Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the actions she is taking to ensure greater regional spread, in particular for the midlands region, in view of a recent report which indicated 60% of new jobs created are created in the greater Dublin area. [50530/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Since becoming Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have made regional development my top priority. Indeed, enterprise development and job creation in the regions of Ireland is a key policy priority of this Government.

We want to have a situation where all regions are enabled to realise their potential as contributors to economic recovery and growth, and thereby reduce regional disparities.

For the State as a whole, since the launch of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs (RAPJ) (Q1 2015 to Q3 2018) there has been an increase of 258,800 people in employment, with 163,500 of these located in the regions outside Co. Dublin – that’s 3 out of every 5 jobs created.

In the year from Q3 2017 – Q3 2018, just over half (51%) of the jobs created were outside of Co. Dublin.

Under the RAPJ, we remain committed to achieving an overall jobs uplift of between 10 and 15 percent in each region by 2020 and to bring and/or maintain unemployment levels in each region to within at least one percentage point of the State average.

CSO figures show that the unemployment rate in the Midlands Region is currently at 7.1% (Q3 2018), which is higher than the State average of 6% and continued focus is therefore required on regional enterprise development and job creation in the Midlands.

Earlier this year I asked the RAPJ Implementation Committees, including in the Midlands, to refresh and refocus their plans so as to ensure their relevance and impact out to 2020, especially in the face of current challenges, including Brexit. This work is ongoing and is expected to conclude by year end.

The Midlands has seen good progress under the RAPJ, with employment in the region increasing by 17.6% from Q1 2015 to Q3 2018. There are 19,100 more people in employment in the region from Q1 2015 to Q3 2018.

Live Register numbers have fallen in all three counties (Longford, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath) in the Midlands Region in the past 12 months. In 2017, both Enterprise Ireland and IDA reported job increases in the Midlands of 6% and 1% respectively. Through partnership between Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities, in 2017, the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) have 819 client companies in the Midlands employing 4,214 people. This is an increase of 372 jobs from 2016.

The Enterprise Agencies continue to work to contribute to employment and economic growth throughout all regions. Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for 2017-2020 aims to create a further 60,000 jobs, while sustaining existing ones, which will make an important contribution to jobs and economic growth across all regions.

The LEOs continue to play a vital role in providing advice and guidance, financial assistance and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own businesses.

IDA meanwhile will continue to target a minimum increase in investment of 30% to 40% in each region outside Dublin to 2019.

On Monday, under the second call my Department's Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), I announced an allocation of just over €29 million in funding that will support regions throughout the country to deliver on their economic and enterprise development potential.

21 projects from all over the country received funding. This is in addition to the €30 million in funding under Call 1 of the REDF that I announced in December 2017 that also funded 21 projects.