Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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6. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she expects her Department to be in a position to encourage foreign direct investment here; her plans to ensure that Ireland can compete effectively with all others in the international arena in this regard; if she has set specific targets; if she is satisfied with Ireland's ability to compete effectively in this intensely competitive scene in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39075/16]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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My question is to ascertain the extent to which the Minister will support, favour and pursue foreign direct investment in this country and to which she expects this country to be able to compete in the very competitive market considering the changing climate worldwide, particularly in light of Brexit.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Foreign direct investment, FDI, continues to be a key contributor to Ireland's economic development and growth. This Government's efforts to continue to attract FDI here will be guided by both my Department's policy statement on FDI and IDA Ireland's own five-year strategy for the period 2015 to 2019.

The IDA's strategy details how the agency will broaden its target sectors further and seek new markets. Specific targets have indeed been set as part of that approach, including boosting FDI in regional Ireland by 30% to 40% and creating 80,000 new jobs in the economy across the period of the strategy.

There is no denying that the global FDI market is increasingly competitive and that Ireland must fight hard to win each and every new investment. The challenges and opportunities presented by Brexit mean that we must maintain that focus on securing more FDI. I am confident, however, that our offering to prospective investors remains attractive. Our selling points include our pro-enterprise business environment, competitive economy, first-class workforce and proven track record as a home to global businesses. Our continued membership of the eurozone and European Union is also a significant positive. The Government will continue to work hard to reinforce these strengths while also taking steps to address any areas where we need to improve.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. May I further inquire as to the extent to which she and her Department are aware of the competition in the market? Who are the main competitors? How have they performed over the past six months by comparison with Ireland? To what extent is Ireland likely to compete with them over the next six months and the next two or three years? Does the Minister envisage Ireland asserting itself to an even greater extent? This will be required in the future given Brexit and changes in global markets.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to ask about foreign direct investment, FDI, and jobs. The Minister has visited Limerick and the mid-west a great deal recently for welcome jobs announcements. Like all other Oireachtas Members from Limerick, I was told by e-mail that the Minister would be travelling to the area for another jobs announcement in the morning.

When I speak with people who are involved in education and training and recruitment companies, they tell me that there is a skills deficit in terms of the jobs that have been announced and that we may have difficulty finding the types of people required. Has the Minister any plan to conduct a skills audit of Limerick and the mid-west or the entire country?

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Durkan asked about other countries competing. He should make no mistake about it, they are competing strongly. I have heard of several strong cities, but a number - Paris, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Singapore - keep cropping up in conversation.

As regards FDI in Limerick, we have seen successes in the jobs announcements. However, that has not been happening in a vacuum. LIT, UL and Mary Immaculate are working closely together. I have not heard from the companies at which we have announced jobs that there is a skills shortage. As with our indigenous businesses, if a company wants to set up in Ireland, it can approach LIT or UL and devise programmes to deliver the necessary skills in the area around Limerick, which includes Clare and other counties. The educational services are responding to the needs of industry. I would love to see more work like that being done across the country. Thousands of jobs have been announced in the area in the recent past. What is happening in Limerick is working well and is an exemplar of what should be done in the education and skills field.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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In light of the competitive zones that we are facing, to what extent has an evaluation been conducted of Ireland's positive points in terms of skills, economic competitiveness, access to world markets, ability to sell, brand recognition and location? The location, location, location idea seems to stand for a great deal. To what extent do the Minister and her Department monitor these aspects with a view to determining how best to compete for investment in markets and promote the Irish cause even more than previously?

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Our best response, and one that has had a wonderful track record for the past 60 years, is the IDA. It does a professional job, goes out and wins markets. This has been evident since the recession, but particularly since everyone focused on the 2012 Action Plan for Jobs to bring jobs to Ireland.

We should not be looking to FDI entirely. Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise offices in each county deliver good and sustainable jobs that allow people to expect to raise families. It would be a weakness on the part of Government policy were we to focus on FDI only.

Regarding the aspects that the Deputy mentioned and that we need to put in place, IDA is feeding into my Department so as to ensure that we attract good companies that provide sustainable jobs in Ireland.

Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The next question is in the name of Deputy Barry, but he is happy to let it be taken as a Written Answer.