37273/16]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

757. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the applications submitted for funding for projects from Meath County Council in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; if the applications where successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37289/16]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

758. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the funding for projects in 2017 in County Meath to be funded by her Department by project name, location and funding amount, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37305/16]

Photo of Mary Mitchell O'ConnorMary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 756 to 758, inclusive, together.

My Department is focused on ensuring that the effects of economic recovery are felt throughout all regions of the country. While employment has increased in all our regions, it has not been as fast in some. The Government’s ultimate target is to achieve sustainable full employment, and to assist in achieving this objective, my Department’s agencies are ensuring that targeted supports for enterprise and job creation are provided throughout all regions. The Action Plan for Jobs for the Mid-East region, which includes Meath, sets out a comprehensive plan to build on the strengths of the region to develop its full potential for enterprise and jobs growth.

Details of funding for projects in County Meath in 2014, 2015 and 2016 provided by the agencies of my Department are set out in the following tables where available. The levels of funding to be provided for projects in 2017 has not yet been determined.

IDA Ireland

IDA Ireland continues to work towards achieving job creation and investment targets set out in its strategy ‘Winning Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019’, and is particularly focusing on job creation outside Dublin. In 2016, the following project announcements were made by IDA client companies in Meath:

Project NameLocationFunding AmountOther relevant information
Shire Piercetown

Co Meath
Confidential Shire will create a new, state of the art biologics manufacturing campus, which it expects will lead to the creation of approximately 400 permanent jobs on a 120 acre site.
Facebook Clonee, Co Meath Confidential Facebook announced the construction of a data centre. The facility will become part of the infrastructure that enables billions of people to connect with the people and things they care about on Facebook and across its family of apps and services.

Details of grant payments to IDA client companies in 2016 are not yet available. In 2015 grant payments totalling €300,000 were made to IDA Ireland client companies located in Co Meath. There were no grant payments to IDA clients in Meath in 2014.

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets, thus supporting sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment. Details of the funding amounts provided by Enterprise Ireland for projects in Co. Meath are set out in the following tables. Data for funding provided by Enterprise Ireland in 2016 is not available at present.

YearLocationFunding Amount
2014Meath€1,159,192.49

YearLocationFunding Amount
2015Meath€2,276,891.58

Local Enterprise Offices

Capital funding from my Department for Local Enterprise Development is allocated to the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) through the Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland. This funding is allocated among the LEOs to support clients through the provision of grants (Measure 1) and soft supports (Measure 2), such as training and mentoring, and used to fund the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) programme. Details of the total payments made by LEO Meath in 2014 and 2015 are set out in Table 1. Details of total payments made in 2016 are not available.

Table 1: Total Payments by LEO Meath in 2014 and 2015

Meath LEOTotal Payments
2014 €143,098
2015€166,085

The LEOs use their Measure 1 allocations to provide feasibility, priming and business development grants to their clients. Details of the individual grants allocated in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out below.

PQ 37289/16 refers

LEO Meath is effectively a Unit of Meath County Council and was involved in two collaborative project applications with other LEOs to the LEO Competitive Fund. The projects were not approved for funding under the call.

PQ 37305/16 refers

A total of €22.5m in Capital funding has been allocated to my Department for Local Enterprise Development in 2017. The allocations to individual LEOs will be calculated next year in line with an agreed methodology.

Credit Guarantee Scheme

The SME Credit Guarantee Scheme is a government initiative that was set up to encourage additional lending to commercially viable SMEs which, under normal lending criteria, are unable to obtain new or additional facilities from their bank. The total amount of loans sanctioned under the Credit Guarantee Scheme in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out in the following table.

YearLocationFunding Amount
2016Meath€280,000
2015Meath€450,000
2014Meath€95,000

Microfinance Ireland

Microfinance Ireland provides small loans through the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund to help to start up a small business or expand an existing business. The total applications received and approved in 2014, 2015 and 2016 are set out in the following tables.

2016

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
33€490k11€141k

2015

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
39€572k18€220k

2014

Applications ReceivedAmountApplications ApprovedAmount
28€429k13€187k

Other Relevant Information

With regard to applications received from Meath County Council for funding by my Department and its agencies, LEO Meath is effectively a Unit of Meath County Council and was involved in two collaborative project applications with other LEOs to the LEO Competitive Fund. The projects were not approved for funding under the call.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.