Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 219: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will direct Enterprise Ireland and the Industrial Development Agency to set up an office in County Kerry with a full-time official who will act as the co-ordinator for attracting foreign direct investment into the county and who will also interact with all entrepreneurs in County Kerry, the county enterprise board and the partnership organisations in County Kerry. [2202/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

1The management and location of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland staff is a day to day operational matter for the agencies and not one in which I have a direct role.

Enterprise Ireland currently has a full time office in Denny Street, Tralee with five full-time staff employed and meets regularly with entrepreneurs in Kerry to discuss their business proposals and to assist them in developing their business plans. Enterprise Ireland has a strong working relationship with the Kerry County Enterprise Board, the Partnership Companies, the County Development Boards, Shannon Development etc. and is represented on the following committees:

· South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP) / LEADER

· SKDP Projects Assessment Committee

· North & East Kerry Development (NEKD)/LEADER

· Killarney Technology Innovation Centre (KTI)

· Kerry County Enterprise Board

· Kerry County Enterprise Board - Evaluation Committee

· Kerry County Development Board

· Kerry Enterprise Action Team (KEAT)

· Tom Crean Business Centre

· Institute of Technology Tralee, Governing Body

· Tralee Task Force.

IDA Ireland's offices around the country operate on a regional rather than a local basis. Kerry comes within the scope of IDA Ireland's South West Regional office, located in Cork, where Kerry as a County is actively marketed as a location for FDI. IDA Ireland has no plans to open an office in Kerry. I am confident that the policies and initiatives being pursued by the Industrial Development agencies and Kerry County Enterprise Board will continue to attract employment and investment opportunities for Co. Kerry.