Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount announced by her Department in budget 2019 towards doubling Ireland’s global footprint. [44491/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Expenditure Report 2019 set out the summary capital and current allocations for my Department in 2019.  The gross allocation of €950.2million for my Department in 2019 as set out in the Report represents an increase of 9.1% on the Department’s 2018 allocation of €871million and includes an increase in our capital funding from €555m to €620million in 2019 and also an increase in our current funding from €316million to €330.2million next year. The increase in our allocation  next year has allowed me to provide a further €8m in current funding to the Department  our Enterprise Agencies and Regulatory Bodies to enable them to enhance our Global Footprint and bolster the efforts to get Businesses Ready for Brexit.

Whilst the definitive 2019 allocations for the various Enterprise Agencies and Regulatory Bodies and the Department itself will only be determined as part of the Revised Estimates Volume process, it is my intention to increase Enterprise Ireland’s and IDA’s current funding in 2019 by €3m and 2m respectively. I also intend to provide a further €3m to the Department and its Regulatory Bodies. This additional funding will  allow us to increase our staffing resources and promotional activities in 2019 thereby enhancing our Global Footprint and our ability to assist businesses to diversify into new markets.