Vol. 472 No. 3
53 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment his views on the fact that Ireland has failed to attract any of the large mobile electronics investment projects in the past 18 months; and the plans, if any, he has to improve research and training facilities for electronics hardware in Ireland. [23189/96]
I do not accept the Deputy's assertion that Ireland has failed to attract any of the large mobile electronics investment projects in the past 18 months. On the contrary, Ireland has been extremely successful in attracting new overseas projects in this sector and has benefited substantially from its remarkable growth over the last 20 years.
In 1995 over a third of the total employment in IDA assisted companies was in the electronics sector. We win nearly a quarter of greenfield electronic manufacturing investment in Europe and in software, we are clearly the prime location in Europe for new investment. The dynamic growth of the sector in Ireland, both in terms of new projects secured and the expansion of existing operations is continuing. From January to November 1996, a total of 49 electronic/software companies announced their intention to establish or expand operations in Ireland and create approximately 10,300 jobs over the next five years. I am confident that further significant projects will be secured in the very near future.
It must be recognised, of course, that the attraction of inward investment is a very competitive business and while Ireland has proved itself a winning location particularly for electronic projects, the IDA must have regard to the balance between the cost of securing a project and the benefits that will accrue from it for the country. We are competitive in very many cases but we do not expect and indeed should not be expected to win them all.
In the final analysis, decisions as to where to locate overseas manufacturing operations rest with the owners of companies themselves and are beyond the control of IDA Ireland.
Today, electronics companies in Ireland employ over 41,000 people in more than 300 companies. We have built strategic strength in the electronics sector and we now have world class examples of success and achievement in the sector. These companies develop, market and manufacture a wide range of leading edge products generating around IR£11 billion in exports. They are involved in areas like PC and semiconductor manufacturing, component, network products and subassembly production, software design and development, research and development and technical support.
The number of new arrivals who have chosen Ireland over the past number of years such as Intel, Seagate Technology, and Microsoft is a strong endorsement of the strength, depth and maturity of the technological sector in the country. The rapid development of the electronics industry has continued in 1996 with major expansions announced by companies such as 3COM, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Gateway 2000 and Dell and new investments by Hertz, Sanmina and DSC Communications among others. These companies are proving to be ideal role models to attract others to follow.
