Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will detail the number of visits Industrial Development Authority Ireland made to County Kerry with industrialists putting forward proposals for them to locate in County Kerry for the period January 2011 to January 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25509/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by IDA Ireland that in the period 1st January 2011 to 1st January 2012 there were two IDA sponsored site visits by potential investors to County Kerry. Through its network of overseas offices IDA Ireland markets the linked hub locations of Killarney in South Kerry and Tralee in North Kerry for new foreign direct investment (FDI). In addition, IDA Ireland actively promotes other locations as part of its marketing efforts in response to specific client queries on an opportunistic basis.

At the end of 2011 there were 12 IDA Ireland supported companies in Kerry employing 1,294 permanent staff. Based on the strengths of the region, IDA is particularly targeting the ICT, International Financial Services and Globally Traded Business sectors. In addition, IDA Ireland is working closely with educational institutions and FÁS to develop the skill sets necessary to attract high value added employment to the county.

One of the targets outlined in IDA's Strategy document "Horizon 2020" is that 50% of investments will be located outside of Dublin and Cork. It is acknowledged, however, that there is intense and continual international competition to win this FDI, which is mainly dominated by Metro City Regions with populations in excess of 1 million. Ireland has one Metro Region, the Greater Dublin area, so in order to achieve balanced regional development IDA Ireland focuses on promoting Gateway locations within each Region as the areas of critical mass and highlights the opportunities provided by Hub locations which are within commuting distances of these Gateways. In the final analysis, however, it is the investor who decides where to locate.