Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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167. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 313 of 1 October 2013, if he will clarify what he means by stating ten projects have been approved under the succeed in Ireland initiative; if he will confirm if to date any job has in fact been created as a result of ConnectIreland and the succeed in Ireland initiative; if he will confirm the exact number of jobs where the clock has started on the two year duration to become sustainable and therefore eligible for fees to be paid out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48127/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The “Succeed in Ireland” Initiative is managed by Connect Ireland under a contract with IDA Ireland and I, as Minister, do not have any direct involvement with the scheme.

Connect Ireland markets, promotes and implements the ‘Succeed in Ireland’ initiative in the international marketplace. Under the terms of a contract, signed between IDA Ireland and Connect Ireland, operational arrangements between both parties work to convert potential leads identified by ‘Connectors’ into investments and job creation in Ireland.

The role of the “Connector” is to make an introduction between a key decision-maker in a company considering a mobile investment project and Connect Ireland.

Should a decision be taken to locate in Ireland, the company’s business plan with its associated employment projections is assessed by IDA for compliance under the terms of the contract between IDA Ireland and Connect Ireland. To date 11 such investments have met the criteria and are considered ‘approved’ under the scheme. These investments are listed on the attached tabular statement.

This approval status means that Connect Ireland and the “Connector” are eligible for a financial reward under the initiative. The reward scheme provides for up to €4,000 excluding VAT per sustainable job created. A sustainable job is defined as one which has been in existence for 2 years. Reward payments to either Connect Ireland or to individual “Connectors” become payable on a phased basis, 50% when the job has been in place for at least 12 months and the remaining 50% when the job has been in place for two years. Payments under the initiative will be made by IDA Ireland.

The projects approved by IDA, to date, under the ‘Succeed in Ireland’ initiative have the potential to create 298 jobs. While a number of the approved investments have already commenced operations and are employing people, the exact number of jobs created will not be available until the 2013 Forfas Annual Employment survey has been completed. The survey is currently underway and the results will be available towards year end.

I am informed by IDA Ireland that there have been no payments made under the initiative by IDA Ireland, neither has any claim for payment been made to IDA by Connect Ireland.

Table showing 11 approved projects with the potential to create 298 jobs under the ConnectIreland Initiative.