Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his strategy in relation to IT, IT development here, and job creation in the IT sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34565/12]

Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the value of the IT sector in Ireland; the number of jobs created in this area; if he will provide a breakdown by county in relation to value and jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34566/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together.

Ireland remains a very successful centre for ICT operations with almost 97,000 people employed in ICT firms in Ireland. Of these, almost 74,000 are employed in ICT companies that are clients of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás na Gaeltachta. These client companies exported goods and services to the value of almost €50 billion in 2010, representing 30% of national exports. The tabular statement, which is taken from the most recent Forfás Employment Survey, provides a breakdown of these jobs on a county basis. It is important to note that these figures, which are the only ones I have available on a county basis, relate only to agency-supported companies. Naturally other ICT companies and jobs may be located in these counties.

While the ICT sector was adversely affected by a number of high profile companies downsizing in the area of PC manufacturing over the past decade, the sector that we have today in Ireland is one based on advanced manufacturing in areas such as microelectronics, semiconductors and telecommunications equipment and devices. Indeed, ten of the top ICT companies in the world have substantial operations here.

The Government's Action Plan for Jobs has identified the ICT sector as having potential for further significant growth in job creation. The Action Plan acknowledges that, for Ireland to achieve its potential, its labour force must be appropriately skilled and our education system must remain responsive to the needs of the ICT sector as a whole. It calls for action to address the range of high level ICT skills recruitment difficulties identified in 2011 by Forfás through the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills. The findings of this study and the resulting action plans are documented in the Joint Government-Industry ICT Action Plan, which the Minister for Education and Skills and I launched in January this year. The Plan outlines a range of short, medium and long term measures to develop a sustainable domestic supply of high quality ICT graduates to support the further expansion and development of the ICT sector and support innovation and growth across other sectors of the economy.As part of the Plan, 750 places have been made available on new Higher Diploma Level 8 Conversion ICT Programmes which began rolling out in higher education institutions across the country from last March. Access is free of charge to participants who will obtain a level 8 Higher Diploma. Graduates of these programmes will be available for recruitment in early 2013. In addition, 530 people with a qualification at level 8 or Masters level in ICT are now due to graduate from the first phase of Springboard. A further 2,200 places on ICT programmes from certificate to Masters degree level are now open for applications as part of Springboard 2012.

The Action Plan for Jobs identifies a number of other challenges that must be addressed in order for Ireland to realise the potential for future growth in the ICT sector:

· Maintaining cost competitiveness in the midst of intensifying competition globally, especially in manufacturing, vis-À-vis low cost economies where more mature sectoral activities continue to be outsourced.

· The need to ensure ongoing availability of competitively priced high speed broadband networks.

· The limited scope for software SME's to engage in public procurement initiatives from which strong reference clients and partnerships can emerge.

· Supporting and fostering digital innovations and the emergence of digital start up companies.

The Action Plan identifies a range of actions to be taken in 2012 by my Department and its agencies; the Department of Education and Skills and its agencies; the Department of An Taoiseach; and, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to address these challenges. Implementation of these actions is ongoing and is being monitored on a quarterly basis.

Jobs by County in ICT Companies supported by IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development and Údarás Na Gaeltachta