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Industrial Development.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004

Wednesday, 29 September 2004

Ceisteanna (25)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

206 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the size and location of advance factories available in County Louth. [22148/04]

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Freagraí scríofa

IDA Ireland, the agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland provides, as part of its remit, property solutions for both overseas clients and clients of Enterprise Ireland.

At present, IDA Ireland is marketing a 20,000 sq.ft. advance factory which has been provided by a private developer on his own land at Dundalk, County Louth. A number of smaller units are available at Donore Business Park in Drogheda.

The main focus of IDA's targeted business is now on the services sector where office accommodation is the normal requirement. A quality office building comprising 27,000 sq. ft. at Donore Road, Drogheda, was completed in August 2004 by a private developer, and this is now being actively marketed by IDA Ireland for potential inward investment.

IDA Ireland has planning permission for more than 150,000 sq. ft. of office space at its new IDA Ireland Drogheda and Business Technology Park. Although located approximately 100 metres inside the boundary of County Meath, this park, which comprises 63 acres, has undergone a €5 million development. The park, which is a flagship development, will be the main catalyst for attracting inward investment to Drogheda. IDA Ireland hopes to tender for the provision of the first buildings on the park over the coming months. IDA Ireland also has planning permission for a 25,000 sq. ft. advance technology building on the park.

In Dundalk, Finnabair Business Park is currently being upgraded by IDA Ireland in a €5 million investment programme to bring it to flagship standard. Planning permission is in place for three 30,000 sq. ft. office buildings and two 25,000 sq. ft. advance technology buildings. As in Drogheda, a similar tendering programme for the construction of the first of these buildings is about to be undertaken.

IDA Ireland has recently secured planning permission for two smaller units on Finnabair Business Park. These units will be located in an area of the park where master planning has been undertaken for up to seven more units, all comprising approximately 7,000 sq. ft.

IDA Ireland's plans are augmented by similar proposals from the private sector to provide marketable space in the town. In addition to the above, approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of marketable space is available at Blackthorn Business Park which can cater for activities from light manufacturing to office accommodation. A total of 2,000 sq. ft. of quality office space is available in the Sciences Services Centre on Finnabair Business Park.

IDA Ireland is also actively marketing the vacant 160,000 sq. ft. of available space at the Xerox campus in Dundalk and the 120,000 sq. ft. available in the former Tellabs in Drogheda.

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