COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, July 10, 2017
QUESTION NO. 13
QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm contacts he has had with government agencies to encourage the creation of new employment opportunities and will he present a report in that regard.
REPLY:
The South Dublin Local Economic and Community Plan 2016 – 2021 includes a series of economic objectives each of which identifies target actions and the key stakeholders involved. These actions are aimed at putting the appropriate infrastructure, enterprise and employment supports in place to improve the level and quality of economic activity in the County. An update on progress on the economic elements of the LECP was presented to the May 2017 Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism SPC Meeting.
Our Local Enterprise Office (LEO) provides financial grants, mentoring, training and other supports to assist new and developing micro-enterprises with job creation and sustainment in the County. To date in 2017, LEO South Dublin has approved funding of €421,839 for 19 projects creating 33.5 new jobs immediately and with the potential to create a total of 148 new jobs. There have also been over 500 training participants (including our Business Support Fund training programme in conjunction with South Dublin Chamber) and 196 mentoring sessions/assignments so far this year. These supports will continue throughout 2017 to ensure new and existing local microenterprises are assisted in developing their businesses and sustaining/creating local employment.
LEO is also working with relevant local agencies including South Dublin Chamber, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Synergy, Partas, South Dublin County Partnership, Enterprise Ireland and others to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the actions which can impact on job creation in the County.
The Council's 2017 Budget provided for the continuation of the Business Support Funds through a range of supports specifically aimed at at increasing occupancy and activity in industrial areas to increase economic activity and support additional local employment. In 2016/2017 approvals under the Business Support Fund are as follows:
- 10 Microenterprise Development Fund projects worth up to 750,000;
- Business Support Grants worth more than €400k paid directly to 1,200 local SMEs in 2016;
- 24 Individual Unit Support applications totalling €€120,000;
- 6 Microenterprise Start-up Rates Supports with a value of more than €50,000;
- 2 Area Improvement Schemes completed in Cookstown & Old Belgard Road in 2016 with a combined value of over €120,000 and a further 5 applications being progressed in Cloverhill, Cherry Orchard, Avonbeg, Merrywell & Greenhills Industrial Estates with total potential works estimated at more than €300,000.
The Council has also adopted the Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy 2017-2019 along with the other Dublin Local Authorities and this identifies opportunities to maximise the promotion and development of enterprise across the Dublin region. The February 2017 Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism SPC Meetings approved a detailed local implementation plan for the Strategy with specific emphasis on initiatives for job creation, enterprise opportunities and skills requirements in South Dublin in partnership with various regional partners and state agencies.
The Council is also a key partner in the Dublin Action Plan for Jobs 2016-2018 which aims to realise the full jobs potential of the Dublin region by stimulating enterprise and growth using the collaborative strengths of the region. We are working with various national, regional and local partners to ensure that this impacts on our County. The 3rd meeting of the Implementation Committee for the DAPJ 2016-2018 was held on Tuesday 27th June in Dublin City Council and detailed the progress on work on the various cross-agency initiatives and commitments contained in the Action Plan.