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

I point out to the Deputy that the IDA employment is about 5% of total employment in Tipperary. A total of 95% of enterprise and employment is outside that sector. The Deputy's sole focus on foreign investment undersells the huge amount of enterprise in Tipperary and the south east. Employment levels in the south east have grown by 18,000 in the past two and a half years. There is a strong recovery there.

The Deputy quotes figures for the IDA. I could quote figures for Enterprise Ireland. A total of 85% of new jobs related to Enterprise Ireland are outside Dublin. We are seeing strong growth in our regions based on our own enterprises which is the future we need to develop. This regional enterprise strategy strengthens the backbone of property options available in every region and also sets out a challenge and opportunity for our regions, including Tipperary, to identify areas of opportunity and to plan actions that will implement and realise those opportunities. I invite the Deputy to participate in that programme because it will respond to the needs of enterprise in his area, seek to get collaboration and provide new money to underpin such collaboration.

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