Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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204. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she and her Department continue to compete for foreign direct investment with particular reference to job relocation arising from Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14673/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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My responsibility, as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is on ensuring that Ireland as a whole is best placed to capitalise on whatever foreign direct investment (FDI) opportunities may emerge on account of Brexit. That is why I secured significant additional funding for IDA Ireland to help the Agency better respond to the challenges and opportunities Brexit may present for each and every county of Ireland. I also regularly engage with the IDA about its Brexit-related requirements and other issues in connection with securing new investment for Ireland.

Our focus now is converting the interest shown to date by new investors into new projects here.  Both the IDA and the Government will continue to work hard with that goal in mind. The IDA has also recently launched a new global communications campaign, called "Right Place, Right Time", which will help target decision-makers in key locations.

While I am confident about the potential to secure new investment in Ireland, we do need to be realistic about what is achievable. Competition for all new such investment remains intense and we should not expect tens of thousands of jobs to be created here by default.