Written Answers Nos. 133-152
133. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when the Gort lowlands flood relief scheme will commence construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40045/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works and Galway County Council are working together on the development of the South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme with Galway County Council acting as the lead authority. The South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme is currently at Stage I, Scheme Development and Preliminary Design. There has been a significant amount of public and stakeholder consultation with a number of public consultations taking place in 2021, in which Galway County Council and the OPW presented the emerging preferred option. The options report was progressed towards finalisation, subject to the completion of environmental assessments. The proposed South Galway (Gort Lowlands) Flood Relief Scheme might include overland flood routes, construction of direct defences and road raising in some areas. The scheme is expected to provide protection to 115 properties; 50 residential and 65 commercial.
The combination of river water, groundwater, swallow holes and Turloughs in the karst Gort Lowlands catchment makes this area unique from an international ecological perspective. Due to the intricate nature of the Gort Lowlands area, Trinity College Dublin and Geological Survey Ireland have been contributing to the development of the scheme design together with the engineering and environmental consultants for the scheme.
Environmental assessments have been undertaken for the preferred option, with the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) currently under review by OPW and Galway County Council. The Natura Impact Statement (NIS) is expected to be available for review shortly.
134. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the amount that has been spent by the OPW on the procurement of historian services in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [40131/24]
View answerThe table below summarises the amount that has been spent by the OPW on historian services in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024
It should be noted however that the OPW employs a number of personnel who are historians or have such qualifications, so much of the necessary historical expertise comes from within the OPW.
The OPW may also occasionally engage historians to provide services to support research, exhibitions, interpretation and publications as part of a contract for other services such as exhibition design. Where this is the case, or where their services are funded through grant-in-aid to a third party bodies, these services will not always be clearly apparent and cannot be readily extracted from our systems as specific historian services.
|
Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Spend |
€12,580 |
€9,240 |
€9,841 |
135. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide a breakdown of the amount expended by his Department on consultancies in 2023 and to date in 2024; the company engaged; and the nature of the work conducted by the consultancy on his Department’s behalf, in tabular form. [40219/24]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy for 2023 and to-date 2024 is set out in the tables below.
2023
|
Supplier |
Purpose |
Value |
|
Actionable Innovation |
Life Events Consultancy |
€22,678 |
|
Agilist Information Technologies |
Consulting Services related to the Configuration of Azure DevOps services |
€1,000 |
|
CAAS |
Environmental consultancy related to the proposed Blackpool flood relief scheme |
€15,894 |
|
Deloitte |
Design Action Plan |
€18,450 |
|
Enviroguide |
Environmental consultancy related to the proposed Crossmolina flood relief scheme |
€17,786 |
|
Ernst & Young |
Provision of construction economic advice in relation to price variation mechanisms |
€8,533 |
|
Economic and Social Research Institute |
Preparation of report on the National Development Plan: Priorities and Capacity |
€115,964 |
|
Future Focused Solutions Partners |
Strategic Plan for Commercial Skills |
€2,952 |
|
Gartner Ireland Ltd |
Support Services for a Benchmarking Exercise to establish Value for Money Markers in the Office of Government Procurement’s (OGP) next iteration ICT Professional Services Framework |
€49,200 |
|
Indecon |
Develop recommendations on the value proposition of the Procurement Function |
€30,750 |
|
Interaccess |
Usability testing of OGP eLearning platform |
€4,920 |
|
Institute of Public Administration |
Guidance for Departments preparing action plans to address the recommendations following Organisational Capability Reviews |
€15,300 |
|
KPMG |
External Review of Cloud Environments |
€61,500 |
|
Lionheart |
Board Effectiveness Review for the OGP |
€20,664 |
|
Mitchell McDermott |
Development of templates for International Cost Management Standards (ICMS3) |
€28.941 |
|
Red C Market Research |
Provision of an online client engagement survey for OGP to assure a high quality of client / customer engagement |
€15,806 |
|
Red C Research & Marketing Ltd |
Public Consultation / Survey to better understand the voice of the public on the digitalisation of services |
€18,081 |
|
Sonas Innovation |
Business Analyst SAQ Digital Portal |
€21,996 |
|
Tangent |
Human Centred Design Principles Workshops |
€23,700 |
|
The Project Foundry |
Project Management Consultancy |
€42,998 |
2024 (to-date)
|
Supplier |
Purpose |
Value |
|
Ascent |
Future of EU Cohesion Policy post 2027 (public consultation and report) |
€30,319 |
|
ARUP |
Single Supplier Framework Contract for the provision of Construction Related Technical Advisory Services to OGP for the Capital Works Management Framework Review |
€13,773 |
|
Arvo Consultancy |
Support in developing a national framework for the procurement of design services by public bodies |
€11,070 |
|
Deloitte Consulting |
Review of MyGovID on eIDAS LOA |
€49,500 |
|
Deloitte Ireland |
Consultancy on design of Life Events |
€113,836 |
|
Enviroguide |
Environmental consultancy related to the proposed Crossmolina flood relief scheme |
€3,690 |
|
Future Focused Solutions Partners |
Strategic plan for Commercial Skills |
€2,952 |
|
Indecon |
Develop recommendations on the value proposition of the Procurement Function |
€30,135 |
|
Institute of Public Administration |
Employee Engagement Survey Development |
€3,690 |
|
KPMG |
Peer review of updated notional purchase of service rates |
€12,000 |
|
Red C Market Research |
Conduct 1 to 1 in-depth interviews with 12 OGP clients to follow on from the 2023 OGP Client Survey |
€14,576 |
|
The Project Foundry |
Project Management Consultancy |
€731 |
136. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will provide an update on a development (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40241/24]
View answerI am informed by the Office of Public works (OPW) that the Irish Coast Guard, a Division of the Department of Transport, has 44 Units based in 58 coast guard stations. The Coast Guard building programme, which includes the provision of new or upgraded facilities at a number of locations across the country, is managed by the OPW on behalf of the Department of Transport. These projects are funded by the Department of Transport.
My office provides advice and assistance on the design of such projects, site feasibility studies, acquisition of sites, planning and detail design, contractor procurement and manages the delivery in line with the requirements of the Department of Transport and Coast Guard Service.
New accommodation for the Ballyglass & Belmullet Coast Guard Unit is included as one of the key priorities on the Coast Guard programme and the identification of suitable sites is ongoing. The identification of options, and subsequent acquisition of a site, is being progressed in accordance with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines.
Following completion of a Multi-Criteria Analysis and feasibility studies, a preferred site was selected following consultation between the OPW and the Department of Transport. As this is at an early and commercially sensitive stage, the OPW are not in a position to provide further information on individual sites at this time. Subsequent to a suitable site being procured, the project will progress to planning and construction stage.
137. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform If he will provide an update on a development (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40243/24]
View answerAdditional time is needed to collate the information requested by the Deputy. OPW will respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
138. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the reason no spending review papers were published prior to the announcement of Budget 2025; if he will confirm when such papers are expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40249/24]
View answerExpenditure reviews are a key component of the public expenditure management framework. They began with the special group report 2009 which initiated the first Value for Money (VFM) process, followed by two comprehensive reviews of expenditure (CRE) 2012-2014 and 2015-2017, two spending review cycles 2017-2019 and 2020-2022 and a one year process in 2023.
Since 2017 the spending review process moved away from a centralised top down approach to facilitate Departments to analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of their own key policy areas. This approach widened the scope for focus around evidence based policy making and not just a cost focus; though this remains a critical objective of the process. By the end of the 2023 process a total of 184 research papers had been published.
All spending reviews since 2017 are published here; www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/7dc2b1-spending-review/#spending-review-papers-2020.
Spending Reviews are not the only outlet for policy and spending research. Departments publish internal papers on their own websites and indeed my own Department has published it's own research in the Health and Housing areas on our website in July this year. The Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service personnel also publish various Departmental analytical papers under their banner at
www.gov.ie/en/collection/a3f0b-igees-publications/.
139. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide a breakdown of listed IDA client companies and IDA backed companies with operations in County Kildare in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [39704/24]
View answerRegional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Agencies. In that regard, IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development and is targeting that at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations.
IDA has over 1,800 client companies within its portfolio employing 300,583 as at the end of 2023, with employment levels above 300,000 for the second consecutive year. The total number of regional jobs stands at 163,471 as at the end of 2023, representing 54% of IDA client employment. At end 2023 there were 45 IDA client companies in Kildare, employing 11,909 people. The list of IDA client companies in Kildare and their range of employment is set out below:
|
Company Name |
County |
2023 Emp Range |
|
INTEL IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
6,000 -7,000 |
|
PFIZER IRELAND PHARMACEUTICALS |
Kildare |
1,000-1,500 |
|
INTEL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD |
Kildare |
450-500 |
|
LINK ASSET SERVICES (IRELAND) LIMITED |
Kildare |
450-500 |
|
MAPAEX IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
300-350 |
|
EXYTE NORTHERN EUROPE LTD |
Kildare |
250-300 |
|
LEGGETT & PLATT IRELAND |
Kildare |
250-300 |
|
APPLIED MATERIALS IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
200-250 |
|
HEWLETT PACKARD INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC |
Kildare |
150-200 |
|
APC BY SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
ASML IRELAND |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
DXC (FRMLY CSC COMPUTER SCIENCES IRELAND LTD.) |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
STATE STREET INTERNATIONAL IRELAND NAAS |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
MGS MANUFACTURING LIMITED |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
NIKON PRECISION EUROPE GMBH. |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
RIGOTEC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
ETEX IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
ENDRESS+HAUSER (IRELAND) LTD |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
GEA PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES IRELAND LTD |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
HH GLOBAL MARKETING SOLUTION LTD |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited |
Kildare |
100-150 |
|
KEURIG DR PEPPER IRELAND |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
MSR-FSR IRELAND |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
SCREEN SPE IRELAND |
Kildare |
50-100 |
|
AMERICAN FRUITS AND FLAVORS IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
CLARIANT PLASTICS & COATINGS (IRELAND) LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
CONTROL TECHNIQUES |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
Dwellworks Ireland |
Kildare |
0 -50 |
|
FANUC Ireland |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
GOLDER ASSOCIATES IRELAND LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
Hitachi High Tech Ireland |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
INIT INNOVATIONS IN TRANSPORTATION LTD |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
IRISH INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSIVES LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
KEMEK LTD |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
LASERTEC IRELAND |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
LUFTHANSA TECHNIK MOBILE ENGINE SERVICES |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
MODUSLINK |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
NETNEUTRALS EU |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
PBT Ireland Limited |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
POLYLOK LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
RELEVATE IRELAND |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
SCHLOTTER (IRELAND) LIMITED |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
SGS IRELAND |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
UPPRO IRELAND |
Kildare |
0-50 |
|
Virun Nutra-Biosciences Ltd |
Kildare |
0-50 |
Individual company employment numbers are collated through the Annual Employment Survey which is undertaken at the end of each year, such that 2024 figures will be available at the start of next year.
140. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide a breakdown of listed IDA client companies and IDA backed companies with operations in County Wicklow in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [39705/24]
View answerRegional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Agencies. In that regard, IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development and is targeting that at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 to regional locations.
IDA has over 1,800 client companies within its portfolio employing 300,583 as at the end of 2023, with employment levels above 300,000 for the second consecutive year. The total number of regional jobs stands at 163,471 as at the end of 2023, representing 54% of IDA client employment. At end 2023 there were 21 IDA client companies in Wicklow employing 2,673.
The list of IDA client companies in Wicklow and their range of employment is set out below:
|
Company Name |
County |
2023 Emp Range |
|
SERVIER (IRELAND) INDUSTRIES LIMITED |
Wicklow |
450-500 |
|
TAKEDA IRELAND LIMITED |
Wicklow |
450-500 |
|
NYPRO IRELAND LIMITED |
Wicklow |
300-400 |
|
ELAVON FINANCIAL SERVICES ARKLOW |
Wicklow |
250-300 |
|
AUTOMATIC PLASTICS LIMITED |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
COMMSCOPE EMEA LIMITED |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
MERCK SAFC ARKLOW LIMITED |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
TCOAG IRELAND LIMITED |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
NOVOLEX |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
ZOETIS RATHDRUM |
Wicklow |
100-150 |
|
CONDUCTIX WAMPFLER LIMITED |
Wicklow |
50-100 |
|
ORIFLAME GLOBAL TECHNICAL CENTRE |
Wicklow |
50-100 |
|
RUPP & HUBRACH OPTIK GMBH |
Wicklow |
50-100 |
|
DIETERLE WERKZEUGHANDEL GMBH TOOLING (BRANCH IRELAND) |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
EML (FORMALLY PERFECTCARD) |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
GPA GLOBAL IRELAND |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
LABOD ELECTRONIC PRODUCTION IN IRELAND GMBH |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
NERIKI EUROPE LIMITED |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
PA Consulting Design Partners |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
SAFEGARD SYSTEMS LIMITED |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
|
UNITED CAPS GREYSTONES LIMITED |
Wicklow |
0-50 |
Individual company employment numbers are collated through the Annual Employment Survey which is undertaken at the end of each year, such that 2024 figures will be available at the start of next year.
141. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps that have been taken to address claims of unfair competition and market abuse by SOLAS in relation to the Safe Pass Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39714/24]
View answerI am not aware of any claims of unfair competition and market abuse by SOLAS in relation to the Safe Pass Programme.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is the statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with and enforcing competition law in Ireland. The CCPC is independent in the performance of its statutory functions as per section 9(5) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014.
This independence provision ensures that the CCPC’s operational work, such as enforcement matters and investigations, are independent of myself and my Department and as such, I as Minister, have no function in this regard.
If a breach of competition law is suspected, this can be reported directly to the CCPC through their website, by emailing information directly to complaints@ccpc.ie or by calling +353 1 402 5500.
142. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to detail the governance arrangements for agencies under the Department's remit [39715/24]
View answerMy Department is responsible for a number of agencies whose functions are set out in the governing legislation establishing that agency. This legislation provides for, among other things, the appointment of the Board and the Chairperson, for the approval of the form of the annual report and financial statements and for the furnishing of such information as I as Minister may require from time to time.
My Department is guided by the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and this is underpinned by governance arrangements included in the Oversight and Performance Delivery Agreement (OPDA) which makes clear the requirements for reporting to my Department, in line with the requirements of the Code of Practice.
The OPDAs set out both inputs and outputs and key performance indicators for which the state bodies under my Department's remit are accountable and any risks to their delivery. These agreements are revised annually, to reflect changes to the legislation which in turn may impact on the agencies mandates and resources. Monitoring of performance under these agreements is done through regular communication and engagement between my Department and the various agencies, including quarterly liaison meetings (where Governance is a standing item), performance review meetings and biannual meetings of Management Board and the Heads of agencies to allow for discussion on alignment of strategic aims with the Departments statement of strategy objectives and progress on statutory objectives and implementation of the Oversight and Performance Delivery Agreement.
143. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures his Department will implement to address the potential conflict of interest arising from SOLAS acting in dual roles as both a regulator and competitor in the field of safety training. [39716/24]
View answerSOLAS is the state agency responsible for Further Education and Training in Ireland. SOLAS manages a range of Further Education and Training programmes including Apprenticeships, Traineeships, Skills to Advance, eCollege and the European Globalisation Fund. SOLAS also manages the Safe Pass Health and Safety Awareness Training Programme, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and the Quarrying Skills Certification Scheme (QSCS).
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national body in Ireland with responsibility for occupational health and safety. The HSA reports to the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail under delegated authority from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Having consulted with the HSA on this matter, the HSA is of the opinion that there is no conflict of interest as SOLAS is not a statutory regulator.
As SOLAS is an agency of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, any issues, including potential conflicts of interest in carrying out their duties, would be a matter for them to consider.
144. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of site visits that were taken by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland clients to each of the local electoral areas (LEAs) in Wicklow; the number of jobs that were created by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland in each of the LEAs in the counties; the value of the investments made by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland client companies in each of the LEAs in the counties in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39739/24]
View answerRegional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Agencies. The availability of property and infrastructure solutions is a key factor in investment decisions and a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects.
IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the country by providing property solutions for its own as well as Enterprise Ireland and LEO clients and IDA Ireland facilitates both virtual and in-person sites visits for companies.
Data on the number of site visits is only provided on a county level and figures from 2019 to 2023 for site visits to County Wicklow are set in the table that follows. While there were no site visits to Wicklow in Q1 this year Q2 figures are currently being collated and verified by the IDA and will be available next month. In interpreting the figures, potential clients may visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once and the figures being provided represent individual visits and are, therefore, not indicative of the number of companies that have visited.
|
Wicklow |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Site Visits |
6 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
The number of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client companies and the numbers employed from 2019-2023 are shown in the table below:
|
Wicklow |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
IDA Client Companies |
23 |
23 |
23 |
21 |
21 |
|
Total number of IDA Jobs |
2,652 |
2,794 |
2,824 |
2,771 |
2,673 |
|
EI Client companies |
156 |
159 |
126* |
133 |
128 |
|
Total Number of EI jobs |
4,270 |
3,903 |
3,818 |
3,892 |
3,683 |
* In line with Enterprise Ireland’s 2022-2024 strategy, a revision of the population of companies included in the Annual Employment Survey was undertaken to take account of companies that had been acquired or those whose strategy or need to engage with Enterprise Ireland had changed. As a result, changes to the baseline survey population impacted Enterprise Ireland client company numbers and total employment from 2021.
Grant Payments to both IDA and EI clients in County Wicklow over the last 5 years are shown below:
|
Wicklow |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
IDA Grant Payments |
€557,577 |
€3,420,440 |
€5,000 |
€371,719 |
€105,947 |
|
EI Grant Payments |
€2,792,290 |
€1,657,594 |
€6,234,716 |
€1,611,257 |
€3,195,795 |
Additionally, the Arklow Business Enterprise Centre, and Clermont Enterprise Hub, both infrastructural clients of Enterprise Ireland in County Wicklow, have received payments of €1.8 million over the period 2019 to 2023.
I should note that grants paid in a particular year are not necessarily linked to either the investments won, or the jobs created in that 12-month period. Grants are generally drawn down over the lifetime of a project which is typically over a period of three to five years. Equally, some investments which result in job creation may not be grant aided and some well-established firms may no longer be receiving grant payments.
145. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proactive measures that are taking place to ensure IDA Ireland policy is prioritised in regions, and in particular County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39740/24]
View answerRegional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Enterprise Agencies, including IDA Ireland.
The first six months of this year saw IDA Ireland support 131 investments, 74 of which are planned for regional locations, enabling the future delivery of 8,900 jobs to the economy against an increasingly challenging global operating environment. The IDA continues to deliver strongly on its 2021-2024 strategy, having exceeded on targets related to the total number of investments, job approvals, regional investment and number of sustainability projects supported by the agency ahead of schedule.
While FDI performance remains strong, neither Government nor my Department are complacent about Ireland’s competitive position regarding our FDI value proposition, with policies, strategies and the legislative toolkit constantly kept under review to ensure objectives set out in this critical area of the economy are met. In this regard, the IDA is actively preparing its next strategy to cover the period from 2025 and, of course, I anticipate Regional Enterprise Development to feature strongly. Moreover, last month I joined An Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance at a Government Competitiveness Summit where we recommitted to addressing the current challenges to Ireland’s global competitive position and our FDI offering, all of which will benefit Co Wicklow.
The IDA client base continues to support over 300,000 direct jobs and a further 240,000 indirectly. Many FDI companies are in Ireland for many years and are making second and third generation investments in high-value, high-skilled jobs.
Wicklow is in the IDA Mid-East Region which also comprises counties Kildare, Louth and Meath. There are 118 IDA client companies in the Mid-East Region, employing 20,429 people. Of this, there are 21 IDA client companies in Wicklow, employing 2,673 people. The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 14%.
Furthermore, the Mid-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies. It has also won significant investment in the Food and the Film sub-sectors. Key IDA client companies in Wicklow include Takeda, Servier Industries, Nypro and Elavon Financial Services. Counties in the Mid-East also benefit hugely from the direct and indirect employment generated by IDA client companies located in Dublin. Moreover, IDA Ireland continues to engage with current and prospective clients to promote Ireland as a location for their business and facilitates both virtual and in-person sites visits for companies.
At Government level we are focused on competitiveness to underpin future success in attracting inward investment and safeguard Ireland’s attractiveness as a top destination for FDI. Through implementation of national policy and strategies developed in recent years, including the Government’s White Paper on Enterprise, Climate Action Plans, the National Development Plan, and review of the National Planning Framework we are aiming to safeguard Ireland’s attractiveness as a destination for FDI and secure future success in attracting inward investment to Ireland, including for County Wicklow.
146. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the companies in Wicklow that have benefited from grants from Enterprise Ireland in the past five years, in tabular form; the results of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39741/24]
View answerThe most recent figures available are for the period 2019-2023.
Enterprise Ireland (EI) provided payments to 139 companies in County Wicklow in the five-year period from 2019 to 2023. Total payments to these companies over the relevant period amounts to €15.9 million.
Funding provided to EI supported companies and infrastructural clients helps to create quality and sustainable jobs and future proof the economy. Enterprise Ireland's latest Annual Employment Survey shows that there were 3,683 people employed Enterprise Ireland supported companies in Wicklow in 2023.
Additionally, two infrastructural clients of EI, the Arklow Business Enterprise Centre and the Clermont Enterprise Hub, received payments of €1.8 million in the period 2019 to 2023.
County Wicklow holds a pivotal role in the economic landscape of Ireland, and its development is of paramount importance to Enterprise Ireland. As a County that is home to a vibrant community of innovative businesses, Wicklow exemplifies the potential for regional growth and prosperity. Enterprise Ireland is committed to fostering this potential by supporting local enterprises and promoting sustainable development. By investing in County Wicklow, we not only bolster the local economy but also contribute to the broader national objective of balanced regional development. This approach ensures that all counties, including Wicklow, can thrive and contribute to Ireland’s overall economic success.
List of companies in receipt of payment from Enterprise Ireland, in County Wicklow, 2019-2023
147. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of a skills audit for County Wicklow by IDA Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39742/24]
View answerIDA Ireland have confirmed that they have not carried out a Skills Audit in County Wicklow. However, I am advised that Wicklow County Council have done so, should the Deputy wish to follow up with Wicklow County Council.
148. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland site visits to each county in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39743/24]
View answerRegional development is a key element of Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise, and is a key focus of the work of my Department and our Agencies. The availability of property and infrastructure solutions is a key factor in investment decisions and a robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects. In this regard, IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the country by providing property solutions for its own, as well as Enterprise Ireland and LEO, clients and IDA Ireland facilitates both virtual and in-person sites visits for companies.
Data on the number of site visits from 2019 to 2023 for each county are set in the table that follows. In interpreting the figures, I am advised that the Deputy should note that potential IDA clients may visit more than one county and may return to a location more than once and the figures being provided represent individual visits and are, therefore, not indicative of the number of companies that have visited.
|
County |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Carlow |
9 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
|
Cavan |
7 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
Clare |
28 |
16 |
20 |
22 |
40 |
|
Cork |
68 |
30 |
44 |
45 |
39 |
|
Donegal |
12 |
1 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
|
Dublin |
284 |
121 |
153 |
201 |
173 |
|
Galway |
46 |
21 |
31 |
40 |
38 |
|
Kerry |
5 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
8 |
|
Kildare |
14 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
|
Kilkenny |
13 |
8 |
6 |
3 |
10 |
|
Laois |
5 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
57 |
26 |
37 |
48 |
52 |
|
Longford |
3 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
|
Louth |
40 |
14 |
10 |
16 |
11 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Meath |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
4 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
|
Offaly |
5 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
|
Roscommon |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
Sligo |
29 |
9 |
6 |
10 |
7 |
|
Tipperary |
7 |
12 |
12 |
9 |
10 |
|
Waterford |
18 |
9 |
8 |
12 |
18 |
|
Westmeath |
22 |
14 |
20 |
20 |
13 |
|
Wexford |
6 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
149. Deputy John Brady asked 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]
View answerThe 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:
|
County |
No. of Clients |
Gross Jobs (FT + OT) |
Total Gains |
Net Jobs |
|
Carlow |
208 |
1005 |
140 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
171 |
1442 |
165 |
64 |
|
Clare |
229 |
1393 |
188 |
62 |
|
Cork |
630 |
3268 |
714 |
244 |
|
Donegal |
259 |
1539 |
321 |
78 |
|
Dublin |
1223 |
5718 |
1003 |
394 |
|
Galway |
259 |
1240 |
174 |
52 |
|
Kerry |
242 |
1219 |
207 |
65 |
|
Kildare |
268 |
1309 |
271 |
17 |
|
Kilkenny |
188 |
1100 |
168 |
53 |
|
Laois |
141 |
777 |
143 |
40 |
|
Leitrim |
155 |
472 |
82 |
26 |
|
Limerick |
313 |
2049 |
453 |
238 |
|
Longford |
268 |
1355 |
154 |
50 |
|
Louth |
212 |
911 |
154 |
26 |
|
Mayo |
195 |
1222 |
234 |
23 |
|
Meath |
258 |
1383 |
216 |
13 |
|
Monaghan |
168 |
1015 |
140 |
78 |
|
Offaly |
206 |
1177 |
235 |
10 |
|
Roscommon |
171 |
1007 |
135 |
26 |
|
Sligo |
193 |
982 |
117 |
37 |
|
Tipperary |
266 |
1578 |
370 |
96 |
|
Waterford |
280 |
1237 |
185 |
47 |
|
Westmeath |
269 |
1600 |
208 |
145 |
|
Wexford |
234 |
1954 |
329 |
177 |
|
Wicklow |
161 |
774 |
134 |
69 |
|
Total |
7167 |
38726 |
6640 |
2131 |
150. Deputy John Brady asked 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]
View answerThe 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
|
County |
Number of Companies |
No of jobs |
|
Carlow |
68 |
3,916 |
|
Cavan |
70 |
6,942 |
|
Clare |
100 |
5,184 |
|
Cork |
467 |
25,769 |
|
Donegal |
98 |
3,479 |
|
Carlow |
68 |
74,681 |
|
Dublin |
1,744 |
9,104 |
|
Galway |
234 |
3,916 |
|
Kerry |
90 |
4,973 |
|
Kildare |
158 |
9,436 |
|
Kilkenny |
82 |
5,630 |
|
Laois |
39 |
1,867 |
|
Leitrim |
16 |
880 |
|
Limerick |
178 |
8,924 |
|
Longford |
27 |
2,392 |
|
Louth |
130 |
6,744 |
|
Mayo |
103 |
6,004 |
|
Meath |
150 |
7,898 |
|
Monaghan |
81 |
6,709 |
|
Offaly |
52 |
4,091 |
|
Roscommon |
30 |
1,671 |
|
Sligo |
51 |
2,308 |
|
Tipperary |
99 |
6,742 |
|
Waterford |
98 |
7,580 |
|
Westmeath |
73 |
3,178 |
|
Wexford |
85 |
5,710 |
|
Wicklow |
128 |
3,683 |
151. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA sponsored companies per county; and the number of jobs in IDA sponsored companies, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39746/24]
View answerIDA has over 1,800 client companies within its portfolio employing 300,583 as at the end of 2023. Additionally, my Department estimates that for every 10 jobs generated by FDI directly, another eight are created in the wider economy.
As requested, the number of IDA client companies and IDA-supported jobs for each county at the end of 2023 is shown below:
|
County |
2023 |
|
|
Cavan |
IDA client companies |
9 |
|
Total Jobs |
821 |
|
|
Donegal |
IDA client companies |
22 |
|
Total Jobs |
5,036 |
|
|
Leitrim |
IDA client companies |
4 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,104 |
|
|
Monaghan |
IDA client companies |
6 |
|
Total Jobs |
283 |
|
|
Sligo |
IDA client companies |
31 |
|
Total Jobs |
2,929 |
|
|
Dublin |
IDA client companies |
985 |
|
Total Jobs |
137,112 |
|
|
Kildare |
IDA client companies |
45 |
|
Total Jobs |
11,909 |
|
|
Louth |
IDA client companies |
36 |
|
Total Jobs |
3,674 |
|
|
Meath |
IDA client companies |
16 |
|
Total Jobs |
2,173 |
|
|
Wicklow |
IDA client companies |
21 |
|
Total Jobs |
2,673 |
|
|
Clare |
IDA client companies |
70 |
|
Total Jobs |
5,919 |
|
|
Limerick |
IDA client companies |
72 |
|
Total Jobs |
16,018 |
|
|
Tipperary |
IDA client companies |
17 |
|
Total Jobs |
5,320 |
|
|
Laois |
IDA client companies |
5 |
|
Total Jobs |
155 |
|
|
Longford |
IDA client companies |
7 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,801 |
|
|
Offaly |
IDA client companies |
11 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,385 |
|
|
Westmeath |
IDA client companies |
28 |
|
Total Jobs |
4,582 |
|
|
Carlow |
IDA client companies |
4 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,440 |
|
|
Kilkenny |
IDA client companies |
13 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,037 |
|
|
Waterford |
IDA client companies |
43 |
|
Total Jobs |
9,078 |
|
|
Wexford |
IDA client companies |
26 |
|
Total Jobs |
3,746 |
|
|
Cork |
IDA client companies |
206 |
|
Total Jobs |
49,253 |
|
|
Kerry |
IDA client companies |
17 |
|
Total Jobs |
2,043 |
|
|
Galway |
IDA client companies |
103 |
|
Total Jobs |
24,080 |
|
|
Mayo |
IDA client companies |
16 |
|
Total Jobs |
5,434 |
|
|
Roscommon |
IDA client companies |
9 |
|
Total Jobs |
1,578 |
|
|
Total Jobs |
300,583 |
152. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39890/24]
View answerIDA Ireland's Regional Property Programme aims to ensure the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations to remain competitive in attracting FDI to the regions. The IDA actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA Business Parks and high-quality buildings in private ownership through its network of overseas offices.
It is essential, therefore, that the West Region, including Mayo, has a competitive, sustainable property offering to enable the attraction and retention of investment and jobs. In that regard, IDA, as part of the Regional Property Programme, has delivered an advance technology building to Castlebar which has been occupied by Meissner Filtration Products. IDA Ireland has publicly committed to build a new, second Advance Technology Building in Castlebar to support the winning of new investment and job creation and an extensive site selection process for this new building is well underway. However, the acquisition of appropriate lands has proven challenging in this location and the IDA continues to explore all possible options to identify and secure suitable lands aligned with investor needs.
On conclusion of site selection, the master planning, design and planning phases will commence. The specific dates for commencement of construction are wholly dependent on and subject to the successful outcome of these processes. IDA will use its best endeavours to deliver the building in a timely manner and IDA Ireland has had regular engagement with Mayo County Council on its plans.
Finally, I should note that the IDA continues to work with regional stakeholders and the private sector on opportunities to add to the supply of competitive property solutions in regional locations.
