Written answers

Thursday, 17 June 2004

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Job Creation

4:00 pm

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of new jobs announced during 2003 from new investments or expansion of IDA backed plants; the expected level of announcements during 2004; and the steps being taken to promote job creation. [18085/04]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Not all projects agreed between IDA Ireland and its clients are announced. There is usually a time lag between the announcement of new jobs and their creation.

In 2003 as many as 32 greenfield and expansion job creation projects were announced. IDA Ireland approved 64 new investment and 39 research and development projects of which 33 were greenfield projects. The announced projects may represent nearly 5,600 jobs. In 2003 IDA Ireland supported companies recruited 9,182 people. These results were achieved against a background where there were fewer companies actively seeking to invest overseas and consequently less companies visiting Ireland.

It is difficult to predict the exact number of IDA supported project announcements for 2004. IDA Ireland is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. It believes that this year will be its best since 2000 in terms of job announcements, both for new investments into Ireland and growth in the value and scale of activities in existing IDA backed plants. This view is based on contacts with client companies, strong indications of a substantial recovery in growth in the global economy and consequent increased flows of foreign direct investment.

Up to the end of May as many as 14 new projects were announced with possibly 780 jobs. IDA Ireland approved 32 new investment and ten research and development projects in the same period. This year job recruitment in IDA supported companies should be on a par with or slightly better than the level achieved in 2003.

I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by IDA Ireland, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development, will continue to bear fruit in terms of delivering the maximum level of additional jobs.

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