Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 July 2012
301 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the industrial development agency office in Cavan; the number of personnel based there; the duties and responsibilities of that office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36381/12]
View answerThe location and functions of IDA Ireland's staff are day to day operational matters for the Agency and not ones in which I have a function. It is essential that IDA Ireland has authority to manage its resources, within boundaries agreed with my Department, in order that it can meet its strategic goals.
I am informed by IDA Ireland that during 2010, a Business Process Transformation Initiative was conducted which examined every role in the organisation in the context of highlighting:
Operational changes that could be implemented to enhance the effective delivery of key objectives, as outlined in IDA Ireland's strategy document, "Horizon 2020”;
Areas of duplication which could be addressed by improved processes; and,
Areas where additional IT could be applied to bring about staff savings.
Following on from that process, IDA Ireland continues to retain an office in Cavan with one full time role concentrating on client facing activities. IDA Ireland has informed me that it works closely with its 33 client companies in the North East Region that currently employ in the region of 2,900 people, of whom over 1,100 are employed in County Cavan.
I have every confidence in the abilities of IDA Ireland's Board and senior management team to manage the resources available to it so as to enable the Agency to continue to win foreign direct investment for this country in the face of strong competition.
