Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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241. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding job decentralisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28953/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased that despite a fiercely competitive international investment environment, IDA Ireland continues to attract FDI to regional locations. Last year IDA Ireland client companies based outside of Dublin accounted for 59% (109,812 people) of total IDA Ireland client employment. In addition, IDA Ireland remains committed to increasing investment in each region by 30-40% by the end of 2019.

As part of its ongoing efforts to bring jobs to rural Ireland, the Agency supports client companies who wish to provide teleworking solutions for their employees. I understand that, while IDA Ireland does not gather specific data on teleworking practices in private companies, a number of its clients employ people on a home working basis.

The decision to facilitate working from home is an operational matter for an individual company. However, this decision is clearly dependent on the availability of adequate telecommunications facilities including broadband.

The availability of these facilities has been identified as extremely important to multinationals when it comes to choosing where to locate. That is partly why the Delivery of National Broadband Plan, which will accelerate and prioritise the rollout of broadband in rural areas, is a top priority for Government, as reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government.