Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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44. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will outline the engagements he has had with a view to job creation and retention in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33205/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department, through our agency Enterprise Ireland (EI), is committed to supporting employment in Cavan and Monaghan. EI focuses on creating new jobs by supporting entrepreneurs in manufacturing and internationally traded services, and High Potential Start-Up Companies. Additionally, EI aims to retain and create new jobs in existing companies and enhance Ireland's innovation capability at both national and regional levels through research support in companies and third-level institutions.

95 EI assisted companies supported 6,681 jobs in Cavan in 2024, an increase of 3.5% on 2023 figures.

In county Monaghan, in 2024, there were 127 EI assisted companies supporting total employment of 7,644, an increase of 3.7% over 2023.

To foster new start-ups, Enterprise Ireland provides incubation spaces on college campuses and Community Enterprise Centres. They offer a range of supports for SMEs, including financial assistance, business and marketing advice, mentoring, product development, and management training. One key initiative is the Dynamic Leadership – Roadmap to Growth programme, delivered in partnership with Dublin City University, which equips senior leadership teams of Irish SMEs with the tools and strategies needed for sustainable growth and international expansion.Collaboration with Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) is crucial in delivering support to businesses, growing the number of Irish exporters, and backing job creation nationwide. Enterprise Ireland also works with regional partners to strengthen the enterprise ecosystem and infrastructure, supporting increased enterprise collaboration through cluster and network development.My Department funds various schemes including the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and the Border Enterprise Development Fund and support projects in the Northeast region thus driving job creation, scale, and export potential. In Cavan and Monaghan, several projects have been funded to foster industry collaboration, deliver supply chain, logistics and procurement training, support biotechnology research, and provide start-up co-working spaces and remote working supports.EI’s strategy Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally seeks to accelerate sustainable Irish business to start, compete, scale and connect. Accelerating the development of sustainable Irish business is core to the agency’s long-term ambition that exporting Irish companies become the primary driver of the Irish economy. EI supported companies assist direct and indirect employment throughout Ireland. Enterprise Ireland’s strategy has set the ambition that 275,000 people will be employed in EI supported companies by 2029.