Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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283. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Industrial Development Agency sponsored visits to County Kerry by potential investors in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48184/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2014 there was one IDA Ireland-sponsored site visit by a potential investor to Co. Kerry. In order to achieve regional economic development, IDA Ireland markets integrated regions with critical mass and markets specific locations within these regions in response to the requirements of mobile FDI. Kerry is marketed as part of IDA Ireland’s South West region, which consists of Counties Kerry and Cork. Based on the strengths of the region IDA is particularly targeting emerging companies in the ICT (including software), International Financial Services and Global Business Services sectors.

At the end of2013, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 12 IDA Ireland-supported companies in Kerry employing 1,638people. IDA Ireland works closely with these companies to ensure their long term sustainability and to encourage their growth, development and continuing re-investment in their sites. The primary opportunity for regional locations is in respect of the existing client base and potential further investment opportunities from that client base. Almost 70% of all FDI investments won by IDA Ireland are from the existing client base.

IDA Ireland continues to market all available land and buildings in the county including its 12-acre Business & Technology Park at Tiernaboul, Killarney, Co. Kerry. In Tralee, IDA is also marketing the Kerry Technology Park.

IDA Ireland recognises the challenges for Ireland and its regions in attracting FDI and, with this in mind, a new IDA strategy will be launched early in the New Year, detailing goals and the broad direction IDA will take to accomplish them over the next five years is being prepared at present and will be launched early in the New Year.

I have been working with my Department on the development on a framework for the formulation of Regional Enterprise Strategies that will enable us to identify the sustainable competitive strengths of each region and to better integrate the efforts of the enterprise development agencies and other regional stakeholders in supporting enterprise growth and jobs in areas of potential. It is my intention that this framework will be applied initially to produce action-oriented plans to support enterprise growth and jobs in the Midlands region and the South East region. Learning in these regions will inform any adaptations that might need to be made prior to the framework being applied to other regions in the course of 2015.