Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 8

Written Answers. - Ford Investment in Ireland.

Peter Barry

Ceist:

94 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he has been in touch with Ford Management at their Dearborn, Michigan, World Headquarters about the establishment of an industry in Cork, in view of their undertaking, given when their Marina plant was forced to close, to look favourably on Cork as a location for Ford investment; the frequency with which he has pursued this matter with Ford; the type of response received; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

I can assure the Deputy that the IDA in Chicago is maintaining regular close contact with senior Ford executives in the United States with the aim of securing further industrial investment by the company in Ireland.

In fact a meeting between the IDA and the company was held as recently as 16 April. Present at this meeting were Mr. Peter Pestillo, Executive Vice President of Ford and Mr. Francis Mahon Hayes, the Irish Ambassador to the U.N. The meeting was also attended by a large group of senior Ford executives and by representatives of supplier companies to Ford, invited at the IDA's request. At that meeting Ireland's current advantages as an industrial location were extensively discussed.

The clear message emerging from these discussions was that the advantages offered by Ireland as an industrial location will be given full consideration when Ford is considering further investment opportunities in Europe.