Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD arrived back
in Ireland on Saturday (18th June 2011) after a hectic five-day mission to
the western United States to attract further jobs and investment to Ireland
as part of the global technology boom.
The Minister held individual meetings with 22 companies across a number of
targeted sectors, including five of the top ten technology companies in the
USA. The companies he met include several top internet companies with
household names.*
The 22 companies employ a total of over 350,000 people worldwide, with
combined revenues of over $230billion. They also include:
· 13 companies which are present in Ireland already, employing a total
of 13,000 people here, as well as several companies which may be
considering investing here for the first time;
· A total of 15 technology companies;
· Several rapidly growing “new technology” companies which are
characteristic of the new Silicon Valley boom;
· Four leading US life sciences companies;
· Companies in international services, entertainment and aviation.
One investment announcement (Aruba Networks, 40 jobs, 13th June 2011) has
already been made as part of the trade mission and Minister Bruton
confirmed that a number of further announcements are on the way in the
coming weeks.
Speaking following his return to Ireland, the Minister said:
“By all indicators the global technology industry, and in particular ICT,
is experiencing a sustained period of impressive growth, and this creates
major opportunities for Ireland. I am determined, at this time of crisis,
that we must be highly ambitious about the amount of jobs and investment we
can attract to Ireland as part of this boom.
“I spent last week telling leading US companies at the highest level that
Ireland is open for business, and the response I got was very positive.
“What these companies told me is that in addition to retaining our absolute
commitment to our corporation tax rate, we must ensure that our R&D tax
credit system is globally competitive, our cost base is right and that our
education system is fit for the demands of the new economy.
“We have substantial work to do if we are to succeed in far-reaching goals.
For example, it is estimated that there are currently approximately 3,500
vacancies in the ICT sector in Ireland. The Minister for Education and
Skills has recently announced over 2,000 one-year ICT training places as
part of the Springboard programme from this September. However we must also
go beyond immediate needs, and I together with Minister Quinn will shortly
start an ambitious process of examining measures we can take to respond to
the future requirements of the ICT sector.
“Ireland is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the new technology
boom and reap a huge reward for our economy. We achieved this before with
the real Celtic Tiger of the mid/late 1990s. I am determined that with hard
work and ambitious policy changes we can do this again”.
The IDA has said that the significance of the Minister meeting key
companies is of immense value to its marketing efforts to promote
investment into Ireland and create jobs here.