Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said he expects about six multinationals that he met on a US trade mission to expand their Irish operations creating hundreds of jobs.

Mr Bruton visited Houston and Austin in Texas on a two-day trade mission organised by Enterprise Ireland, followed by a three-day trip to Indianapolis, Cleveland, Grand Rapids and Chicago in the American midwest in a leg organised by IDA Ireland.

He had 10 meetings with multinationals in the midwest, mostly in the pharmaceutical, medical devices and technology sectors.

Positive mood
The Minister said the mood towards Ireland was "very positive" during his meetings with the US multinationals and that it was "really reassuring" and "very encouraging" that companies with operations in Ireland were consolidating those businesses by putting their best projects into Ireland.

“We would certainly have half of dozen companies who would have very solid employment expansion plans that run to hundreds of jobs,” said Mr Bruton, speaking in Chicago on the final stop of his trip.

The Minister noted there were increasing numbers of Irish managers in senior positions in the US operations of the multinationals or managers who had spent years managing Irish operations.

“That again is a sign of Ireland coming of age. The Irish leaders have become key players within the boardrooms of US companies,” he said.

Mr Bruton was joined by 28 Irish companies participating in 14 meetings and events in Texas targeting business opportunities in the oil and gas sector. He also met Texas governor Rick Perry, who has made the state one of the fastest-growing in the US with low tax rates and pro-business policies.