Minister Micheál Martin welcomes Estimates that promote employment growth and protect employment rights

€289 million spending on Science and Technology Programme in 2007

Funding for Science, Technology and Innovation programmes Department’s Estimate for 2007 will amount to €289.7 million. This represents a €31 million (12%) increase on the 2006 allocation.

Commenting on the increase, Minister Martin said “The increased funding reflects the Government’s commitment to the research and development agenda, as outlined in the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation 2006-2013 which was launched in June.”

“The Strategy will see Ireland secure its position as one of the most advanced knowledge economies in the world and become renowned for the excellence of its research. It will put the benefits and opportunities of science, technology and innovation at the heart of Irish economic and social development, grow our enterprise sector in a sustainable manner, and facilitate social advancement.”

“Since 1997, we have put in place the agencies, programmes and funding required to ensure that Ireland achieves and sustains excellence in research,” Minister Martin said. "By advancing Ireland's knowledge economy we will deliver world class people and enterprises with the drive and resources to succeed in a tough global environment.”

€11m extra for Enterprise Agencies

The enterprise development agencies will continue to provide a range of grants to companies to promote the growth of indigenous industry and encourage inward investment.

The Minister said “IDA Ireland’s grants to industry programme will increase by €11 million (13%) in 2007, reinforcing the excellent progress which has been made in 2006 in attracting new investors to Ireland.

“In addition to the funding Enterprise Ireland will receive under the Science Strategy, that agency’s 2007 allocation for its more traditional grants to industry is broadly in line with the estimate the 2006, at €57.2 million (including National Training Fund support for in-company training).”

Both IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland will also use own resource income to complement the Exchequer allocations for their grant-funded activities.

The Minister added: “The City and County Enterprise Boards also play an important role in supporting start-up enterprises. In this context, they have a key role to play in supporting the recommendations in the Report of the Small Business Forum. Funding for the Enterprise Boards will increase by 5% in 2007, to €31.8 million. I will also be exploring ways of re-directing additional funding to the Enterprise Boards specifically to address recommendations in the Report of the Small Business Forum

€5 million for new initiatives to help Small Business

€5 million will be invested in 3 new initiatives for the small business sector .The new initiatives are :

Innovation Vouchers scheme

ICT Audits programme

The Minister said “As I indicated at the launch of the Small Business Forum I am committed to the implementation of the recommendations to the maximum extent possible.

€392.4 Million for the National Training Fund

Further underpinning the drive towards a knowledge economy, expenditure from the National Training Fund in 2007 will amount to €392.4 million, an increase of €36.8 million (10%) on the 2006 Estimate.

Minister Martin said: “To achieve the vision of a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy we need also to place a strong focus on the training and up-skilling of our workforce. The increase in allocations from the National Training Fund for 2007 reflects my Department’s commitment to the promotion of lifelong learning as a means of underpinning the development of a knowledge-based economy. It also supports recommendations on up-skilling made in the Enterprise Strategy Group report.”

An emphasis will continue to be placed on supporting in-company training by providing additional funding to Skillnets and FAS’s One Step Up programme. Skillnets’ Training Networks Programme will receive an additional €7.2 million in 2007, an increase of 59% on 2006.

€15 million increase for Apprenticeship Programmes

The Minister also announced a €15 million increase from the National Training Fund to meet demand in the Apprenticeship programme. The Minister said, “Since 2002, Apprenticeship registrations have risen by 20%. The increased allocation of €15 million from the National Training Fund in 2007 will alleviate existing pressures and allow entry waiting times to FAS apprenticeship courses to be reduced significantly.”

Combined with a 7% increase in Exchequer funding for FAS’s Training and Integration Supports, a total of €476.3 million will be available in 2007 for upskilling people in, and for, employment.

€386 million for Long Term Unemployed Programmes.

In addition, the Exchequer will make a contribution of just under €386 million to FAS Employment Programmes aimed primarily at long-term unemployed people and other marginalised groups.

People with Disabilities

FAS’s funding for Training and Integration Supports includes an allocation of €72 million for programmes designed to enhance the employment of people with disabilities (up 6% from €67.7 million in 2006). The allocation includes €10.5 million for the Wage Subsidy Scheme which was launched in 2005.

The Minister said: “Achieving higher levels of employment for people with disabilities has been a key objective of my Department and of FAS for a number of years. I am pleased that we have been able to secure additional funding to continue to promote the employment of people with disabilities next year.”

“In addition to the funding provided to FAS to deliver programmes for people with disabilities, my Department and its agencies will spend a further €11.6 million in directly employing people with disabilities and in making their premises and services more accessible in accordance with the Disability Act. This will bring the total budget for disability services in my Department’s Estimate to €83.6 million, compared to €78.8 million in 2006.”

Workplace Basic Education Fund.

This Fund, which is aimed at improving literacy and numeracy skills in the workplace, is being increased by just over €1 million from the National Training Fund, to €3.046 million.

15% increase for Consumer Agency

Minister Martin also announced a further increase in funding for consumer advocacy and protection in 2007, with a €1.1 million (15%) expansion in funding for the National Consumer Agency. This is a 147% increase since 2004 when the allocation was €3.4million.

“The allocation for consumer issues in 2007 will amount to just under €8.4 million,” the Minister said. “This additional funding will allow the new Consumer Agency to continue to establish itself as a forceful advocate for the consumer and to ensure that the consumer's voice is heard.”  

The Agency will have additional powers and will focus in areas such as advocacy, research, enforcement, education and awareness.

Over 70% increase in Employment Rights Funding

An additional sum of €11.2 million is being made available in 2007 to support employment rights. The Minister said, “The establishment of the Office of the Director for Employment Rights Compliance is a key part of the new Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016. The 2007 Estimate provision will provide for a trebling of the number of Labour Inspectors under this Office to 90 by the end of 2007 and for associated legal, accounting and administrative support.”

“This is just one part of a major package of employment rights measures in my Department’s Estimate for 2007. The package also includes additional staff and funding for the Labour Court, the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Rights Commissioners Service in the Labour Relations Commission”.

The Minister added, “The new Employment Rights compliance model will inform people of their entitlements and provide simpler redress systems, coupled with stronger enforcement and increased penalties for non-compliance. The significant increase in funding in this area in 2007 demonstrates the Government’s determination to protect the rights of workers”.

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