Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Forfás annual employment survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are supported by the industrial development agencies. Data are compiled on an annualised basis and aggregated at county level. The information is provided by companies on a confidential basis for statistical purposes only. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information the Deputy seeks. It should be noted, however, that there is free movement of labour within the EU and persons recruited from outside the EU must comply with employment permit legislation.

Global companies continually examine their markets, supply chains and expansion opportunities, and seek to align them to best advantage. Ireland sometimes loses from such changes such as when companies have excess capacity and sometimes Ireland gains.

Ireland’s availability of skilled labour is one of the primary reasons cited by IDA Ireland’s clients for establishing their operations in this country. Each investment project has a set of unique and specific skills requirements. While some of the skills required will be available from within Ireland, others such as language skills may involve relocation from overseas or a transfer from within existing companies. The ability of Ireland’s skills base to help to support the ongoing evolution of FDI companies in Ireland and allow them to bid for new corporate projects as they arise is critical to maintain and build their long-term employment impact in Ireland. This is true both of the direct jobs created but also indirectly through the downstream jobs impact on Irish sub-suppliers and the economy in general. Through considerable effort by Irish managers and workers, the improved business environment in Ireland and the strong work of IDA Ireland, we are enjoying record growth in foreign direct investment. Our challenge is to ensure we are competitive, particularly in sectors we have targeted with significant growth potential, and work with existing companies to ensure they continually improve their capacity to be leaders in their sectors.

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