Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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313. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of visits to County Kerry by prospective Industrial Development Agency companies to date in 2014; the details of these visits; his views on this level of visitation; the action he will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32350/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by IDA Ireland that to date in 2014 there has been 1 IDA sponsored site visit by potential investors to County Kerry.

There are many complex factors influencing investor location decision-making such as the increasing preference of investors globally for cities of scale with 1 million plus population, significant challenges from lower cost locations in the UK and Eastern Europe and attractive regional aid.

At the end of2013 there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry employing 1,638people. IDA Ireland has strong relationships with all these companies and works closely with them to ensure their long term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing re-investment in their sites. The primary opportunity for regional locations is in respect of the existing client base and potential further investment opportunities from same. Approximately 70% of all FDI investments won by IDA Ireland are from the existing client base. IDA Ireland works closely with third level educational institutions in the region so that the skill-sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the Region are being developed.

When marketing Kerry for new inward investment IDA Ireland particularly focuses on the ICT (incl. software), International Financial Services and Globally Traded Business sectors.

The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 includes a commitment to develop a framework for a Regional Enterprise Strategy to better integrate the efforts of the enterprise development agencies and other regional stakeholders in supporting enterprises. My intention is that the framework will be developed on a pilot basis initially, focusing on the Midlands region, and involving the agencies under the remit of my own Department – Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The objective is to enhance synergies between the agencies and their client companies and build on the competitive strengths of the region to maximise the potential for job creation. The role which other public bodies in the region can play in working towards this objective will also be examined as the project develops. The aim is that this framework will serve as a model for other regions of the country.

IDA Ireland has assured me that it will continue to promote Kerry as part of its marketing efforts, in response to specific client queries and also on an opportunistic basis for the purpose of winning FDI projects for the county. We must also remember that it is the investor in all cases who decides where to invest and an investment win for Ireland regardless of the location has to be seen as a plus for the country as a whole.