Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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375. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the specific actions the Government and-or its agencies have taken to support the exporting food sector industry since the UK voted to leave the European Union; her views on making Naas, County Kildare, and the surrounding areas a hub for the food sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11060/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Food Sector is one of the most important sectors of the Irish Economy and remains Ireland’s biggest exporter. The Food sector is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland and a significant employer across the regions and in County Kildare in particular.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) works in tandem with Bord Bia who is charged with the promotion of Irish food at home and abroad. Enterprise Ireland also has responsibility for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food sector to Ireland.

Over 1400 EI client companies have recorded exports to the UK and over 200 of these are food companies. EI is working on an individual and a subsectoral basis where appropriate to support client companies to respond to Brexit.

Despite the uncertainty that the UK vote created, the UK market will continue to be a priority market for Irish food exporters due to its geographical proximity, a common language and similar culture in food.

On 9th January this year, EI published its new strategy 2017-2020 – Build Scale, Expand Reach. Regarding the food sector, this Strategy will involve a targeted focus on supporting clients to enhance their competitiveness and innovation capability.

In 2016, EI increased the number of Lean Plus Grants available to companies to support their enhanced competitiveness. EI, in collaboration with Bord Bia, also developed a Market Access Grant, which is an internationalisation support for food companies. Customised management development programmes are also provided to equip clients with the tools and techniques to operate more effectively and to build international scale.

Innovation is a critical component of competitiveness and it also enables food companies to diversify into new products and in turn new markets. EI will continue to drive company level R&D and Industry-led research and provide funding for Higher Level Research Institutes and the Technology Centres programme to support the sector.

EI will continue to work closely with all the existing food companies in the Kildare region and any potential new start-up companies who may be looking to set up in the area.

The Government, under the Action Plan for Jobs, is supporting all eight Regional Action Plans for Jobs and providing investment of up to €60 million over the period to 2020 to support collaborative approaches to boost enterprise and job creation across the regions. This competitive funding is aimed at accelerating economic recovery in every part of the country by delivering on the potential of local and regional strengths.

In particular, the Regional Action Plans for Jobs will respond proactively to economic developments that have specific impacts on regions, such as Brexit and the Border region, through facilitating and encouraging the development of collaborative initiatives in the areas of entrepreneurship, capability development and mentoring, together with sector and cluster initiatives that could be successful in competitive calls for funding. Regional calls for funding administered by Enterprise Ireland will be issued shortly.