Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the status of the Industrial Development Authority border regional office, located in County Cavan, has been downgraded; and if so, the reason this decision has been made in view of the need to intensify efforts to create employment and support the retention of existing employment in areas such as Counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37735/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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IDA Ireland is an autonomous Agency set up by statute with a mandate to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in manufacturing and internationally-traded service industries into Ireland, and to support new and existing FDI operations so as to maximise the related industrial employment, output, exports, economy expenditures including wages, and corporation tax contributions.

The management and location of IDA Ireland's staff is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function. IDA Ireland's Head Office is located in Dublin and the Agency has a number of regional offices throughout the country as well as a network of marketing offices globally. IDA Ireland decides where it needs its resources in order that it can meet its strategic goals.

I am informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency continues to retain an office in Cavan, with one full time employee concentrating on client facing activities.The North East Region has one Gateway location at Dundalk and two Hub locations at Cavan and Monaghan, and as such will continue to be a key location of focus for the winning of FDI. The North East Region has 34 IDA supported companies, employing approximately 2,781 people. Of these: - Cavan has 5 IDA supported companies, employing approximately 1,119 people; and - Monaghan has 6 IDA supported companies employing approximately 418 people.

I have every confidence in the abilities of IDA Ireland's Board and senior management team to manage the resources available to it so as to enable the Agency to continue to win FDI for this country even in the face of the most difficult economic circumstances in which we find ourselves.