Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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349. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons employed under the IDA’s winning abroad programme over 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; the number of these employment contracts that will end by 31 December 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5193/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The “Winning Abroad” programme was launched by IDA Ireland in 2014. It provided for the engagement of up to 35 additional personnel by the Agency to deliver new jobs for Ireland. Its other key objectives included targeting new forms of foreign direct investment and broadening the geographic base from which the Agency seeks and secures overseas investment.

I understand that IDA Ireland has employed 34 individuals under the programme, although the current number stands at 32. The contracts of all these employees were on the basis of three-year fixed-term durations. However, as these officials were appointed at different times, the conclusion date of their original contracts varies accordingly with 17 due to expire later this year.

Winning Abroad Contracts Start and End Dates

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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350. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA client visits to each county in 2015 and 2016, by month and by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5194/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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IDA Ireland maintains statistics of site visits by potential investors on a quarterly basis only. In 2016, there were 638 site visits countrywide, up from 565 in 2015. The following table sets out, on a county-by-county basis, the number of IDA Ireland-sponsored site visits for 2015 and 2016. 

It is important to note that data on site visits is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) activity in a region or county. This is partly because approximately 70% of all FDI won by IDA Ireland comes from its existing client base rather than from new companies. The true level of FDI in Ireland is better measured by reference to IDA Ireland’s record 2016 results. The Agency’s client companies created just under 19,000 (18,627) jobs during the year across a range of sectors, with every region of Ireland posting net employment gains.

IDA Ireland Site Visits by County 2015-2016