Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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185. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps being taken to promote County Kerry as a location for foreign direct investment, given the enhanced and regional aid status given to County Kerry as a disadvantaged region; the progress in attracting jobs to the county since this initiative was introduced in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41411/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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IDA Ireland markets Kerry as part of its South West region, along with Cork. There are 12 IDA Ireland client companies, employing 1,874 people. IDA Ireland-supported companies in Kerry brought 361 additional new jobs to the county between 2011–2014. This is a marked increase on the period 2008–2010 when 502 jobs were lost. 70% of all new IDA Ireland jobs come from existing client companies, so it is imperative that we ensure that the local supports are provided to maintain these companies’ presence in Ireland. IDA Ireland launched its new five-year strategy entitled Winning – Foreign Direct Investment 2015-2019in April 2015. This strategy has 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 also 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.

Marketing of any regional area, including Kerry, for FDI is done through IDA Ireland’s network of overseas offices. IDA Ireland actively incentivises and encourages investors to consider a range of potential locations in Ireland although the ultimate locations selected are always decided by the companies themselves.

The reinstatement of Regional Aid for Co. Kerry under the new Regional Aid Guidelines, which came into force on 1^stJuly, 2014, is a further boost to the county. The RAGs enable the State to grant State Aid to businesses at enhanced rates in order to support new investment and new employment in productive projects in Ireland's most disadvantaged regions. The funding for this comes from the Exchequer. This means that the full range of Regional Aid assistance options are available in Kerry.

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. IDA Ireland engages particularly with Enterprise Ireland regarding the supply chain that can be in a position to encourage and support Foreign Direct Investment.

It is important to recognise that only 8% of employment is in IDA supported companies nationally. The Action Plan for Jobs and the Regional Action Plans are committed to developing an indigenous engine of growth. In the period 2011-2014 Enterprise Ireland supported companies created an extra 370 jobs in Kerry (9% increase), while companies supported by the Kerry LEO added 85 new jobs in 2014 (5% increase).