John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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149. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Local Enterprise Office (LEO)-sponsored companies per county; the number of jobs in LEO sponsored companies, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39744/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Annual Employment Survey is conducted by the Enterprise Ireland LEO Centre of Excellence in Q4 each year and is then reported to my Department the following January. The result of the Employment Surveys refers only to jobs recorded by those businesses that received direct financial grant (Measure 1) assistance from their Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and are included in the LEO Annual Impact Report.

Work has commenced on the Annual Employment Survey for 2024 and once completed this will be reported to the Department in January 2025.

Thousands more small businesses across the country receive non-financial LEO supports including expert advice, one-to-one mentoring, targeted training. LEOs also directly help small businesses in addressing the strategic priorities of decarbonisation and digitalisation through grants and consultancy such as the Energy Efficiency Grant and Digital for Business. In 2023, there was 2,999 approvals for LEO productivity supports (Lean, Green and Digital) alongside 14,197 participants in the mentor programmes and 46,006 participants in training programmes.

The results of the 2023 Annual Employment Survey were very positive. The LEOs had financially assisted a portfolio of 7,167 small businesses, that account for 38,726 jobs across the country, through the Measure 1 grants. This is the highest recorded number since the establishment of the LEOs and represents a 10th year of consecutive jobs growth. In 2023, LEO supported companies created 6,640 new jobs, with a net gain of 2,131 jobs.

The Local Enterprise Office Annual Employment Survey results for 2023 indicating the number of LEO supported businesses and the number of associated jobs in those businesses through Measure 1 financial grants are set out in the table below:

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Enterprise Ireland sponsored companies per county; the number of jobs in Enterprise Ireland sponsored companies, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39745/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The most recent figures available are from Enterprise Ireland’s 2023 Annual Employment Survey and they present a positive outlook for the Irish economy, particularly in the sectors under its remit. According to the 2023 Survey, there has been a notable increase in employment levels across industrial and service companies. This growth is not just confined to the capital city but is spread across the Country, with 68% of the new jobs being created outside of Dublin.

Over the ten-year period from 2014 to 2023, there has been a consistent upward trajectory in employment figures, reflecting the success of policies aimed at fostering enterprise and innovation. The strategic focus on diversifying Ireland's economic base and promoting exports has also contributed to this positive trend.

The spread of employment across various regions and sectors is particularly encouraging, as it suggests a balanced and inclusive economic development. These results underscore the importance of continued investment in enterprise development and innovation strategies.

Number of EI Client Companies and number of Jobs per County as at end 2023