Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
555. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on Industrial Development Agency lands in an area (details supplied); if he will provide a breakdown of the location and size of these lands by town; the current marketing strategy for each of these sites; if he will give details of the progress made to date in securing investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16875/13]
View answerThe management of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio is a day to day operational matter for the Agency and not one in which I have a function.
IDA Ireland has informed me that it continues to promote its property portfolio in Arklow and Greystones, as well as other public and private parks in other locations in County Wicklow, in collaboration with the Enterprise staff in Wicklow County Council.
The IDA Arklow Business and Technology Park extends to approximately 32 Hectares, accessed directly from the N11, and is an IDA Flagship Park. The Park has been designed and landscaped to a very high standard, including full services infrastructure to suit future investment in manufacturing and international services sectors. There are approximately 19.8 Hectares of serviced lands available for development which are being marketed for potential foreign direct investment (FDI).
IDA Ireland’s strategic greenfield site is located in Greystones, Co. Wicklow and extends to approximately 17.9 Hectares of serviced lands available for development. In 2012 IDA completed the transfer of approximately 2.88 Hectares of its lands to Procap, Wicklow Plastics Limited, who are now in full on site operation.
The IDA Ireland Bray Business Park is owned by Bray Town Council and there are currently no marketable lands remaining for development.
In the current economic climate the delivery of new and non-traditional investment and employment opportunities is essential in the on-going economic recovery. In this context IDA Ireland has taken the decision to open up its land holdings in a number of locations nationally.
The Agency has also indicated that it would consider opportunities to utilise its Wicklow portfolio to attract other non-traditional type investments into the region, investments which do not fall under the general remit of IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland but which could create investment and employment opportunities. Accordingly, IDA Ireland currently has approximately 10.4 Hectares of its Greystones portfolio on the open market through a National Agent and is currently in negotiations with prospective clients.
There are 17 IDA client companies in County Wicklow which have created 2,267 full and part time jobs and, with the improved infrastructure that is now in place, contribute to the attractiveness of the East region for future investment. On 7th December 2012, Nypro Healthcare announced that it is to further expand its medical device operations in Bray, Co. Wicklow with the opening of a new medical device development centre and the creation of 100 new high quality jobs.
