Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2019
245. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of site visits by the IDA to County Cork in 2018; the steps she is taking to increase the number of visits to the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20614/19]
View answerCork continues to be an extremely strong performer in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI). This trend is continuing, with a steady and positive increase in employment numbers in IDA Ireland client companies in the County over the past number of years. There are currently 169 IDA client companies in Cork, employing approximately 39,000 people.
In terms of recent growth, from 2017 to 2018 employment in IDA client companies there increased by over 5%, with 2,087 net new FDI-supported jobs added in the County. There have also been a number of particularly significant job announcements by IDA clients in Cork, including 400 jobs at VoxPro, 200 positions at Deutsche Borse Group and 100 new jobs at Forcepoint.
With regards to site visits, Cork has hosted 17 site visits as of the first quarter of 2019. Last year, the County hosted a total of 61 site visits, compared to 51 visits that took place in 2017. The Agency also owns a number of properties and sites in County Cork which are being actively marketed to clients through its network of offices in Ireland and overseas.
It is clear that FDI levels in Cork are trending in the right direction. The County continues to maintain a significant enterprise base and remains a dynamic and attractive destination for overseas companies. Work will nevertheless continue, by both the enterprise agencies and the Government, to help ensure it continues to attract further investment.
