Ms Mary Buckley:

We launched an organisational strategy in early 2015 which highlighted our focus, which is by the end of 2019 to win investment in 900 projects, help to create 80,000 new jobs and increase investments in regional locations by 30% to 40%. In 2015, we had the best performance of our history. We now have 187,000 FDI jobs in Ireland. Last year alone, 213 investments were approved, the knock-on effect of which is quite interesting in that about 20% of all private sector jobs are related to FDI. That is the spin-off from FDI, which means that both direct and indirect jobs, as a result of FDI in Ireland, number about 300,000.

In regard to the Deputy's question with regard to salaries, IDA Ireland looks at the salaries offered by companies coming to locate in Ireland. Companies compare salaries with other locations around the globe. We are competing for investment. Last year the average salary of our new investments was in the region of €49,000. About 74% of the jobs approved last year had salaries of greater than €35,000. That is an indication of the level of salaries and the types of jobs we are attracting and winning for Ireland.