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

The IDA and Enterprise Ireland look at the impact of job creation proposals, which is where the €12,000 per job statistic comes from. It refers to jobs sustained. One cannot pull out the research and development element from the Lean management development programme and other elements of the package that is put together. One cannot relate research and development spend to job impact on its own. Usually, a suite of measures is put in place to assist a company to develop.

The 70% statistic refers to Dublin and Cork, to correct the Deputy. I can send the Deputy material but note that it is not a simple matter of being able to say that a particular innovation voucher or plan created a particular number of jobs. Generally, such measures are part of a broader company development programme approved by Enterprise Ireland. I note, however, that according to international rankings, our research and development spend is having a greater economic impact than that of our European counterparts.

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