COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, November 26, 2018

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the Chief Executive to bring members up to date on his continued efforts to improve the image of Cookstown Industrial Estate; will he appreciate the potential of the area in respect of the job creation needs of Tallaght; will he give assurances and will he make a statement?"

REPLY:

"Cookstown Industrial Estate has been the focus of significant attention from the Economic, Enterprise & Tourism Development Department in recent years with a number of local initiatives aimed at improving the condition, investment and employment potential of the area which have been progressed under the Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy and the Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs.

Under the Business Support Fund, two significant area improvement works schemes were undertaken with footpath, landscaping, kerbing, fencing and accessibility works carried out at Cookstown Enterprise Centre and at Old Belgard Road/Cookstown Road, with a further potential project being explored and progressed for Fourth Avenue.

Grants have also been approved under the Business Support Fund for the re-development of vacant units for occupancy by microenterprises in Cookstown along with several additional grants for external sigange and improvement works to individual units.  These supports remain available to owners/occupiers wishing to upgrade or redevelop units in the area.

The Council Budget has provided for the continuation of the Business Support Funds. This includes the Microenterprise/Start-up Support which encourages new micro enterprise a graduated “rates holiday” for up to two years. It also provides supports for Industrial Area Improvements Schemes, Individual Unit Supports and a Microenterprise Development Fund aims at the refurbishment of industrial areas and increasing the occucpany rates in those areas. It is intended that another attempt to futher encourage business owners in the Cookstown Industrial Estate to avail of the supports on offer will be made in early 2019.

The importance of continued employment creation in Tallaght as the County town is a key objective of the Council and this is supported by a range of actions and objectives:

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 Tallaght and across the County.

The 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. The full range of Local Enterprise Office services are available to businesses in Tallaght and across the County to support both job creation and business development and these include financial assistance, export supports, trading online vouchers, training, mentoring and other advisory services along with the while the Sustainable Business Programme in partnership with South Dublin Chamber which offers assistance and advice to businesses.

LEO is also working with relevant local agencies including South Dublin Chamber, Institute of Technology Tallaght, South Dublin County Partnership, Enterprise Ireland, Partas and others to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the actions which can impact on job creation in Tallaght and across the County."