Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on his recent trade mission to the West Coast of the US; the number of persons he met during the visit; the number of officials who accompanied him on the trip and the cost of the trip to his Department to date. [17739/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I recently visited the West Coast of the United States from 12th to 17th June 2011 on a marketing programme organized by IDA IrelandI was accompanied by three persons, Barry O'Leary, CEO of IDA, and two officials from my Department.

The primary objective of my visit was to market Ireland as an ideal business location for US companies wishing to invest or increase their investment overseas. It was also an opportunity to further enhance and develop the relationships Ireland has with US companies who already operate here. It is worth noting that 70% of IDA's client base originates in the United States. The programme involved meeting Chairpersons, CEOs and other senior executives of leading companies across all sectors including ICT, Life Sciences and Business Services which are located on the West Coast.

Some of the companies which I met have substantial and valuable activities in Ireland and those meetings focused on retaining, expanding and further embedding the employment footprint here. For companies who do not have a presence in Ireland the focus was to underpin Ireland as the location for their proposed investment activities against intense competition from other locations around the world.

Overall engagement at the meetings was positive with many companies upbeat in their discussions on expansion/growth strategies. I held individual meetings with 22 companies across a number of targeted sectors, including five of the top ten technology companies in the USA. The companies I met include several top internet companies with household names.

The 22 companies employ a total of over 350,000 people worldwide, with combined revenues of over $230 billion. They also include:

· 13 companies which are present in Ireland already, employing a total of 13,000 people here, as well as several companies which may be considering investing here for the first time;

· A total of 15 technology companies;

· Several rapidly growing "new technology" companies which are characteristic of the new Silicon Valley boom;

· Four leading US life sciences companies;

· Companies in international services, entertainment and aviation.

One investment announcement (Aruba Networks, 40 jobs, 13th June 2011) has already been made as part of the trade mission and a number of further announcements are on the way in the coming weeks.

The cost of the visit forms part of the IDA's Marketing and Promotions Budget. Costs for this particular visit have not yet been reconciled but will be available in due course.