Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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334. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 616 of 11 October 2016, the number of IDA Ireland sponsored visits in each county in 2016 up to 30 September 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34328/16]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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335. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if, in the context of IDA Ireland's Horizon 2020 strategy and the target that 50% of investments will be located outside Dublin and Cork, the number of the agency's sponsored visits to Dublin which also visited Cork; and the number of the agency's sponsored visits to Cork which also visited Dublin since 2012 to the third quarter of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34329/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 335 together.

IDA Ireland maintains statistics of site visits by potential investors on a quarterly basis. The latest data available covers the first three quarters of 2016, during which there were 489 site visits countrywide. The breakdown by county of those visits is provided in the enclosed table. The table also shows, on a county-by-county basis, the total number of IDA Ireland client company supported jobs, the number of IDA Ireland client companies and the total number of site visits in 2015.

Since 2012, there have been 1,027 visits to Dublin and 190 visits to Cork. This includes 204 visits to Dublin and 43 visits to Cork by quarter three this year. Some companies depending on their requirements may visit both Dublin and Cork on the same itinerary or choose to visit one county or the other. IDA Ireland cannot provide details on clients’ itineraries for reasons of client confidentiality.

In 2015, 57% of site visits were to locations outside of the capital, up from 43% in 2014. Figures for 2016 shows that this trend is continuing, with 58% of visits conducted so far this year being outside of Dublin.

It should be remembered that the decision by a company as to where to locate can be influenced by a number of factors. These include access to qualified talent, proximity to transport hubs, the ready supply of suitable property and the availability of business support services. While IDA Ireland actively encourages its clients to locate or expand in regional locations, ultimately the final decision always rests with the company concerned.

IDA Ireland Jobs Statistics 2015; Site Visits 2015 and to end Quarter 3 2016 by County

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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336. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if all properties on vacant IDA Ireland land received site visits in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34331/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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IDA Ireland maintains data on the number of visits by investors on a county, rather than individual site, basis. The breakdown by county of such visits in 2015 and 2016 is set out in the following table. Where clients inspect more than one site within a county during a visit, this is reflected in the statistics as one site visit only. Information on the precise number of visits to individual sites is not currently available.

To date in 2016, each county in the State has received at least one site visit. This regional spread demonstrates IDA’s ongoing work to increase investment in regions outside of Dublin by 30-40% by 2019, a goal that is set out in the Agency’s strategy for the 2015-2019 period.

Statistics demonstrate that progress is being made towards this goal. For example, in 2015, 53% of all jobs created by IDA Ireland clients were based outside of Dublin, compared to 49% in 2014.

Site Visits by County 2015 and to End of Quarter 3 2016