Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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457. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs lost and gained in County Kildare in each of the past eight years and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23287/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am assuming that the questions relates to the jobs gained and lost in clients of Agencies in my Department.Enterprise Ireland (EI) reported the creation of 21,118 new jobs by client companies in 2015. This translates into a net increase of 10,169 jobs (taking account of job losses) in EI supported businesses and brings total employment in these companies to 192,223 for 2015, a record high for the agency. Almost two-thirds of the new jobs created were outside Dublin and all of the regions recorded increases in full-time employment over the period. Enterprise Ireland attributes this strong mainly export-led job creation by Irish businesses to an improving entrepreneurial climate for start-ups, dynamic Irish companies innovating and scaling up in key sectors such as food, fintech, business process outsourcing and improving international economic conditions.

2015 saw the highest level of employment in IDA client companies in the organisation’s 67 year history reaching 187,056. A total of 18,983 new jobs were created by their clients during 2015; when job losses are taken into account, there was net job creation of 11,833. Overall, 53% of all jobs created by IDA clients in 2015 were based outside of Dublin, which is an improvement over the 49% share in 2014. Please note that IDA employment figures for 2016 will be included in the Annual Employment Survey when it is completed in early 2017.

The methodology used to compile statistical data for the County Enterprise Boards (CEBs)/Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) changed in 2010 and therefore comparable data is not available for the years 2008 and 2009. The Table below sets out the job gains, job losses and net jobs change overall for Co. Kildare, in client companies of the former CEB and the LEO, for the years 2010–2015 inclusive. It should be noted that following dissolution of the CEBs in 2014 and the subsequent establishment of the LEOs, an extensive cleansing of the former CEB client portfolio was undertaken by Enterprise Ireland. This means that comparison between the period prior to 2014 with 2014 onwards can only be indicative. The data in the following table refers to full-time plus other/part-time jobs. Figures for 2016 will only be available in early 2017.

I am pleased to say that employment in Agency clients has been growing over recent years and I expect, with the continuous focus by EI, IDA and the LEOs, together with implementation of the Mid-East Regional Action Plan for Jobs, we will continue to see job creation in the years ahead.

Figures for the three Agencies for County Kildare are set out in the following tables:

IDA Ireland

Enterprise Ireland

Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)

*Reduction in Total Jobs figure in 2014 is as a result of client cleansing during the dissolution of the CEBs that year.