Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of big data and data analytics enterprises established here in the period 2011-2014; the number of persons employed in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48477/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Big data and data analytics have gained prominence in recent years but there is no clear definition, operational or otherwise, of big data that can be used to determine exact enterprise and employment figures. Data management and analytics is a key enabler of business across all areas of economic activity, for example, in the food, manufacturing and financial services sectors.

The Irish government identified Big Data and Analytics as one of its 9 Disruptive Reforms in the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ), with an overall ambition to "build on existing enterprise strengths to make Ireland a leading country in Europe in the area of Big Data and Data Analytics". As part of this disruptive reform the Government has taken a number of key steps such as the establishment of the Taskforce on Big Data, the launch of Insight, a Science Foundation Ireland-supported research centre for data analytics, and the launch of CeADAR, the IDA Ireland/Enterprise Ireland-supported data analytics technology centre.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has recently completed a report assessing the demand for big data and data analytics skills. While there are no exact figures known, the EGFSN estimated that there were 35,000 persons employed in big data/analytic roles within Irish enterprises in 2013.

The EGFSN report estimates that employment in big data and analytics roles could grow by up to 27,000 by 2020 (to a total of 62,000 ) both as a result of expansion growth within the existing enterprise base and through inward investment, as well as through the upskilling of persons already in employment.

There are a number of multinational enterprises that are providers of services and solutions for analytics and big data and whose business are built in whole or in part on the application of analytics and big data technologies, such as IBM, Aon, Groupon and EMC amongst others. For example in May 2014, SAP announced an investment in its Dublin facility creating a further 60 jobs.

There is also a growing base of indigenous companies whose business focuses on IT solutions for analytics and/or for whom analytics is central to their business offering. The companies include Swrve, Datahug, Ripple and 4Impact Intelligent Solutions. Earlier this year, Boxever, which provides a big data platform for airlines and travel operators, announced plans to create 100 jobs.