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

I am encouraged by the overall strong recovery in employment, with a net 135,000 extra people back at work in enterprises right across the country. While every region has seen employment expansion in its IDA Ireland-supported base, we have not experienced equal recovery in all sectors which is why I have launched the regional Action Plan for Jobs. I would point out to the Deputy that the plan is not confined to IDA Ireland developments because almost 90% of the enterprise base in the regions is Irish owned. Indeed, since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs, approximately 90% of the additional jobs created have come from Irish-owned companies in the regions. It is important to recognise the contribution and ingenuity of Irish enterprise.

Foreign direct investment, FDI, is a key part of IDA Ireland's strategy to improve its performance in the regions. The agency has set a target of between 30% and 40% in new investment won in each region. It has strengthened its regional office network and that network's connection into its overseas network of offices. The agency is committed to a new programme of advance facilities and other priority property initiatives in the regions. Site visits, to which the Deputy referred, are not an accurate reflection of regional progress. IDA Ireland-supported companies have provided over 10,000 net new jobs outside Dublin since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs. It is encouraging to see that the regional spread has been improving every year.

Work on the Action Plan for Jobs is now entering the implementation phase. We will be sitting down with regional interests in the monitoring group to oversee the implementation of the strategy. All of the agencies within my Department are wholly committed to the delivery of this approach.

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