Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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643. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the competitive call for project applications under the €40 million regional Action for Jobs fund will be announced. [25796/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I launched a new Regional Enterprise Development Fund yesterday (29 May 2017) along with Minister of State for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen TD.

This competitive funding will be provided by my Department through Enterprise Ireland and is a key action to support the Regional Action Plan for Jobs and the Action Plan for Rural Development.

Funding of up to €60m will be available over a period of four years to 2020.

The Fund is aimed at accelerating economic recovery in every part of the country by delivering on the potential of local and regional enterprise strengths. The Fund will support significant collaborative regional initiatives to build on specific industry sectoral strengths and improve enterprise capability, thereby driving job creation.

Under a competitive process, Enterprise Ireland is now seeking applications for funding under four streams with varying investment levels:

- Major Change Projects - €2m up to €5m per project,

- Regionally Significant Projects - €250,000 up to €2m per project,

- Local & Community Enterprise Development Projects - €50,000 up to €250,000 per project

- Industry Clusters- €50,000 up to €250,000 per project.

Competitive feasibility funding to support the development of high quality regional projects is also available as part of this initiative.

Applicants can be promoted by private or public organisations, which for example might include:

- Higher Education Institutes

- Semi State Commercial bodies

- Local Enterprise Development Groups

- Local Authorities.