Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will set out the full extent of high-tech jobs lost to other competing economies during the past four years to date; the number of low-tech jobs lost in the same period; the extent to which the causes of such job relocation have been identified; the action taken or proposed to address the issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14957/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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It is not possible to identify with any certainty the number of jobs lost to competing economies. However, we do know that there are many differing and complex factors that can influence a firm's decision to relocate and these are a reality of the modern globalised economic environment. Notwithstanding this, IDA Ireland has continued to attract and retain high value manufacturing investments from leading global corporations.

Job 'churn' occurs in the internationally trading sector of the economy, in a number of ways and for a variety of reasons. Companies adjust their plant location and utilisation strategies to address matters such as accessing new markets, moving production nearer to customers, meeting firm or market specific customer relationship issues, accessing technology, in addition to business takeovers and consolidations. For much of the last decade, this churn has been positive for Ireland with companies replacing lower value activities with activities of higher value, resulting in better-paid, more highly skilled jobs.

In terms of supporting the creation of new employment opportunities across the country the State Development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, together with the County and City Enterprise Boards assist and promote enterprise development and employment growth in businesses. Enterprise Ireland delivers a wide range of supports to Irish companies, targeted at the specific requirements of clients throughout all regions to ensure that they develop to their full potential in terms of innovation and exports, which in turn, stimulates job creation.

The role of the County and City Enterprise Boards is to provide support for micro-enterprise in the start-up and expansion phases, to promote and develop indigenous micro-enterprise potential and to stimulate entrepreneurship at local level, with a view to growing firms to exporting stage. While it is clear that we are operating in a very difficult economic environment, there are still investment opportunities in global markets and IDA will continue to compete vigorously for projects for Ireland. So far this year, there have been 22 IDA announcements with the potential to create nearly 3,000 jobs.