Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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792. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the method IDA Ireland used to determine the way in which 527 jobs were created under the Connect Ireland scheme; the detail of the six-figure marketing sum connected to the marketing budget for the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9691/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The objective of the Succeed-in-Ireland programme is the creation of sustainable jobs countrywide. These positions are contractually defined, for the purposes of the programme, as full time, permanent positions that are in place for at least two years in a project approved by IDA Ireland.

Connect Ireland, which operates Succeed-in-Ireland, receives a financial award from the IDA in respect of jobs created under the programme. Payments fall due to Connect Ireland once IDA Ireland has verified that a sustainable position is in place. The verification process is multi-faceted and includes site visits to the company in question, financial checks to confirm payment of salaries and the examination of employment contracts. This process has been applied to all jobs verified to date.

IDA Ireland has made a total contribution of €150,000 towards Connect Ireland’s marketing programmes. These programmes included actions aimed at developing and expanding visitor engagement; a communities action plan in which Connect Ireland engaged with local authorities and national sporting associations; and a marketing initiative focused on the expansion of Succeed-in-Ireland into new European and North American territories.