Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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85. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps IDA Ireland is taking to increase job creation in counties Longford and Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30276/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department and its agencies are working towards ambitious targets to ensure that employment and investment are distributed as evenly as possible across the country.  This includes Counties Westmeath and Longford, which the IDA markets as part of the Midlands region. 

There are 34 multinational companies based in the Midlands, employing 4,327 people. In Longford and Westmeath there are a total of 3,268 people employed in 22 foreign direct investment (FDI) companies.  

I am pleased that there have been a number of recent high profile investments announced by overseas companies in the Midlands region. Earlier this year, Indian-owned Leetha Industries announced that it is to establish a manufacturing and supply operation called Red Seal Cups Ltd. in Ireland.  This will create over 100 jobs in Longford over the next three years.  The Avery Dennison Corporation is also planning a significant expansion of its Finesse Medical manufacturing facility in the County. Announcements like these are a great vote of confidence in what the Midlands has to offer for FDI clients. The IDA actively engages with its existing client base to support them in growing their business to retain jobs and expand their existing footprint in the region.

The IDA is involved in a number of initiatives to attract additional FDI to Westmeath and Longford, including a focused digital marketing campaign.  This is designed to market the Midlands Region to potential investors by showcasing locations such as Westmeath and Longford. The Agency also maintains regular engagement with the Chief Executives of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly County Councils to attract further investment to the region.

FDI, of course, represents only one part of our wider efforts to generate economic growth in regional locations. Indigenous enterprise also plays a crucial role in creating employment opportunities. Enterprise Ireland (EI) supports companies in every county of Ireland to start and scale, innovate and remain competitive on international markets.

I am pleased to say that total employment in EI supported companies in Co. Westmeath now stands at 3,741, an increase of 30% since 2012. Total employment in EI supported companies in Co. Longford now stands at 2,970, an increase of 43.5% since 2012. These numbers clearly reflect the valuable contribution of EI client companies to our economy, particularly from a regional perspective.

We have made progress in creating opportunities in Longford and Westmeath but we are determined to achieve more. We are working hard, across Government, to further unlock the economic potential of the region. The Enterprise Agencies remain pivotal to this and they continue to engage with their clients, and with one another, to create jobs and source new investment for the Midlands region.