Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 299: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of existing Industrial Development Authority supported jobs in both County Carlow and County Kilkenny; the way these figures have varied for each year since 1995; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20632/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on job gains and losses in companies that are clients of the industrial development agencies. Information is aggregated on an annualised basis at county level. The information is provided by companies on a confidential basis for statistical purposes only.

The number of jobs created in IDA supported companies in County Carlow and County Kilkenny in each of the years from 1995 to 2007 are set out in the following tabular statement. IDA Ireland is committed to the development of Counties Carlow and Kilkenny and, through its network of overseas offices, is actively promoting the towns of Kilkenny and Carlow for new investment. In recent months there have been two announcements for Carlow town with a potential to create a total of 370 new jobs. In February, 2008, Unum announced that it intended to establish a strategic software service centre in Carlow town. The new investment has the potential to create up to 200 new high-level positions and recruitment is currently underway.

In November last Merck & Co Inc. announced its intention to establish a new €200 million strategic vaccine facility in Carlow town, with a potential to create 170 new high quality jobs by 2011. In the Financial sector State Street has continued to grow its Funds Administration operation in Kilkenny and the company is an important player in the Financial Services cluster emerging in the South East region.

I am satisfied that the policies being pursued by Government, together with the work of the IDA on the ground, as well as the roll-out of the National Development Plan will continue to bear fruit in terms of investments and employment in the counties of Carlow and Kilkenny and the region as a whole.