Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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92. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the extent of job creation arising from indigenous investment and foreign direct investment in County Kildare in the past five years; the prospects for the future in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30885/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Supporting balanced regional development is a core goal of Enterprise Ireland. In 2019, EI client companies reported a record high of 221,895 people in employment. 16, 971 new jobs were created, presenting a net gain of 4,706 new jobs when losses are taken into account. 65 per cent of this employment is located outside of Dublin. In 2019, 9,301 people were employed in the 194 Enterprise Ireland supported firms in Co. Kildare.

In the period 2015-2019, Enterprise Ireland paid €22.4 million to manufacturing and internationally traded services clients in Co. Kildare to build scale, innovate and expand reach. These are key attributes required to be resilient to economic shocks. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the agency’s overall engagement with client companies, the agency is working with companies in Co. Kildare to support them stabilise their business, thereby enabling them to undertake a development programme focused on recovery and growth. In addition, the agency is actively working with client companies to ensure they are prepared for a no deal Brexit. The following two Tables illustrate the numbers employed in EI client companies in County Kildare and grant payments to EI client companies.

Numbers employed in Enterprise Ireland client companies based in Co. Kildare

Permanent Full Time (PFT)

Enterprise Ireland grant payments to client companies based in Co. Kildare

The short-term prospects for job creation are challenging as businesses in Kildare battle the twin crises of COVID-19 and Brexit. However, with the support of the Local Enterprise Office in Kildare, financial grants were approved of €3.9 million, 7,400 participants in training and almost 2,000 participants were mentored. These supports are helping to make these companies become more competitive, resilient and export oriented in facing the dual challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit.

The Numbers employed in Local Enterprise Office client companies based in Co. Kildare and grant payments are illustrated in the next two Tables:

Permanent Full Time (PFT)

Local Enterprise Office grant payments to client companies based in Co. Kildare

Co. Kildare also has a very strong contingent of overseas firms in the Technology, Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors. There are 30 IDA Ireland supported client companies in Co. Kildare, which collectively employ 8,872 people.

Ireland is Intel’s centre of manufacturing excellence in Europe. Since 1989, the company has invested $15 billion in Ireland, turning 360 acres of the Collinstown Industrial Park (Leixlip) into one of the most advanced industrial campuses in Europe. Over three decades, Intel, which employs in the region of 5,000 people across Ireland, has developed a broad range of activities, from advanced manufacturing to cutting edge R&D.

The above along with other IDA Ireland client companies such Pfizer, SGS, International Fund Services and KDP demonstrates a strong track record of investment, which along with IDA Ireland land available for marketing for property solutions, reflects significant potential for Kildare and the wider Mid-East Region.

The IDA has a number of incentives in place to encourage companies to invest in Co. Kildare. In addition to the general support that it provides to client firms through advice and expertise on investing in Ireland, the Agency is authorised by my Department to provide a range of particular financial supports in the form of employment, capital, research and development, environmental and training grants.

These grants represent an important means of encouraging companies to invest in Ireland, particularly to regional locations. From 2015 to 2019, IDA Ireland paid over €13.5 million in grants to client companies based in Co. Kildare with over €2 million paid out in 2019 alone.

The following two Tables illustrate the numbers employed in IDA Ireland client companies based in Co. Kildare and the grant payments made:

Numbers employed in IDA Ireland client companies based in Co. Kildare

Permanent Full Time (PFT)

IDA Ireland grant payments to client companies based in Co. Kildare