The IDA is responsible for the sourcing of inward investment into Ireland from multinational companies. From 2011 to 2013, a total of 43,255 new jobs were created in IDA Ireland client companies*.

Around 80% of the jobs created between 2011 and 2013 were in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick – in that order.

Louth had the next highest number of IDA Ireland jobs created over the three years.

Many of these are attributable to Dundalk-based Paypal, which announced 1,000 jobs in 2012.

Donegal has done well, with the seventh highest number of IDA Ireland jobs created there between 2011 and 2013.

This may be surprising, but a county much closer to Dublin – and the capital’s infrastructure – Meath, features lower down the table, as does Waterford – which although has a city is four places below Donegal. However, the county faring the worst is Laois. Two jobs have been created in Ireland’s most landlocked county since 2011. Country Living asked the IDA, what’s wrong with Laois?

In reply, a spokesperson told us that Laois is marketed as part of the Midlands region, which also includes counties Westmeath, Offaly, Longford and Roscommon (note that with the exception of Westmeath, all these counties also feature at the lower end of the table).

The IDA says that there are 43 IDA-supported companies at present in the Midlands region, employing 4,800 people. It says Laois is home to two IDA companies and 20 jobs were created in 2014.

The IDA adds that there is a service sector in Laois through the provision of Government service investments and the IDA is working with the local authority to use this to attract more service investment in Laois.

The IDA will continue to market the county to potential investors as part of the region, where it meets the property needs of potential investors. Are there specific factors that put potential investors off investing in certain areas?

“Infrastructure such as broadband, roads, water and waste are considered a given by clients,” said an IDA spokesperson, “and there is an expectation that they are already in place. If they’re not, then a county is at a disadvantage as the company progresses its discussion. Talent, cluster of industry in the relevant sector and an appropriate property solution are also key.”

The IDA says that the key to foreign direct investment success in Ireland is the growth and development of the existing client base, and its ability to expand and embrace new products accounts for over 65% of IDA business.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, noted recently that “there are many complex factors influencing location decision-making, such as the increasing preference of investors globally for cities of scale with 1m plus populations, significant challenges from lower cost locations in eastern Europe and the far east, and attractive regional aid. While IDA Ireland does attempt to influence the choice of location, the final decision as to where to visit, and ultimately where to locate, is taken in all cases by the investor.”

  • * (Including companies that were formerly clients of Shannon Development).

    • Shannon transfers

    A significant number of positions transferred from Shannon Development into the IDA Ireland portfolio are not included on this map. Shannon Development is a regional development body which merged with Shannon Airport in 2012. It worked in partnership with other agencies to market and promote counties Clare, Limerick, north Kerry, south Offaly and north Tipperary.