Written answers

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Job Creation

9:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the number and location of job creation and promotion trips abroad undertaken by him directly or by groups, bodies or others under the aegis of his Department in the past 12 months to date in 2010; the number of contacts, contracts or inquiries established or made in the course thereof; the number of contracts secured or foreign direct investment confirmed leading to a specific number of jobs created in the same period; the extent to which the manufacturing and service sectors have grown competitively as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36402/10]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Since I became Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, in March last I have undertaken one marketing trip organised by IDA for the purposes of attracting foreign direct Investment (FDI) to this country, to the US in April 2010, and I am due to undertake another such visit to the US in the last week of October.

During these visits, I meet and have discussions with Chairmen, CEOs and other senior executives of key companies across a range of sectors. Many of the companies already have substantial and valuable activities in Ireland while some are considering major investments here for the first time. In addition, the Taoiseach and other Ministers, when they are abroad on official business, also meet with senior executives of multinational companies to discuss investment in this country. When the Taoiseach went to the United States last St Patrick's Day, he was accompanied by Barry O'Leary, Chief Executive of IDA, and that itinerary included meetings with a number of high level investing companies.

Of course I have also met a number of potential foreign direct investors on many occasions in this country since my appointment. In addition, senior executives of IDA Ireland are in constant discussion with potential investors around the globe. While all these meetings and discussions work towards the creation of a pipeline of new business, it is impossible to link the number of jobs created in any one year to discussions/ marketing undertaken in that year. The business of FDI generation is a complex process that takes place over a period of time and is not necessarily completed in any one year.

There has been a steady stream of job announcements by IDA supported companies and to date in 2010 there have been 63 announcements with the potential to create over 4,600 jobs across a range of sectors. In addition to missions to attract FDI, my predecessor, the Tánaiste, my Ministers of State and I have, in the last 12 months led eighteen Enterprise Ireland organised trade missions to the following locations: London, Paris, Rennes, Moscow, Madrid, Barcelona, Warsaw, Libya, Australia, USA, Dusseldorf, Canada, United Arab Emirates and China.

These Trade Missions are an integral part of the work of both my Department and Enterprise Ireland (EI) to develop and expand Ireland's exports to existing and new markets abroad. They raise Ireland's profile as a world-class supplier of goods and tradeable services, and increase awareness of Ireland as well as projecting Ireland as a competitive source of world-class expertise and products. They win access for EI clients to key decision-makers and influencers in target sectors.

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