Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the fact that only one Industrial Development Authority supported company has set up in County Kerry over the last five years, compared to 30 set up in County Cork during the same period; and if steps are being taken to ensure that Kerry is on a level playing field with other counties in terms of infrastructural development. [9515/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion FDI investments and jobs is a day-to-day operational matter for the Agency. While I may give general policy directives to the Agency, I am precluded under the Industrial Development Acts from giving directives regarding individual undertakings or from giving preference to one area over others.

At the end of 2007, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 16 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry employing approximately 1,838 people. The impact of FDI in Ireland goes much deeper than job creation alone. Foreign owned companies are at the cutting edge of demand for high skills, advanced management training and of business process, which permeates the wider business community. These companies have contributed to the broadening of the economic base in Ireland by fostering entrepreneurial activities and new start–up companies aimed at supporting and selling to foreign owned companies.

In line with the National Spatial Strategy, IDA Ireland is actively promoting the hub towns of Tralee and Killarney as well as the greater Kerry region to prospective investors across the full range of IDA targeted sectors, such as International Financial Services, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Internationally Traded Services. Every effort is being made to secure new advanced knowledge based industry for the area.

Over the last number of years the nature of Foreign Direct Investment has changed and Ireland is now competing for premium mobile investments against the most advanced countries in the world. As Ireland competes for investments at the highest end of the value chain the concept of scale is crucial to our economic destiny. Leading corporations require a significant population of highly qualified talent, effective physical and digital infrastructure and the availability of sophisticated professional support services. If we are to make progress in attracting FDI to the regions we need to continue our investments under the NDP and all economic and social stakeholders will need to commit to the goal of balanced regional development as envisaged in the National Spatial Strategy. Future thinking and action must have a regional rather than a local bias and this requires a significant change in mindset.

IDA Ireland is working closely with educational institutions in the region, in developing the skill sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the county. In addition, the Agency is also working with FÁS to provide guidance in developing the skill-sets needed by those in the workforce who are interested in upskilling.

In the final analysis it is the investor who decides where to locate. I am confident, that the policies being pursued by the development agencies together with the roll out of the National Development Plan will continue to bear fruit in terms of employment and investment for the people of Kerry.