Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the numbers of jobs lost or created in foreign direct investment companies since 2008; and the number lost in the domestic economy over the same period. [27332/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The total number of jobs created in IDA Ireland client companies over the period 2008 to 2011 is 34,579. Over the same period 44,650 jobs were lost in the agency's client companies. At the end of 2011 there were 145,878 people employed in 1,004 IDA client companies. I attach a tabular statement showing the yearly movements.

2011 saw a strong performance in the level of FDI won by Ireland. IDA Ireland client companies created over 13,000 new jobs despite the current global economic situation and a strong increase in international competition. In accordance with the Government's Action Plan for Jobs, IDA Ireland is working to target another 144 new FDI investment projects in 2012, which will create 12,500 new jobs with an associated 8,750 in the wider economy, giving a total impact of 21,250. Up to the end of May 2012, there have been 44 IDA announcements with in excess of 5,000 jobs.

The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State and is compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Changes in the level of employment are a function of both jobs lost and jobs created over the period in question. The most recent figures available for employment levels are for the fourth quarter of 2011. These showed an estimated 1,807,800 people in employment in the State, a fall of 331,000 from the corresponding level at the end of 2007. It can be noted that the annual rate of decline in employment peaked during 2009 at over 8%. Since then, the rate of decline has been slowing and, as of the fourth quarter of 2011, an annual employment reduction of 0.8% or 15,400 was recorded.