Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will request the Industrial Development Agency to increase its efforts and promote vigorously all that is good about County Kerry as a region for industry, business and companies to which to locate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4840/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Under its Horizon 2020 Strategy, which covers the period 2010 - 2014, IDA Ireland aims to secure 640 investments and create 62,000 direct jobs. The aim is to achieve 50% of these investments in locations outside Dublin and Cork and to transform the existing foreign direct investment (FDI) base across the country to develop, retain and grow employment in existing client companies operating here. Central to IDA Ireland's strategy is to build on existing regional strengths to ensure Ireland's economic development, while optimising regional spread, in line with the National Spatial Strategy.

In the case of County Kerry, IDA Ireland markets the linked hub locations of Killarney in South Kerry and Tralee in North Kerry for new inward investment. In addition, IDA actively promotes other locations as part of its marketing efforts in response to specific client queries. IDA Ireland's strategy for the South West Region is to:

Ø Market the Region to overseas clients in order to secure new investments;

Ø Support the growth and development of the Region's existing clients by working with them to transform their business in the region to create additional employment and sustainability; and,

Ø Ensure that the supporting infrastructure is in place to attract FDI.

IDA Ireland has indicated that Kerry has traditionally been a centre of manufacturing for FDI. However, over recent years, it has proved challenging to maintain and attract overseas manufacturing companies into the County as much of this investment globally is going to low cost destinations such as Eastern and Central Europe and China. The challenge for the agency is to work with existing clients in order to transform their business to create additional employment and sustainability. IDA Ireland has informed me that, at the end of 2011, there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry employing circa 1,300 people. The Agency has assured me that it will continue to market all available land and buildings in the County, including its 12 acre Business & Technology Park in Killarney and Kerry Technology Park in Tralee, which is owned and managed by Shannon Development in partnership with the Institute of Technology, for the purpose of attracting new clients to the county.