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Job Creation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2018

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

Questions (140)

Eamon Scanlon

Question:

140. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the steps her Department and IDA Ireland are taking to increase job creation and attract companies to counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal; the recent occasion on which IDA Ireland visited these counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42637/18]

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Written answers

IDA Ireland continues to highlight the benefits of expanding or locating in every part of Ireland, including in Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal. There are now over 122,000 people employed across 649 firms in IDA client companies located outside of Dublin, with 45% of all new foreign direct investment (FDI) jobs created last year based in regional locations. The IDA is focused, as am I, on increasing those numbers further.

Last year, IDA client companies conducted 18 site visits to County Sligo, two site visits to County Leitrim, three site visits to Roscommon and two site visits to County Donegal. As for the first two quarters of 2018, there have been eight site visits to County Sligo, five visits to County Leitrim, one site visit to Roscommon and three site visits to County Donegal. Site visit activity, it must be remembered, does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as almost 70% of all new FDI comes from existing IDA client companies.

IDA Ireland is working to promote Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Donegal to a range of potential investors, but especially in the areas of global business services, research and innovation and high-tech manufacturing. The IDA also regularly engages - with a view to encouraging job creation and investment - with key stakeholders on the ground in these counties, including with local authorities, public bodies, the education sector and companies from both its own client base but also from the indigenous sector.

It is important to emphasise that FDI only forms one part of the broader approach to fostering enterprise and job creation in regional locations. Indigenous enterprise is also, of course, responsible for a significant portion of employment growth, especially outside Dublin. My Department and all its agencies, including Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs, work together constantly and collaboratively to ensure that jobs and investment are spread as fairly as possible across the country.

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