Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

129. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the investment his Department has directed to each of the counties of Roscommon, Leitrim, Dublin, Galway, Mayo and Sligo in each of the past five years; the number of visits that have been paid to each county by IDA Ireland in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43997/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The final decision as to where to visit and ultimately where to locate is taken in all cases by the investor.

My Department’s agencies provide a range of grant aid and financial supports throughout the country including the counties listed by Deputy. This investment is provided primarily through direct financial grant supports to client companies and the breakdown of these figures in respect of IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices is set out in the following tabular statements. The figures for 2014 will not be available until 2015.

In addition to these direct financial grants, the agencies also provide a vast range of other supports from management development training to the direct provision of property solutions.

There are many complex factors influencing decisions on selecting locations. The final decision on where to locate and indeed where to visit, resides with the client company. In the period January 2014 to September 2014, there were 209 site visits to the aforementioned counties. The breakdown of these figures is set out in the following tabular statement.

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.

Grant Investment by County

Table 1: IDA Ireland