Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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157. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of new jobs and net new jobs in Industrial Development Agency Ireland supported companies in County Kerry in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36969/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Employment data for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation Annual Employment Survey is collected and reported annually. The figures for the number of IDA supported jobs in 2015 will not be available until early next year, after the completion of the 2015 Employment Survey. The number of IDA Ireland-supported new jobs created in Kerry in 2014 was 247, which represents a net increase of 236 over 2013 figures. In the indigenous sector, the 2015 figures, there was a net gain of 321 Enterprise Ireland jobs in 2014.

IDA Ireland’s new five year strategy Winning – Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019contains a strong focus on regional development, setting forth aims and strategies to achieve a significant increase in investment going into regional locations. To support that aim, IDA Ireland is rolling out a €150million capital investment programme to help attract more multinational jobs into each region over a 5-year period. This programme will include investments over the coming years in building advanced technology buildings and office facilities in a number of regional locations to provide state-of-the-art property solutions for clients. Tralee is to be the site of one such advanced technology building.

As well as working to attract new investment into the region, an important focus for IDA Ireland is on supporting the needs of existing companies to help them to grow and develop, allowing them to add jobs.

In July 2015, IDA Ireland with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation launched the South West Regional Action Plan for Jobs, which highlights working with the other agencies and local stakeholders to improve enterprise development and identify job creation opportunities at regional level.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) is also very active in Co. Kerry, focussed primarily on the development of companies export potential and in the creation of new jobs; through supporting entrepreneurs to set up new High Potential Start-Up Companies; on the retention and creation of new jobs in existing companies through support of company development/export plans and in enhancing their innovation capability. EI also supports Research & Development in companies, and through collaboration with relevant third level institutions at a national, regional and county level. In Kerry this is primarily delivered in collaboration with IT Tralee.

EI has a number of supports and initiatives in place to assist these companies, depending on their stage of development. Among others, these include the Competitive Start Fund, Innovation Vouchers, Seed and Venture Capital Funds, Research and Development Funds, Growth Fund, Trade Missions, Potential Exporters, First Sale Programme and the International Selling Programme.