The Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, is set to launch the Succeed in Ireland initiative in Kilkenny Castle today before a group of Chairpersons from local authorities, Mayors and City and County Managers.

The initiative, which is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, aims to create 5,000 new jobs within the next five years. Speaking at the event were Minister Hogan; the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and Terry Clune founder of ConnectIreland.com, the Company selected by the IDA to deliver the Succeed in Ireland project.

The initiative, launched by the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste, and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovationlast week, will provide direct financial incentives to people who create employment in Ireland. It invites people all over the world to introduce potential foreign investors to the idea of investing in Ireland. The main target of the initiative is small and medium-sized companies who are looking at global expansion but are too small to be reached by State enterprise agencies.

Terry Clune and his team in Succeed in Ireland will meet each City and County Council individually and Minister Hogan has said that he expects ”Local Authorities to do what they can in the communities to hold public meetings and other events to ensure every community in the country has been made aware of this initiative.”

 A person who facilitates an introduction between a key decision-maker in the company interested in setting up in Ireland and the ConnectIreland team, i.e. a Connector, will receive a minimum reward of €1,500 for each job created through the introduction.