Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs lost in 2004 and 2005 on the north side of Dublin; and the number of jobs created or major investments made on the north side of Dublin. [11611/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The twin issues of job creation and investment by companies supported by the enterprise development agencies are day to day matters for the relevant agencies, and not matters with which I am directly involved.

Data on jobs lost and created in 2005 is not yet available with regard to companies supported by IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland or the 35 city and county enterprise boards.

IDA report that in 2004 there were 251 IDA supported companies employing 23,420 permanent employees in north County Dublin, including north city and county, compared with 256 IDA supported companies employing 23,284 people in 2003. There were 2,596 job losses in IDA supported companies in the area in 2004.

Enterprise Ireland report on the Dublin region as a whole. In 2004 there were 46,991 people employed full time in 2,038 Enterprise Ireland assisted companies in the Dublin region, and 5,406 employed part time. The number of jobs lost in the Dublin region in Enterprise Ireland supported companies in 2004 was 6,048, and the number of jobs gained 3,627, giving a net decrease of 2,221.

With regard to the county and city enterprise boards the Dublin City Enterprise Board had net job losses of 17 in 2004 and Fingal County Enterprise Board had a net gain of 94.5 jobs. With regard to major investments on the northside of Dublin, IDA Ireland report that in 2004 Lucent Technologies, through Bell Labs, invested €69 million to create a global headquarters for research into telecommunications and supply chain technologies, and also an academic centre for telecommunications value chain driven research. The new research centre is located in Lucent's Blanchardstown facility. A centre for telecommunications value-chain-driven research, CTVR, headquartered at Trinity College, is also planned.

In 2004 IBM Corporation announced a €22 million investment to significantly develop its Irish R&D software facility, IBM Dublin Software Laboratory, in Santry, Dublin.

Also in 2004 Kellogg's announced plans to establish an operations centre in Swords, County Dublin to service its growing European market. The project will provide employment for up to 80 people in functions such as marketing, sales, supply chain management, finance, treasury and human resources. In addition NYMEX, the largest commodity exchange in the world, opened a new trading floor in Dublin's Financial Services Centre.

As part of its strategy to support job creation Enterprise Ireland has approved over €27 million in 2004, and to date in 2005 €4.3 million in funding for its client companies in the Dublin region in support their plans for innovation and new product development.

Since 2004 to date Enterprise Ireland has approved €1,676,594 for Dublin City University, principally for commercialisation of research and for direct collaboration projects with industry.