Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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231. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation why the Industrial Development Agency Ireland's mid-west office logo and tag line at the end of its e-mails promote investment in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42462/15]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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232. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the geographical remit of the Industrial Development Agency Ireland mid-west office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42463/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.

IDA Ireland actively markets and promotes Limerick as part of its Mid-West region, which comprises counties Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary. It is a long established and proven location for international business with a particularly strong track record as a centre for manufacturing excellence.

There are currently 116 FDI client companies employing 14,575 staff across the region. This represents 10% of IDA Ireland’s total client company portfolio. The region’s success has led it to become the 3 largest region by number of FDI companies, even though it is only the 6th largest regional population centre.

As Limerick is the gateway of the region, IDA Ireland’s Mid-West regional office carries the logo ‘Invest in Limerick’, which allows e-mail recipients the option of clicking on the logo to follow a link to the Connect and Invest/Limerick web site. The logo is included as a means of encouraging extra traffic to the site and encouraging extra client meetings where the whole of the Mid-West region can be promoted, including Clare and North Tipperary.

‘Invest in Limerick’ is an interactive experience designed for use on tablet, smartphone and PC. Information on location, education, lifestyle and existing IDA Ireland client companies and indigenous companies is provided through images, video and text, which are continuously updated.

While significant new names businesses across a broad range of internationally-traded services have been attracted to the region in recent years, it has also maintained its position as a manufacturing location with newly arrived projects of scale from companies such as Regeneron, J&J, Ethicon Bio Surgery, Optel Vision and Amax Technologies complementing long established entities such as Analog Devices, J&J Vistakon, Cook Medical, Zimmer, Molex, Element Six and Proctor and Gamble.

IDA Ireland’s FDI clients are primarily located in 4 Mid-West locations; Limerick City/County, Shannon, Ennis and Nenagh. Mid-West FDI employment represents 8.5% of IDA total employment with an average company size of 122 employees. Employment in Mid-West FDI companies increased by 1,208 in 2014.

Finally, IDA Ireland assumed responsibility for FDI engagement with the Shannon area/companies in January 2014.