Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton has set off on a trade mission to the US. He will spend five days in five cities targeting companies for foreign direct investment.

IDA Ireland chief executive Barry O’Leary will join the Minister on the mission, which will take them to Boston, Raleigh, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Chicago.

“During this busy week I will be meeting 19 companies from a wide range of sectors who are considering creating new jobs in Ireland,” Mr Bruton said before leaving.

“When I meet senior executives from multinationals like these, they are increasingly impressed by what Ireland has to offer as a gateway to a stable European market.”

He said he hoped his meetings with the organisations would eventually lead to jobs announcements in Ireland further down the line, as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.

The companies that Mr Bruton will target will range from start- ups to multi-billion global firms, including nine technology companies, four from life sciences and the remainder in food, aviation and financial services.