Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2016
124. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to prioritise County Kerry for a major new employer, given the lack of major new employers coming into the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5030/16]
View answer125. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the IDA Ireland advance facility for Tralee in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5031/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 124 and 125 together.
IDA Ireland markets Kerry as part of its South West region, along with Cork. There are 12 IDA Ireland client companies employing 1,931 people in the county. 70% of all new IDA Ireland jobs come from existing client companies, so it is imperative that we ensure that the local supports are provided to maintain the presence of these companies in Ireland.
As part of the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015, IDA Ireland is set to invest €150 million over five years in property solutions designed to allow it to create opportunities to win additional projects for all regions. As part of this programme of investment, IDA Ireland is building nine advance facilities around the country, in particular in locations where the private sector has been slow to build. This includes the delivery of an advance facility in Tralee, Co. Kerry.
This is a positive development for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into regional locations. It will provide access to modern property solutions which, when combined with a strong local talent pool and existing FDI cluster, will give these locations an enhanced proposition to offer international investors.
The tender process is underway for the appointment of a contractor for the construction of the facility in Tralee. The notification of the decision to grant planning permission was received from Kerry County Council on 25 February 2016 and the contractor will be appointed after the final grant of planning permission is received by IDA Ireland. The anticipated completion of the building is quarter 1 2017.
As part of its efforts to market Ireland and its different business locations, IDA Ireland continues to explore marketing opportunities based on the key criteria used by companies to assess different locations. In relation to County Kerry, IDA Ireland is actively exploring the potential of different digital marketing initiatives. IDA Ireland is also keen to work in partnership with other stakeholders in the delivery of effective marketing of County Kerry as a location for Foreign Direct Investment.
Marketing of any regional area, including Kerry, for Foreign Direct Investment is done through IDA Ireland’s network of overseas offices. While IDA Ireland actively incentivises and encourages investors to consider a range of potential locations in Ireland, the ultimate locations selected are always decided by the companies themselves.
The development of indigenous enterprise is crucial for the county. Enterprise Ireland is very active in Kerry, and continues to focus on the development of its indigenous client base in the county. It also promotes High Potential Start-Up Companies through a series of initiatives, including the Competitive Feasibility Fund, Competitive Start Fund and the New Frontiers Programme. Enterprise Ireland has recently announced a new funding stream of approx. €3m for the delivery of New Frontiers Programmes in IT Tralee & CIT over the next 5 years. This is a continuation of the successful programmes which support an average 9 new start-up companies in IT Tralee and which are housed in the Tom Crean Incubation Centre each year. This programme has produced a range of successful HPSUs and domestically focussed businesses.
A further boost to the county is the reinstatement of Regional Aid for Co. Kerry under the new Regional Aid Guidelines (RAG), which came into force on 1 July 2014. The RAGs enable the State to grant State Aid, at enhanced rates, to businesses in order to support new investment and new employment in productive projects in Ireland's most disadvantaged regions. The funding for this comes from the Exchequer. This means that the full range of Regional Aid assistance options are now available in Kerry.
