IDA Ireland is the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to Ireland, including its regions and areas. There were 673 new IDA Ireland supported jobs created in Donegal in the period 2001 to 2003, of which 353 were created in 2001, 179 were created in 2002 and 141 were created in 2003. These data are compiled from the annual Forfás employment survey. County data for 2004 will not be available until mid-2005. These new jobs were created in County Donegal in the Letterkenny, Laghey, Buncrana and Donegal Town areas.
These results were achieved against a background of new challenges brought about by a combination of the recent global economic downturn, which resulted in less companies investing overseas and fewer visiting Ireland. Other factors included greatly increased pressures on high technology companies to cut costs and find the most competitive location for specific products, services and functions; the emergence of new alternative low cost locations for producing goods and services in eastern Europe, China, and India. I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by IDA Ireland in County Donegal, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development, will continue to bear fruit in terms of delivering the maximum possible level of additional jobs for the county.