Written Answers Nos. 154-173
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the countries with which Ireland remains in competition in respect of foreign direct investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43859/24]
View answerMy Department continues to work closely with IDA Ireland to ensure there is a strong continued pipeline of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ireland. To that end, Ireland’s proposition for FDI investment remains competitive, as demonstrated by IDA’s results for the first half of 2024 where they supported 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.
Furthermore, last year, IDA reported 248 investments won for Ireland, including a record number of transformation investments in Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), Talent Development, Digitalisation, and Sustainability. Moreover, in 2023, direct employment in IDA Ireland client companies stood at over 300,000 people nationally for the second year in a row, with a record high regional employment figure of 163,471. This work is guided by the IDA's current strategy "Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024".
Despite many challenging global issues such as the impacts of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as a Small Advanced Economy, Ireland continues to be seen as a location of choice for new investors as well as long-established companies who choose to further invest in substantial expansions of their operations here. in that regard, Ireland offers a competitive, consistent, and transparent corporate tax regime, good access and connectivity and an excellent return on investment, as well as being an attractive environment where people want to live and work.
Competition for FDI is intense, with virtually every country in the world seeking new FDI investments. Every single job created in Ireland by an FDI company has been hard won, against competition from a growing number of sophisticated locations.
In 2024, Ireland ranked fourth place among 67 economies measured for their global competitiveness in the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. This is the second consecutive year Ireland has been placed in the top five economies globally.
Working hand-in-hand with Government, stakeholders and other enterprise agencies including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland partners and collaborates with international investors and companies to grow their businesses, to complete ground-breaking research and innovation, and to develop a rich, vibrant, talent capability for the needs of industry.
For decades, Ireland’s talent base has made the country a prime destination for many of the world’s top companies. Today, around 55% of people aged 25 to 34 in Ireland hold a third-level degree compared to a 40% EU average. In addition to our highly educated and skilled workforce, Ireland offers access to the larger – some 250 million strong – EU workforce. This is reflected in the strong job creation results reported to me by our enterprise agencies, including from highly-mobile FDI.
There are, nonetheless, domestic challenges that we must address as highlighted during the September Competitiveness Summit chaired by An Taoiseach in which I participated along with the Minister for Finance. However, through the cross-Government measures agreed following the Summit complemented by the White Paper on Enterprise Implementation Plan, Ireland will be well positioned to keep pace with our competitors in winning FDI. Moreover, my Department is not complacent about Ireland’s competitiveness position regarding FDI and policies, strategies and the legislative toolkit are constantly kept under review to ensure objectives set out in this critical part of the economy are met.
In recognition of the increasing competition internationally for FDI, IDA will receive an additional €15.5 million in funding next year. IDA Ireland will target significant FDI investment in 2025, with a focus on RD&I, Sustainability and Digitalisation. The additional funding will also help IDA to strengthen its team and deliver enterprise-focused property solutions across the country reflecting the Government’s commitment to Regional Development. It will also ensure that the IDA further support the decarbonisation of industrial emitters which is key to achieving the 35% reduction target by 2030.
155. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which job opportunities in the services and manufacturing sectors remain bright for County Kildare and the country at large over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43860/24]
View answerIreland’s labour market has shown remarkable resilience given the challenges Ireland has faced in recent years, including Brexit, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and global inflationary pressures.
According to the most recent employment figures from the CSO’s Labour Force Survey, published in August 2024, total employment in Ireland across all sectors including manufacturing and services stood at 2.74 million in the second quarter of 2024, an annual gain of nearly 71,000 jobs compared to the same period last year. The Mid-East region, including County Kildare, saw nearly 6,000 additional jobs created over the same period, with total employment in the region increasing from 399,900 to 405,600.
This record-breaking labour market performance reflects the continuing success of Ireland’s enterprise policy in sustaining and expending employment. To ensure that this momentum is maintained, my Department published the White Paper on Enterprise in December 2022, which sets out Government`s enterprise policy for the period through to 2030. The White Paper on Enterprise details how we will deliver on our ambition of a vibrant, resilient, regionally balanced and sustainable economy made up of a diversified mix of leading global companies, internationally competitive Irish enterprises and thriving local businesses. In particular, it seeks to ensure the continued creation of opportunities for rewarding jobs and livelihoods across Ireland.
Agencies under the auspices of my Department are playing a vital role in developing this attractive business environment and strong value proposition and provide a comprehensive range of supports for job creation and sustainable economic growth in County Kildare and across the country.
Enterprise Ireland offers financial support and grant aid to high-potential companies in Kildare that demonstrate the capacity for rapid growth and entry into export markets. This support is crucial for stimulating job creation and economic development in the region. There were 555 jobs created in Kildare in 2023 by 158 Enterprise Ireland assisted companies. Total employment within Enterprise Ireland assisted companies in the county was 9,436 in 2023, with employment growth for the year of 2%.
The Kildare Local Enterprise Office provides services directly to small businesses, promotes entrepreneurship and contributes to jobs growth within towns and communities across the county. Last year, LEO Kildare financially assisted 268 small businesses which helped them to support 1,309 jobs. LEO Kildare also provides assistance to small businesses to further develop and grow, through tailored training, development, and mentoring supports.
Over the last four years, Kildare County Council and LEO Kildare have led on a number of hub developments around County Kildare, supporting entrepreneurship, enterprise creation, innovation, decarbonisation, town centre renewal, digitalisation, and fostering strong entrepreneurial communities and local employment.
Ireland continues to be recognised as a highly attractive location for Foreign Direct Investment. However, Government does not take our success to date for granted. The Government is committed to ensuring the right polices are in place to facilitate the development of appropriate skills, infrastructure, and innovation to facilitate strong levels of FDI into the future, and My Department will continue to work closely with IDA Ireland to ensure a continuous flow of investment into Ireland.
Nationally, and despite a difficult global economic environment, total employment in IDA client companies in Ireland in 2023 was above 300,000 jobs for the second consecutive year. Job growth was recorded across all sectors. In total, 248 FDI investments were won by IDA in 2023, of which 83 were new name investments.
There are currently 45 IDA client companies in County Kildare, employing 11,909 people, with a total of 118 IDA client companies employing 20,429 people across the broader Mid-East region. Counties in the Mid-East also benefit hugely from the direct and indirect employment generated by IDA client companies located in Dublin. The Mid-East has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences and Biopharma, International Financial Services and Engineering and Industrial Technologies. It has also won significant investment in the Food and Film sub-sectors.
Significant agency announcements in County Kildare over last two years include:
• Keurig Dr Pepper, September 2024 (Manufacturing): Keurig Dr Pepper announced plans to invest €6.44 million in its beverage production hub in Newbridge.
• INIT, May 2024 (Services): INIT is a leading supplier of IT solutions for public transport and will expand its headcount by thirty in Maynooth, bringing the total number employed to 60.
• Intel Ireland, September 2023 (Manufacturing): Intel’s Fab 34 officially opened at their Leixlip campus. This expansion will lead to a doubling of Intel’s manufacturing space in Ireland, creating 1,600 Jobs in Leixlip.
• Diageo, July 2022 (Manufacturing): Diageo will open the first purpose-built carbon neutral brewery in €200 million investment resulting in fifty jobs in Newbridge.
• Keurig Dr Pepper, June 2022 (Manufacturing): Keurig Dr Pepper opened a new International Operations hub in Newbridge, creating 20 new jobs bringing to 100 the total number employed on site.
• MGS Manufacturing Group, April 2022: A global provider of healthcare manufacturing solutions, MGS committed to investing €7m to expand their plant located in Kildare Innovation Campus, creating 100 Jobs in Leixlip.
I am aware that it is essential that Irish enterprise has access to a pool of high quality, adaptable and flexible talent if this success is to be maintained into the future. To meet the high demand for skills across all sectors and to continue increasing participation in employment, there is close collaboration across Government, including with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, its agencies and my own Department, as well as between Government, industry, and the education and training system more broadly, in order to continue developing this highly skilled workforce.
My Department is also working closely with the Department of Social Protection in implementing Pathways to Work, and with it the labour market activation of the unemployed, groups under-represented in the workforce, and workers transitioning to more viable roles or sectors as our economy evolves.
Overall, I am confident that Government policies aimed at creating an attractive environment for both indigenous enterprise and foreign direct investment, fostering innovation and enhancing the availability of talent to employers through developing a highly skilled and inclusive workforce – supplemented by measures such as those announced in May 2024 and in Budget 2025 to help our small and medium sized enterprises maintain competitiveness in the context of increased costs – will continue to result in the robust creation of high-quality job opportunities across the country in the next five years and beyond, even in the context of ongoing technological change and international economic and geopolitical turbulence.
156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the countries he sees as the greatest competition for Ireland over the next five years in respect of the manufacturing and services sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43861/24]
View answerIreland currently holds a strong competitive position globally. The Institute for Management Development (IMD)’s World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024 ranks Ireland as the most competitive country in the euro area and the 4th most competitive economy. This performance is underpinned by several key factors, including a highly skilled workforce, strong economic growth, and success in attracting foreign direct investment in high-value sectors.
In particular, our competitiveness position is buoyed by our performance in terms of Government and Business Efficiency. The IMD point to our strong public finances, business legislation, alongside strong management practices and positive ‘attitudes and values’ as being significant factors behind Ireland being a great place to do business.
The most critical competitiveness deficit remains Ireland’s Infrastructure performance, in particular our performance under Basic Infrastructure where we rank at 38th (down from 29th in 2023). This includes management of water infrastructure, our energy infrastructure and relatively high electricity costs.
In terms of Ireland’s competitiveness challenges, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Commission recently published its annual report – Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2024 – and outlined the challenges to Ireland’s competitiveness and productivity over the medium term and the policy responses required to meet them. On foot of this report, the Taoiseach held a Competitiveness Summit on the 2nd of September with relevant Ministers and stakeholders to discuss the major competitiveness challenges facing Ireland and action necessary to address these. Responding to the Summit, and the challenges facing Ireland’s competitiveness, the Government has made a number of decisions aimed at enhancing our competitiveness performance including: continued progress on the delivery of infrastructure, Ireland’s involvement in Important Projects of Common European Interest, the reduction of regulatory burden, the sustainable utilisation of the National Training Fund, the need to promote competition in domestic markets, among others.
The issue of competitiveness has also received significant attention over the last year under the EU agenda. The recent Draghi report on ‘The Future of European Competitiveness’ echoes many of the concerns which Ireland has in terms of its own competitiveness position – particularly in relation to energy costs, infrastructure delivery and the need to encourage the scaling of innovative firms. These are areas which have dragged on our own competitiveness in Ireland, and often most pointedly through its impact on business. The report identifies increased competition from the USA and China in the years ahead as a risk to the EU’s (and therefore Ireland’s) competitiveness position. Ireland remains committed to open rules-based trade. Ultimately, Ireland’s competitiveness performance will depend upon policies implemented at the national and EU levels which promote strong innovation and productivity growth.
157. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he can encourage the return of Irish emigrants currently based abroad, with a view to meeting the workplace requirements in terms of extra staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43862/24]
View answerMy Department is working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and its Embassy network, as well as other Departments, to implement the Government’s Diaspora Strategy, Global Ireland – Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025, which was launched in late 2020. The effective coordination of the implementation of this strategy across Government will be carried out through the Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad, chaired by the Minister for the Diaspora, and Officials from my Department participate in this Committee. The Department of Foreign Affairs leads on the implementation of this strategy.
Global Ireland sets out a number of actions to strengthen our connections with diaspora communities and to harness the contribution from the diaspora to support our economy, including through promoting and facilitating the return of Irish emigrants.
The strategy recognises how returning emigrants bring with them skills and knowledge gained abroad that can help develop both the national and local economies. To support this, the Government also recognises the need to minimise the challenges faced by individuals and families returning to Ireland. The strategy commits to a number of actions to support the return of members of the diaspora.
These include monitoring barriers to return and adopting measures to remove them where possible; the negotiation of reciprocal agreements with countries that are home to significant Irish diaspora communities, such as double taxation and social security agreements; improvement of the provision of information on returning to Ireland and providing information for Irish citizens living overseas, including the dissemination of information on skills needs; and the expansion of mutual recognition and the portability of academic or professional qualifications earned overseas.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which vacancies remain to be filled throughout the various economic sectors; the extent to which particular causes have been identified as being central to the vacancy difficulty; the proposals to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43863/24]
View answerAccording to the CSO’s Earnings and Labour Costs survey, the job vacancy rate in Q2 2024, which measures job vacancies on the last working day of the quarter, was 1.1%, down from 1.3% recorded in Q2 2023. The job vacancy rate remained unchanged compared to the previous quarter when 1.1% was also recorded at the end of Q1 2024. There were 26,400 job vacancies at the end of Q2 2024, down by 2,000 from the end of Q2 2023.
The highest job vacancy rates in Q2 2024 were recorded in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities sector, and the Transportation and Storage sector, at 2.2% and 1.8%, respectively. The lowest job vacancy rate was recorded in the Accommodation and Food Services sector at 0.6%.
A tight labour market, at or near full employment, will give rise to a higher than average job vacancy rate. Government policies aimed at creating an attractive environment for both indigenous enterprise and foreign direct investment and enhancing the availability of talent to employers have resulted in record-breaking levels of job creation being achieved in the context of ongoing international economic and geopolitical turbulence, while initiatives such as Pathways to Work are helping to create a more inclusive labour market.
If this momentum is to be maintained, it will be essential that more people – particularly those in cohorts traditionally more distant from the labour market – are given the support they need to enter employment, ensuring in turn that Irish enterprise continues to have access to a pool of high-quality, adaptable and flexible talent.
To meet the demand for skills and to continue increasing participation in employment, there is close collaboration across Government, in particular between the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, its agencies and my own Department, as well as between Government, industry, and the education and training system more broadly, in order to continue building a highly skilled and inclusive workforce.
My Department operates the Government’s employment permits system which is highly responsive to areas of identified skills needs and labour shortages across the economy. The system is, by design, vacancy led and driven by the changing needs of the labour market. The employment permits system is managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit.
In December 2023, following extensive engagement with industry representatives and stakeholders on the nature and extent of skills shortages, my Department announced a major expansion to the employment permits system, with 43 changes to the jobs eligible for an employment permit. This included 11 roles added to the Critical Skills Occupations List and 32 roles made eligible for a General Employment Permit. A roadmap for increasing salary thresholds was also announced. Demand for employment permits in Ireland remains high, providing another valuable stream of skilled labour for the Irish economy, which will help to address vacancy rates.
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he foresees the availability of sufficient resources to ensure adequate investment and activity in the manufacturing and services sectors; the extent to which investment has fluctuated in each in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43864/24]
View answerMy Department continues to monitor challenges to the manufacturing and services sectors of the economy. Despite the economic challenges posed by the pandemic, the services and manufacturing sectors have proved resilient, along with the Irish economy at large.
With an unemployment rate of 4.3% in September, the Irish economy is operating at a level close to full employment. The risks to employment will depend on the risks to the economy, more broadly. Real GDP growth is projected to be -0.2% in 2024 and 3.9% in 2025, according to forecasts published by the Department of Finance as part of Budget 2025.
Manufacturing is a critically important sector of the Irish economy, with clusters of world class manufacturing operations in areas such as biopharmaceuticals, engineering, medical technology, building materials, and food production. The latest Labour Force Survey data shows that there are 341,900 people employed in the industry sector as of Q2 2024, a substantial increase over the 286,300 people employed in the sector in Q2 2019, just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the manufacturing sector specifically, the most recent data available demonstrates the sector added over €192 million in gross value in 2022, an increase of more than 70% from 2019, when the sector added €112 million in gross value. In addition, recent CSO data on industrial production and turnover in manufacturing industries shows growth for 2023 relative to 2019 (the pre pandemic baseline) of 64% and 43% respectively.
The services sector – the largest sector by employment in Ireland – employs over 2.1 million people as of Q2 2024. This is substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels, with just under 1.8 million people employed in Q2 2019. In the wholesale and retail trade, and the accommodation and food service sub-sectors, employment levels have increased from 298,900 and 182,600 people in Q2 2019, to 314,600 and 184,200 people in Q2 2024, respectively. Administrative and support service activities have also seen an increase in employment levels over the same period, rising from 109,800 people employed to 112,200.
Investment levels in the manufacturing sector increased in 2023 compared to 2022 but remained below the levels seen over 2019-2021. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) for the sector in 2023 was €38.2 billion (in constant prices). In the services sector, GFCF for administrative and support service activities increased from €13.7 billion in 2022 to €14.3 billion in 2023 (below the €18.7 billion recorded in 2019). However, for wholesale and retail trade, and accommodation and food services, GFCF has increased over the same period, from €1.7 billion and €0.47 billion in 2019, to €2.2 billion and €0.48 billion in 2023, respectively.
My Department will continue to monitor developments and risks in sectoral economic activity, while pursuing pro-enterprise and pro-competitive policies, guided by the White Paper on Enterprise. Published in December 2022, the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030, sets out Ireland’s industrial policy for the medium- to long-term, building on Ireland’s strengths of an open economy with strong trade and foreign direct investment, a vibrant innovation hub, and a resilient labour market. This review of Enterprise Policy was motivated by an awareness of a changing enterprise landscape posing new challenges, including shifting patterns of globalisation driven by geopolitical change, disruptive technological innovation, and lagging productivity in parts of the indigenous sector of the economy.
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the extent to which women continue to head up new enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43865/24]
View answerMy Department and its agencies are working continuously to address the under-representation of women across the enterprise sector. Increasing female participation in entrepreneurial activity acts as an important driver of economic growth, it increases the diversity and strength of our indigenous business sector and can strengthen social inclusion.
Enterprise Ireland has made significant strides in promoting female entrepreneurship, ensuring that women continue to play a pivotal role in heading up new enterprises. The agency’s commitment is evident through its comprehensive Women in Business Strategy, which aims to increase the number of women leaders and entrepreneurs in Ireland. This strategy is underpinned by a six-year action plan that includes targeted initiatives such as the Pre-Seed Start Fund and the Innovative HPSU Fund, which provide crucial financial support to early-stage companies and high-potential start-ups led by women. In 2023, 31% of the start-ups supported by Enterprise Ireland had a woman in the founding team, reflecting a growing trend of female leadership in new business ventures.
Moreover, Enterprise Ireland’s efforts extend beyond financial support. The agency actively fosters an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem through programmes like New Frontiers and Going for Growth, which offer mentorship, training, and networking opportunities specifically tailored for women entrepreneurs. These programmes are designed to equip women with the skills and confidence needed to scale their businesses and navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial journey.
The LEOs have a key role in fostering a strong enterprise culture and promoting entrepreneurial activity nationally, including promoting entrepreneurship amongst women through mentoring, training and development supports and supporting Women in Business Networks. Female entrepreneurs are continuing to show strong numbers within the LEO network for accessing training and mentoring. They outnumber their male colleagues when it comes to upskilling with double the number of females than males accessing training.
In 2018 Government launched Balance for Better Business (B4BB) as an independent business-led group to increase female representation in business leadership in Ireland. This initiative is supported through my Department, and focuses on improving gender balance in business, especially at senior levels, which is an important goal for both business and Government.
Considerable progress has been achieved in Ireland since Balance for Better Business was established in 2018. Having lagged the EU average for female representation on the boards and leadership teams of its largest listed companies when B4BB launched, Ireland now ranks 6th in the EU for female board representation and 3rd in the EU for leadership teams, well ahead of the EU average.
In May 2024, Balance for Better Business set out a new 5-year strategy and set of targets. These set the ambition for 40%+ female representation by 2028 on the boards and leadership teams of all company cohorts monitored by the initiative: listed companies, large Irish-owned private companies, and multinationals with a large presence in Ireland.
My Department and its agencies have a range of initiatives aimed at supporting women to start and scale businesses that provide quality jobs throughout the country. Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs provide financial incentives, mentorship programmes and collaborative initiatives to promote gender balance. Enterprise Ireland and the LEO’s are paving the way for a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial landscape in Ireland. This ongoing commitment not only empowers women but also contributes to the overall economic growth and innovation within the country.
161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the financial supports currently being made available to small businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43867/24]
View answerThe Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services direct to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country.
LEOs are the first stop shop for every business in the country and provide a signposting service for all government supports available to the SME sector and can provide information/referrals to other relevant bodies under agreed protocols.
Every day, LEOs help small businesses through training, mentoring, digital and green supports as well as providing priming, feasibility and expansion grants to manufacturing and internationally traded services businesses. LEOs all over the country will continue to help new businesses start up and promote a culture of entrepreneurship.
We have made a number of improvements to the digital, lean and green supports that are available through the LEOs to small businesses. We have opened up the eligibility criteria of schemes and programmes to ensure that support is made available to as many small businesses as possible.
Both the Energy Efficiency Grant and the Grow Digital Voucher have been made available to small businesses with up to 50 employees across all sectors and the eligible expenditure of each of these supports has been broadened to provide a greater variety of support to help small businesses to meet the challenges of the twin transition to decarbonise and digitalise.
The Energy Efficiency Grant can fund practical measures to help a business reduce their long-term energy costs including upgrading to LED lighting, replacing heat pumps, and upgrading refrigeration units, ovens and dishwashers and is worth up to €10,000.
The Grow Digital Voucher provides up to €5,000 in funding towards a wide variety of digital interventions that will support businesses on their digitalisation journey. Eligible expenditure under this scheme includes e-commerce software, e-invoicing software, cyber security software, as well as analytics software including Artificial Intelligence systems.
I also announced the Power Up Grant as part of Budget 2025 to assist businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors that continue to face higher costs, particularly in relation to energy. This grant builds on from the success of the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Scheme and is designed to provide a direct financial boost to our small and medium enterprises in the retail and hospitality sectors. ICOB has paid out over €244m to 75,000 SMEs, including 38,000 SMEs in the retail and hospitality sector. I would like to acknowledge the work of the Local Authorities in getting these important grants to business owners in their county.
The Power Up Grant has a budget of €170m which will ensure this is a significant and meaningful intervention for our SMEs. Eligible businesses will receive a grant of €4,000. As with ICOB, the Power Up grant will be administered on behalf of my Department by the Local Authorities.
In July last, I launched the National Enterprise Hub. This is a new all-of-Government service, funded through my Department and operated by Enterprise Ireland. It is staffed by expertly trained advisors and is focused on helping businesses access a range of government supports.
The NEH brings together information and resources on over 230 government supports from 23 different departments and state agencies which can be accessed through the new online hub, you can also contact the team and speak directly to an advisor by phone, email or via live chat.
To date, the National Enterprise Hub has attracted over 58,000 active users to its site and engaged with over 1200 companies. Currently the top supports requests include information on how become more sustainable and support on business expansion.
162. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the degree to which he continues to encourage and foster job opportunities throughout the regions with particular reference to the need to ensure an even spread of employment opportunities nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43868/24]
View answerRegional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority for Government; we are committed to creating jobs and maintaining full employment in all regions across the country as set out in the White Paper on Enterprise.
Performance targets in the White Paper include metrics related to unemployment, new FDI investments and new jobs created outside of Dublin.
Many of the leading target metrics for the White Paper continued to exhibit strong performance figures up to end June 2024, showcasing the White Paper’s focus on creating a more prosperous, inclusive and regionally balanced enterprise base.
At the end of June 2024, full employment was maintained nationally. The employment situation remains well-balanced regionally, with only one region, the South-East, exceeding the national unemployment level by more than one percentage point, as of end June 2024.
The Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) are an integral part of Ireland’s enterprise policy, aimed at driving economic growth and sustaining better standards of living throughout Ireland. These are bottom-up plans, developed by regional stakeholders that focus on undertaking collaborative initiatives that can help strengthen the regional enterprise ecosystem thereby realising enterprise growth and supporting job creation in each of the nine regions across Ireland.
A meeting of the National Oversight Group for the REPs, where implementation across all REPs will be discussed, is planned for Wednesday 6 November. I have decided, in consultation with key stakeholders in the REPs initiative, to extend the current plans for one year to the end of 2025 to allow for further implementation of current objectives and actions.
Up to €145 million has been secured for the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund, which will support projects aligned to the REPs. The Scheme will support the development of local enterprise infrastructure, innovation clusters, delivery of services to SMEs and early-stage feasibility and priming research. The Smart Regions Scheme builds on over €150 million in regional enterprise development funding allocated by my Department since 2017 through various Enterprise Ireland schemes and funds.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services direct to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. They are the first stop shop for all businesses regardless of sector with over 370,000 small businesses eligible for some type of support from the LEOs.
The LEOs’ Annual Employment Results show that the LEOs now have a portfolio of 7,167 small businesses that account for 38,726 jobs across the country. 82% of these jobs are provided by businesses outside of Dublin, which again reflects this Government’s ambitions for balanced regional development.
Enterprise Ireland’s commitment to regional development is evident in its ambitious targets and comprehensive support programmes. Its strategy has set a target of creating 45,000 new jobs by 2024, two-thirds of which will be created outside Dublin. This approach is designed to mitigate the concentration of economic activity in the capital and promote balanced regional growth. In 2023, 225,495 people were employed by Enterprise Ireland client companies across Ireland. This represents an increase of 5,011 net jobs gained in 2023. More than two thirds, 68% of new jobs, were created outside Dublin. This regional focus is crucial for fostering economic resilience and ensuring that growth benefits are distributed more evenly across the country.
IDA Ireland is central to supporting the growth and stability of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) businesses, and year on year it has created pathways for companies across the globe to invest in Ireland. Ireland continues to be recognised as a highly stable and attractive location for FDI. IDA has over 1,800 client companies within its portfolio employing 300,583 people at the end of 2023. 163,471 or 54% of client employment is outside Dublin.
Regional development is a priority for IDA Ireland, which is targeting that at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 will be in regional locations outside Dublin.
163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which adequate incentives remain available to encourage the indigenous sector with particular reference to job creation enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43869/24]
View answerMy Department’s White Paper on Enterprise to 2030 sets out an ambitious vision for Ireland’s enterprise policy to protect Ireland’s strong economic position. It provides for a sustainable, innovative and high-productivity economy, with rewarding jobs and livelihoods in the period ahead. My Department is fully committed to advancing the interests of SMEs in Ireland and the performance of our enterprise development agencies is key to our strategic objective of creating and maintaining high quality employment across all parts of our country.
Enterprise Ireland provides funding and other supports with the objective of increasing the potential employment and sales growth of businesses, supporting regional development, increasing the productivity and innovation in indigenous businesses, and increasing exports. Enterprise Ireland’s results for 2023 show the progress that it has made in supporting and driving the creation of new enterprises in the indigenous sector at a national and regional level. Employment in client companies of Enterprise Ireland increased to a total of 225,495 in 2023, the highest ever recorded. The total number of jobs created was 15,530. When job losses are considered, there was a positive net jobs result of 5,011 in a very challenging year for businesses.
Regional development is a key priority for this Government, and it is important that the value of collaboration and the work of the development agencies, which has yielded strong jobs results in recent years, is complemented by a bottom-up approach in providing critical business supports and advice. 68% of new jobs created in 2023 in companies supported by Enterprise Ireland were located outside the Dublin region. Eight out of nine regions recorded net jobs growth, with the West region (+5%), the North-East region (+5%) and the North-West region (+4%) performing particularly strongly.
The 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) play an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services to small businesses and promoting entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. They are the first stop shop for all businesses regardless of sector with over 370,000 small businesses eligible for some type of support from the LEOs.
The results of the 2023 Annual Employment Survey were extremely positive with LEO client companies creating 6,640 new jobs, which represents a 10th consecutive year of jobs growth since the LEOs were established in 2014 and indicated a net job increase in each of the 31 Local Authority areas. The figures show that the LEOs now have a portfolio of 7,167 small businesses that account for 38,726 jobs across the country. 82% of these jobs are provided by businesses outside of Dublin, which again reflects this Government’s ambitions for balanced regional development
Further to this, the National Enterprise Hub, which launched on 10th July last, brings together information and resources on over 230 government supports from 23 different Departments and state agencies which can be accessed through the new online hub or by speaking directly to an advisor by phone, email or via live chat.
164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to indicate the extent to which an industrial park for Kilcock, County Kildare continues to be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43881/24]
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. To this end, 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.
Accordingly, the provision of property solutions is a key element in IDA’s marketing of all regions, including the Mid-East Region. IDA actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA’s portfolio along with high-quality buildings available in private ownership through its network of overseas offices. In this regard, I should note that the Mid-East Region comprises of counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow and there are 118 IDA client companies in this region, employing 20,429 people.
In relation to IDA property and industrial parks, the ongoing replenishment of stock is essential to ensure the IDA portfolio remains fit for purpose and demonstrates longevity. As client requirements evolve, there is a necessity for the IDA to have serviceable site solutions available to support the investment plans of IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Office clients. IDA Ireland continues to maintain a focus on land banks and strategic sites to future proof the ability of the property portfolio to support the project pipeline, and on that basis actively pursues acquisition opportunities in County Kildare, and nationally, through engagement with local authorities, consultants, agents, utility providers and other regional stakeholders.
On that basis, in 2019, IDA acquired a significant landbank of c. 87 ha at Littleconnell, Newbridge Co. Kildare. In July 2024, the sod was turned on a new €200m brewery on part of these lands by Diageo, demonstrating the importance of such site solutions. In addition, the IDA acquired a further 9.3 ha site at Walshtown, Newbridge, Co. Kildare in 2023 to future proof the portfolio in this region. However, there are no land acquisition opportunities being pursued by IDA Ireland in Kilcock at present.
The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with employment among IDA clients increasing by 14%. 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 the region include Intel, Takeda, PCI, Wuxi Biologics, Servier, Elavon, Merck, Becton Dickinson, Cargotec, Kaseya, Prometric, ABB, Paypal and Vesta. Counties in the Mid-East also benefit hugely from the direct and indirect employment generated by IDA client companies located in Dublin.
165. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 17 October 2024, if she will provide a breakdown, on a local authority, basis of the overall totals provided, in tabular form. [43592/24]
View answerSince 2020, my Department has invested over €5 billion in schools across the country, completing over 950 school building projects. Additionally, construction is currently underway on approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These ongoing projects represent a total State investment of over €1.5 billion.
Table below outlines the distribution of capital expenditure which has issued to schools. In addition this table provides a breakdown of school Building Projects completed, in construction and at advanced stage of planning & design within Local Authorities
|
Local Authority |
Capital Expenditure (€m) |
No. of Projects Completed |
No. of Projects in Construction |
No. of Projects at Design & Planning |
|
Carlow County Council |
40.5 |
13 |
6 |
6 |
|
Cavan County Council |
75.3 |
16 |
9 |
7 |
|
Clare County Council |
99.2 |
15 |
7 |
9 |
|
Cork City Council |
79.8 |
21 |
8 |
6 |
|
Cork County Council |
559.9 |
102 |
22 |
25 |
|
Donegal County Council |
159.2 |
39 |
19 |
11 |
|
Dublin City Council |
390.2 |
85 |
27 |
23 |
|
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council |
201.3 |
26 |
7 |
15 |
|
Fingal County Council |
363.3 |
46 |
14 |
17 |
|
Galway City Council |
37.8 |
11 |
4 |
1 |
|
Galway County Council |
137.2 |
39 |
15 |
20 |
|
Kerry County Council |
116.8 |
37 |
11 |
15 |
|
Kildare County Council |
318.5 |
35 |
16 |
16 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
121.9 |
33 |
12 |
14 |
|
Laois County Council |
98.4 |
21 |
11 |
7 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
16.6 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
250.5 |
38 |
12 |
16 |
|
Longford County Council |
35.9 |
15 |
5 |
3 |
|
Louth County Council |
88.9 |
23 |
12 |
6 |
|
Mayo County Council |
128.2 |
41 |
11 |
12 |
|
Meath County Council |
331.7 |
52 |
18 |
23 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
67.3 |
15 |
11 |
6 |
|
Offaly County Council |
59.1 |
24 |
5 |
10 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
50.2 |
16 |
6 |
9 |
|
Sligo County Council |
33.0 |
14 |
3 |
4 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
312.9 |
43 |
26 |
13 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
141.3 |
49 |
13 |
10 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
109.4 |
20 |
4 |
11 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
117.1 |
22 |
6 |
8 |
|
Wexford County Council |
132.3 |
40 |
20 |
8 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
147.4 |
30 |
8 |
19 |
|
Total |
€4.8bn |
985 |
349 |
355 |
166. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will address the concerns of a school (details supplied) regarding the lack of DEIS status despite significant indicators of social disadvantage; if she will consider revising the DEIS criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43596/24]
View answerMy department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential.
Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.
In March 2022, I was pleased to announce the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. This means 1 in 4 of all students are now supported in the programme. This recent expansion added an additional €32million to the department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall allocation for the programme to €180million.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school's enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.
A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/publication/a3c9e-extension-of-deis-to-further-schools/#how-schools-were-selected-for-inclusion-in-deis
It is possible for two neighbouring schools to have a different profile in terms of proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the relative weighting of disadvantage apportioned in each. The designation of neighbouring schools to different DEIS bands does not mean that there is no educational disadvantage present in one school, but that the concentrated level of educational disadvantage of the two schools is different.
The extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one component of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I also recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Since June 2020, I have secured funding to provide measures to support children in this regard. As part of Budget 2023 I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education system. I have also further improved the staffing schedule for all primary schools to 23:1, the lowest it has ever been.
The DEIS Plan is based on the premise that in order to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of educational disadvantage, then extra resources need to be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need.
This will involve further development of the existing DEIS programme, to create a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective data.
To support this work, I invited the OECD Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies Project to review the current policy approach for the allocation of resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage in Ireland. In July this year I welcomed the publication by the OECD Education for Inclusive Societies project of the ‘Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland’.
This review provides an independent expert opinion on the current resource allocation model for the DEIS programme and, drawing on international examples, informs a policy approach for an equitable distribution of supplementary resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage attending all schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS.
The review finds that Ireland has an education system that consistently outperforms many other OECD countries but also exhibits relative socioeconomic fairness, making it one of the stronger performers globally.
It also recognises the positive impact of resources provided universally to all schools, as well as the additional resources provided to schools in the DEIS programme, in addressing educational disadvantage. The review also highlights continued improvements over the past decade in retention and attainment levels between children and young people in DEIS and non-DEIS schools.The review also highlights that, despite continued improvements over the past decade, important differences in outcomes persist between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and for children and young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and Travellers and Roma. This review sets a number of recommendations for future policy, to bridge those gaps, improve equity and ensure every child and young person at risk of educational disadvantage is supported to achieve their potential in education.
Over the coming months officials in my department will work with other government departments and agencies, the education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop tangible actions informed by the recommendations set out in the report.
These actions will aim to build on the success of the DEIS programme through the development of a dynamic resource allocation model that can respond to changing levels of need and ensure that all children and young people in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools are supported to achieve in education.
167. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will address the concerns of a school (details supplied) regarding the lack of DEIS status, despite significant indicators of social disadvantage; if she will consider revising the DEIS criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43597/24]
View answerMy department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential.
Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.
In March 2022, I was pleased to announce the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. This means 1 in 4 of all students are now supported in the programme. This recent expansion added an additional €32million to the department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall allocation for the programme to €180million.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school's enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.
A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/a3c9e-extension-of-deis-to-further-schools/#how-schools-were-selected-for-inclusion-in-deis
It is possible for two neighbouring schools to have a different profile in terms of proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the relative weighting of disadvantage apportioned in each. The designation of neighbouring schools to different DEIS bands does not mean that there is no educational disadvantage present in one school, but that the concentrated level of educational disadvantage of the two schools is different.
The extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one component of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I also recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Since June 2020, I have secured funding to provide measures to support children in this regard. As part of Budget 2023 I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education system. I have also further improved the staffing schedule for all primary schools to 23:1, the lowest it has ever been.
The DEIS Plan is based on the premise that in order to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of educational disadvantage, then extra resources need to be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need.
This will involve further development of the existing DEIS programme, to create a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective data.
To support this work, I invited the OECD Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies Project to review the current policy approach for the allocation of resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage in Ireland. In July this year I welcomed the publication by the OECD Education for Inclusive Societies project of the ‘Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland’.
This review provides an independent expert opinion on the current resource allocation model for the DEIS programme and, drawing on international examples, informs a policy approach for an equitable distribution of supplementary resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage attending all schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS.
The review finds that Ireland has an education system that consistently outperforms many other OECD countries but also exhibits relative socioeconomic fairness, making it one of the stronger performers globally.
It also recognises the positive impact of resources provided universally to all schools, as well as the additional resources provided to schools in the DEIS programme, in addressing educational disadvantage. The review also highlights continued improvements over the past decade in retention and attainment levels between children and young people in DEIS and non-DEIS schools.The review also highlights that, despite continued improvements over the past decade, important differences in outcomes persist between DEIS and non-DEIS schools and for children and young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and Travellers and Roma. This review sets a number of recommendations for future policy, to bridge those gaps, improve equity and ensure every child and young person at risk of educational disadvantage is supported to achieve their potential in education.
Over the coming months officials in my department will work with other government departments and agencies, the education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop tangible actions informed by the recommendations set out in the report.
These actions will aim to build on the success of the DEIS programme through the development of a dynamic resource allocation model that can respond to changing levels of need and ensure that all children and young people in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools are supported to achieve in education.
168. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that a school (details supplied) is no longer going to receive financial backing from the Central Remedial Clinic; if she will provide a guarantee that her Department will provide funding to this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43608/24]
View answerThe Department along with the Government is committed to supporting the provision of appropriate education to children with disabilities. Budget 2025 provides for a record level of investment in special education with €2.9 billion of my Department’s overall budget allocated for special education. This is a 6% of €159 million increase on the 2024 provision.
School funding is provided by way of capitation which is intended to contribute to the day-to-day running costs of schools and is used to meet the cost of items such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general upkeep in schools. The current standard rate of capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools. However, enhanced capitation rates are payable in respect of pupils attending special schools and special classes attached to mainstream schools. These enhanced rates are to assist with the extra costs associated with running classrooms with a small number of pupils receiving specialist provision. Enhanced rates of capitation for special educational needs are inclusive of the mainstream rate of €200, are based on the pupil’s additional needs, and vary from €512 to €986 per pupil, as per Circular 0056/2024. Scoil Mochua received a total of €67,519 in capitation funding for the 2023/2024 school year. A mainstream school with similar enrolments would receive €13,773.
In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost-of-living supports will issue in 2024, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This additional funding announced in Budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 over €30 million was secured as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of Capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools. Enhanced rates will also increase.
The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by the department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children with more complex learning needs who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment. In total €41,150 has been provided to the school for assistive technology over the previous three-year period.
A school can also apply for specialised furniture or equipment for pupils with special educational needs who are enrolled in the school. This includes furniture for a particular child's postural and toileting needs which assists the students in managing their day to day needs and facilitates their access to the curriculum.
School staff such as teachers and special needs assistants are paid directly by the Department of Education, and ancillary staff are paid either directly by the Department or through a specific grant paid to school. The Department funds 11 teaching posts and 36.5 SNA posts in the school. For this school year 2024/2025 the school was allocated a new Administrative Deputy Principal and an additional 9 post-primary teaching hours per week. The school also have an additional 15 part-time specialist teaching hours.
Special rates for electricity and heating have been negotiated for schools. There is support available in relation to accessing a group insurance scheme for special schools by liaising with the relevant management body – the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE).
Scoil Mochua will continue to receive enhanced levels of support from the Department in line with other special schools providing for the equivalent level of special educational needs. The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU) can also offer support and advice to school boards of management in relation to school accounts and funding generally.
169. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if funding is available to secure a new playground development (details supplied) to prevent damage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43611/24]
View answerInsofar as existing schools are concerned the main funding pathways for external environment projects such as the one referenced by the Deputy are via either the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) or the Summer Works Scheme (SWS).
Firstly in respect of the SWS, as the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical, electrical works and external works which could include the upgrade of play areas. The SWS was last opened for applications in 2019.
My Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings. It is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes targets around the decarbonisation of Ireland’s public buildings.
As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works programme and the opportunities this may create to support the sustainability agenda. In this regard, it is envisaged at this stage that, a Multi-Annual SWS with a focus on climate action and energy conservation will be the focus for the next summer works scheme to be opened for applications. The arrangements and timing of that SWS is still under consideration and schools will be updated in due course.
There is also an option for the school in question to submit a new application to the EWS to address the issue outlined in this query.
However, it should be noted that the main purpose of the EWS is solely to address emergencies which are sudden, unforeseen and, if not corrected, would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. Schools also receive a minor works grant from my Department and the option is also open to the school to use such funding to progress fencing works such as those referenced by the Deputy.
170. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Education if there is funding available to a person (details supplied) to provide financial assistance with paying the fees for a transition year course for her son. [43617/24]
View answerTransition Year is a valuable programme for students that offers opportunities for life skills, personal, social and academic development and experience of adult and working life. Transition Year has a unique and important value in the life of students.
The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year programme in that school. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme, within set guidelines, to suit the needs and interests of its students. In establishing its own distinctive programme content, the school takes into account the possibilities offered by local community interests.
There is no specific funding source for schools aimed at a student's participation in a specific programme at Transition Year. A Transition Year grant is paid on a per capita basis, at a rate of €95 per annum per student.
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has advised my Department that Sport Ireland is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels, and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland channels funding through the relevant National Governing Body of sport. Funding for football is allocated to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). It has also advised that students are recommended to engage with the FAI to discuss their individual needs and how they may be supported by the governing body.
171. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the current situation regarding an application for the provision of a special class at a primary school in County Cork (details supplied). [43660/24]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. As your query refers to an individual school, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents on their options and the supports available.
Over 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in recent years, in this time 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.
563 of these classes are in County Cork, 66 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 43 at primary level and 23 at post-primary level.
Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide and it is estimated that a similar level of provision will be needed each year for the next 3 years.
The NCSE have recruited additional special education needs organisers (SENOs), advisors and team managers. The total number of SENOs has increased from 65 to 120. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas. The are now 19 SENOs operating in County Cork. These SENOs are currently visiting schools to conduct planning meetings. The NCSE plan to conduct up to 800 of these visits nationwide by the end of this month. These visits will be key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year.
My department and the NCSE are engaging with schools and school management bodies in relation to the provision of future special classes and are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.
172. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education for an update on an extension to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43673/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that an Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) application was received from the school in question.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.
In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. This is in line with public spending requirements.
The Department’s Planning and Building Unit is therefore carefully analysing the medium to longer-term requirements for additional accommodation taking account of enrolment projections and the need to make optimum use of existing capacity in schools in the area.
Our main focus is on the most critical needs for the next school year. In the context of making most effective use of our capital allocation, and mindful of climate action goals, we are working to make sure that all school accommodation capacity is being maximised. We are looking at how each individual school’s accommodation can be best utilised and at capacity across schools in each school planning area.
I can confirm that an official from the department made contact with the school during the summer months in relation to providing additional supporting documentation. This documentation was subsequently received, and the official sought further clarification from the school in relation to their application. The clarification was received from the school and this is now being considered as part of the assessment process.
I can assure the Deputy that we are working to get a decision communicated to the school as soon as possible.
173. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education to provide any detail available on the recent announcement concerning the intention to establish a new special school in County Tipperary; if it will be a new build or the upgrading of an existing one; the capacity needs upon which this decision is being taken; the anticipated capacity of such a school; the location or area of Tipperary it is earmarked for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43684/24]
View answer176. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the amount of funding provided in Budget 2025 towards the provision of a special school in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43687/24]
View answer177. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, the location proposed for the school; the date of opening; the number of children that will be facilitated in the school upon opening; the numbers of staff and each staff role that will be provided at the school upon opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43688/24]
View answer178. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, the criteria that will be applied for successful applicants; if she can assure that the school will accept applications relating to all children with profound special needs including those with autism and those without autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43689/24]
View answer179. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the process that determined Monaghan would be allocated a special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43690/24]
View answer180. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, if the school will be housed in permanent buildings upon opening or if it will be based in temporary units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43691/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 173, 176, 177, 178, 179 and 180 together.
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
Over 1,700 new special classes and 11 special schools have been provided in recent years. For this school year alone, over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned with classes provided in every county, and four new special schools have been established.
There has been a strong emphasis on forward planning, and just last week Minster Foley and I announced that another five special schools will be established for the next school year 2025/26 in counties Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary. The exact location, size of the schools and other details are currently being worked through.
These schools will provide for children and young people with complex special education needs up to 18 years of age. They are being sanctioned as early as possible as part of advanced forward planning for the next school year to ensure that appropriate placements are available where needed to meet the needs of students with special educational needs.
The announcement of these schools is a significant step forward. I know there has been a strong demand in Monaghan in particular for the county’s first special school. Part of the forward planning process looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision making process. In addition, information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics and other statistical data also forms part of the process. NCSE knowledge of the need for special school places at local level is a key element also.
The early announcement of the new schools is an important milestone because it allows more time for the planning of school admissions, recruitment of staff, staff training and completion of necessary building works.
It is envisaged that existing buildings will be repurposed to facilitate the opening of the new special schools for the 2025/26 school year. Further details such as the precise location of the new schools in each county will be confirmed in due course as part of the finalisation of arrangements for the opening of the new special schools.
Dedicated working groups will be established to support the establishment of each of the new special schools.
