Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the effects that Brexit will have on SMEs along the Border region; and if plans have been made to protect them. [49455/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the plans in place to protect businesses along the Border in view of Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49453/17]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 26 together.

I am very conscious of the challenges faced by companies operating in close proximity to the border as a result of Brexit, many of which trade freely on both sides.

The Regional Action Plan for Jobs imitative, launched in January 2015, is a central pillar of the Government’s ambition to create 200,000 new jobs by 2020, 135,000 of which are outside of Dublin.

The North East/North West Action Plan for Jobs is the key policy response for supporting employment growth in the Border region.  The Plan is stimulating job creation across the region, by facilitating collaborative initiatives between the public and private sector, and through the provision of new competitive funds awarded through Enterprise Ireland, to support regional enterprise projects.

The North East/North West Plan aims to support the creation of 28,000 jobs across Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth by 2020. Sectors targeted as part of the plan include traditionally strong sectors for the region like agri-food, manufacturing/engineering and tourism.

The core objective of the Plan is to reduce the unemployment rate to within 1 percentage point of the State average.

There are now 6,000 more people in work in the region since the launch of the Regional Action Plan initiative in Q1. 2015.  Moreover, the unemployment rate in the Border region has fallen from 10.2% in Q1. 2015 to 6.6% in Q2 of this year, which is within the target of one percentage point of the State average.

To support the Regional Action Plans, additional funding of up to €60m is being rolled out by Enterprise Ireland over the next 4 years to support the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative projects that can sustain and add to employment at a national, regional and county level.  This regional competitive fund will support the ambition, goals and implementation of the Regional Action Plans for Jobs.

In addition, additional funding of €150m is being made available to the IDA to support its Regional Property Programme and drive job creation in the multi-national sector.

The Local Enterprise Offices in the border counties are active also in support of their SME clients by providing information, training and mentoring on Brexit related issues as well as advice on other sources of support.

I fully appreciate that external shocks, such as Brexit, may impact on regional job delivery in the future.

However, the Regional Action Plans as well as the support of the enterprise agencies are flexible and dynamic and can be adapted to address Brexit challenges and opportunities arising within the regions.