I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring the most equitable regional distribution of job opportunities. Regional development has become a significant focus of Government policy in Ireland. I have impressed on IDA Ireland the crucial importance of making even greater efforts to provide employment in regional locations.
IDA Ireland has assured me its commitment to regional development is stronger than ever now with the national spatial strategy in place. IDA Ireland is determined to see the emergence of strong magnets of attractions in each region. For its successful development, each region needs to have clear, competitive reasons companies would wish to locate there rather than elsewhere. The success of our economy during the 1990s and on into this decade means that Ireland is now much less competitive as a location for low wage manufacturing projects. As such Ireland, must now gear itself towards attracting a different type of investor. The focus for the future must be to attract investment requiring high skill levels, that is, as far as possible, innovation rather than production orientated, and that links to an increasingly sophisticated business environment.