Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures he is taking to create jobs in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1676/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Job creation is at the top of the Government's agenda. Since we came into office, we have been working hard to create the improved economic conditions which will support the maintenance of existing jobs and the creation of new ones. Our objective is to put the country back on the road to economic recovery and full employment.

The Jobs Initiative, announced on 10 May 2011, focuses our limited resources on measures that offer the greatest potential for expansion and employment creation in the domestic economy. The Initiative had a significant focus on tourism and the reduction in the VAT Rate has helped provide an important stimulus to tourism generally, such that visitor numbers were up 7.4% in the first 10 months of last year. This would have benefited the tourism industry generally, but undoubtedly in Co. Kerry.

Work is also continuing on the Government's Action Plan for Jobs which will set out a series of clear, actionable measures to support the creation and retention of jobs. The Strategy will focus on areas such as:

- improving competitiveness and intensifying competition in sheltered sectors;

- assisting indigenous business to grow;

- supporting indigenous start-ups;

- attracting inward entrepreneurial start-ups;

- developing and deepening the impact of Foreign Direct Investment;

- exploiting opportunities in new and emerging sectors; and

- supporting employment initiatives within the community.

Specifically in relation to Co. Kerry, two Industrial Development agencies under the aegis of my Department, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, together with Kerry County Enterprise Board (CEB) support enterprise development in Co. Kerry.

IDA Ireland continues to promote Kerry for new inward investment across the ICT, International Financial Services and Globally Traded Business sectors. In line with the National Spatial Strategy, the agency concentrates its efforts on the linked hub locations of Killarney in South Kerry and Tralee in North Kerry. According to the latest figures available, there are 15 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry employing 1,313 permanent staff. In selecting locations to show companies, IDA Ireland seeks to include locations which have been affected by closures/job losses.

At present, there are 124 Enterprise Ireland client companies in Co. Kerry employing more than 3,000 people in full time jobs. In 2011, Enterprise Ireland paid almost €2.6m in financial support to its client companies in Co. Kerry. The number of full time new jobs created in Enterprise Ireland client companies in Co Kerry 2011, exceeded jobs lost for the first time in the past decade. This positive outcome in Co. Kerry in 2011 reflects the national picture, where employment in Irish exporting companies stabilised.

The latest figures available indicate that in 2011, Kerry CEB approved funding amounting to €440,600 to 37 projects; 45 payments issued to 32 grantees to the value of €222,600, with associated job creation figures of 56 full time and 18 part time jobs. I am confident that the measures outlined in the Action Plan for Jobs, together with the policies and initiatives being pursued by the Industrial Development agencies and the County and City Enterprise Boards, will continue to bring about employment and investment opportunities for Co. Kerry and the country generally.