Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 4

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Mary Harney

Ceist:

24 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the total number of new jobs which have been created in grant-aided firms in the computer hardware and software industries in Ireland in respect of each of the years 1995 and 1996; the percentage of these jobs which are temporary contract positions; the percentage of persons working in these industries who are not directly employed by the companies in receipt of the grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19210/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The statistics on jobs created in 1996 are not yet available. The annual employment survey for 1996, which is conducted by Forfás, is under way and data should be available in the near future.

Employment in grant-aided companies in the electronics (hardware) industry in Ireland increased from 23,014 at the end of 1994 to 29,130 at the end of 1995, that is a net increase of 6,116. The percentage of these employees who were in part-time, temporary or short-term contract positions rose from 16.2 per cent in 1994 to 16.8 per cent in 1995.

In grant-aided companies in the software sector there was a net increase in employment of 1,438 from 6,165 in 1994 to 7,603 in 1995. The percentage of part-time/temporary/short-term contract employees in grant-aided overseas software companies increased from 7 per cent in 1994 to 12 per cent in 1995. This breakdown is not available for grant-aided indigenous software companies but, at the end of 1995, 13 per cent of employees in the whole indigenous software sector, including companies not grant-aided, were in temporary contract positions.

There are no figures available regarding the number of people working in these industries who are not directly employed by the companies in receipt of the grant-aid. Very few temporary-part-time or subcontract jobs would have been grant-aided as it is policy only to do so where it is necessary to secure a project. In 1995, out of a total of 114 projects approved, only four had an employment content in the subcontractor and temporary categories, with implications for the grant agreement.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

25 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will give details of the new jobs, if any, produced in the economy to date as against the projected jobs announced by his Department in media press releases since 1 January 1995. [19226/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

In 1995, there were 64 announcements of new investments by IDA assisted companies. Together these projects are investing in excess of £1,230 million and are expected to generate 12,239 jobs over the next three to five years.

A total of 11,500 new jobs were created and filled by IDA supported companies during 1995. In 1996, up to 17 October 68 IDA backed projects involving £615.6 million investment and projected employment of 11,008 jobs over the next three to five years, have been announced. Data on the progress of actual job creation to date this year cannot be confirmed until IDA completes its annual census of employment in November. However, based on the mid-year partial survey by IDA and an update on companies by IDA executives, it is clear that the actual job creation-recruitment levels in the projects announced is in line with expectations. While a small number of projects have not proceeded in line with projections, the activity this year in the companies supported by IDA indicates that at least 11,000 first time jobs will be created in 1996.

Finally, I am informed by IDA Ireland that there is no direct correlation between the number of jobs announced and those created in a particular year. The latter figure can derive from projects commenced several years previously, since very few projects could come on stream fully in any shorter period, and since the actual pace of coming to projected capacity will naturally vary with economic and other conditions.