Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number and location of jobs lost throughout County Kildare in the past five years; the number of replacements or intended replacements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19352/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The full-time job losses, job gains and net gains/losses in Agency assisted enterprises in Co. Kildare for years 2002 to 2006 inclusive are outlined in the following table.

According to the most recent Quarterly National Household Survey, the total labour force in the Mid East Region, of which Kildare is a part, grew from 206,300 in May 2003 to 244,300 in 2007. The corresponding figures for people in employment and unemployment for the same years were 199,800 and 236,400 and 6,400 and 7,900 respectively. However, the live register for Kildare in May 2003 recorded 4632 people and this figure had risen to 5,411 in May 2007. The census data for Kildare shows an increase of 22,391 in the population between 2002 and 2006.

The past decade has seen a number of changes in the economy of the County. The national decline in agriculture has also been experienced in Kildare, pointing to the need for off-farm enterprises and part-time employment opportunities for farmers. At the same time, new industries have moved into Kildare, most notably high-tech multinational and national companies. Almost 60% of total employment in Kildare is in companies that are part of the technologically advanced sectors, compared to 45% nationally. The services sector is now the most rapidly growing sector of the economy in Kildare.

Over the past 5 years, IDA Ireland's focused strategy for Kildare has been to promote the County as part of an integrated East Region with access to a population base of 1.5 million people. In recent years Kildare has attracted some world class manufacturing companies such as Intel, Wyeth Medica, Braun Oral B and Hewlett Packard. Over the period 1997 to 2006, the permanent jobs base in County Kildare has risen in IDA client companies from 8,795 to 10,869 — an increase of 2,074 jobs.

IDA Ireland is working closely with educational institutions in the County, in developing the skill sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the county. IDA is also working with FAS to provide guidance in developing the skill set needed by those already in the workforce who are interested in up-skilling.

Enterprise Ireland offers an extensive suite of supports, to client companies. Some of the measures available include the EI Productivity Improvement Fund, R&D supports, an extensive benchmarking service to encourage client companies to think about change and monitor progress, a TechSearch initiative to assist clients identify new technology acquisition opportunities and a holistic supply chain capability building measure, through the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Initiative.

One of the main objectives of the enterprise development agencies is to attract higher-value replacement enterprises, in line with our policy of moving enterprise in Ireland to higher value output in both products and services. This will facilitate the retention of those jobs that are human capital and technology intensive and characterised by high productivity and correspondingly high wages. The range of incentives provided through the agencies is designed to meet this objective and to help enterprise operate at higher levels of skill, undertake higher order strategic investments, product development and innovation.