Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide by county a breakdown of the number of Industrial Development Authority led jobs created in 2011 ,2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the number of IDA sponsored visits of potential investors on a county basis in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38356/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Forfás Annual Employment Survey reports on the number of jobs gained and lost in the enterprise development agencies. The survey shows that over the past three years there have been a total of 43,255 new jobs created in IDA Ireland client companies (including companies that were formerly clients of Shannon Development). Details of the number of jobs created in the three year period 2011 to 2013 inclusive, is set out in the attached tabular statement (A). Employment data for 2014 will not be available until early next year.

I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2011, 2012, 2013 and to the end of September 2014 there were a total of 1,353 IDA Ireland sponsored site visits by potential investors to various locations across the country. Details of the number of site visits during this period are set out in the attached tabular statement (B).

There are many complex factors influencing decision location making, such as the increasing preference of investors globally for cities of scale with 1 million plus populations, significant challenges from lower cost locations in Eastern Europe and the Far East and attractive regional aid. While IDA Ireland does attempt to influence the choice of location the final decision as to where to visit and ultimately where to locate is taken in all cases by the investor.

The Action Plan for Jobs 2014 includes a commitment to develop a framework for a Regional Enterprise Strategy to better integrate the efforts of the enterprise development agencies and other regional stakeholders in supporting enterprises. My intention is that the framework will be developed on a pilot basis initially, focusing on the Midlands region, and involving the agencies under the remit of my own Department – Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. The objective is to enhance synergies between the agencies and their client companies and build on the competitive strengths of the region to maximise the potential for job creation. The role which other public bodies in the region can play in working towards this objective will also be examined as the project develops. The aim is that this framework will serve as a model for other regions of the country.

Table shows the number of IDA Ireland jobs created in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (A)