Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
76. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the most recent occasion on which the IDA visited counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; the number of new jobs that have been created by the IDA in the past 12 months; the steps it is taking to attract companies to the counties; the success it has had with the strategy for the counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63230/21]
View answerIDA Ireland reported a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment in 2021, with total employment in IDA client companies now standing at 275,384, up from 258,558 last year. Growth in the regions was particularly buoyant with 53% - 133 projects of the 249 investments won going to regional locations and employment growth recorded in every region of the country.
Job losses remained at a relatively modest level relative to the size of the overall portfolio resulting in an extremely strong net employment growth, with a 16,826 net increase.
The strong growth in regional investment was supported by IDA Ireland’s property programme. A robust property and infrastructure ecosystem can be the key differentiator in winning FDI projects, as evidenced by the record regional results achieved under IDA’s Winning 2015-2019 strategy.
The 2021 figures show a pattern of sustained, robust growth in FDI investment and FDI-related employment over a continuous period of more than ten-years. The results in 2021 represent a strong start to IDA’s new 2021-2024 strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth, which seeks to further enhance FDI’s place at the centre of a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive Irish economy.
The number of new jobs that have been created by the IDA in 2020 and 2021 is shown below:
|
County |
|
2020 |
2021 |
|
Cavan |
IDA Client companies |
8 |
8 |
|
|
New Jobs Created (Gross Gains) |
30 |
94 |
|
Monaghan |
IDA Client companies |
8 |
8 |
|
|
New Jobs Created (Gross Gains) |
92 |
30 |
|
Meath |
IDA Client companies |
16 |
16 |
|
|
New Jobs Created (Gross Gains) |
212 |
130 |
In response to Covid-19 IDA Ireland developed a suite of digital content and has put in place an E-Site Visit experience for potential investors. For 2021 up to end Q3 there was one E-site visit each in Cavan and Monaghan.
