IDA job efforts fail some counties

The IDA emphasised yesterday that you could not force a company to go to a particular part of the country unless it makes sense for their business.

The agency made the comment in response to new figures showing that a number of counties are being left behind in the IDA’s record-breaking efforts to bring Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ireland.

Last year, in the best ever year for the agency, IDA client companies created 7,071 net jobs with 4,485 or 63% of the jobs created in Dublin.

Currently, the total number employed at IDA firms stands at 161,112 — the highest level in the history of IDA Ireland.

However, figures provided to Dara Calleary TD (FF) by Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton show a number of counties recorded net losses at IDA-client companies last year in contrast to Dublin and other large urban centres recording strong gains.

The figures provided by Mr Bruton in written Dáil replies show that net losses in IDA client companies were recorded in Tipp South (338), Kildare (192), Sligo (167), Clare (61), Westmeath (45), Leitrim (26) and Offaly (5).

The net losses in a number of counties compare with urban centres such as Cork recording net gains of 1,141, Galway (705), Limerick (289), with Louth also a strong performer recording a net gain of 504.

Mr Bruton also confirmed to Mr Calleary that Dublin recorded 55% or 180 of the 326 IDA-sponsored visits by overseas investors last year.

The figures show eight counties recorded only one visit by overseas investors: Carlow, Kildare, Kerry, Leitrim, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly and Wicklow.

Along with the 180 visits in Dublin, other areas to enjoy high numbers of overseas investors include Cork (31), Limerick (23), Galway (15) and Waterford (14).