The marketing of individual areas for new or expansion foreign direct investment (FDI) and jobs is a day to day operational matter for the IDA Ireland as part of their statutory responsibilities assigned to it by the Oireachtas and not one in which I have a function.
However, I have been informed by IDA Ireland that the Agency hosted a site visit to both the Fermoy Business & Technology Park and the former FCI building (on the Cork road) by an overseas Life Sciences company in November last. I understand that this company also visited a number of other locations and no final decision has yet been made by the company. However, the ultimate decision on where operations are established lies with the client, whose primary objective will be to establish in the location most aligned with the business needs of their company.
IDA also provides property solutions to Enterprise Ireland Client companies and in this connection the Agency had facilitated a land sale on the Park to one such company, but that company decided not to proceed with their plans to build on the Park. During 2009 IDA was also in discussion with another indigenous company, who were seeking a site on the Park and while this was progressed, the company decided that they would postpone a decision to locate on the park for a 12-month period.
Meanwhile, through its network of overseas offices, IDA continues to market the Park.