Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 November 2010
268 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the number of Industrial Development Authority visits that were made with potential industrialists in 2009 and to date in 2010 to the new business and technology park at Tuam, County Galway [40751/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the IDA that there have been no site visits to Tuam in 2009 and to date in 2010 although there were a total of 58 visits to Galway by potential investors in that period. As part of its strategy to attract inward investment, IDA Ireland introduces a prospective client company to 3 or 4 selected locations/towns which can meet the company's requirements for skills, labour, site and/or building(s), infrastructure, etc. In selecting locations to show companies, IDA Ireland seeks to include locations which have been affected by closures/job losses and also gives priority to the Border, Midlands and West regions. While IDA Ireland seeks to influence the selection of location, the final decision on where to visit and where to locate is taken in all cases by the promoting company.
269 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding the new business technology park at Athenry; the infrastructural developments that have taken place since the Industrial Development Authority purchased the site from Teagasc; if any visits have been organised by the IDA for potential industrialists to the site to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40752/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by IDA that a 97 ha site in Athenry Co. Galway was acquired from Teagasc in December 2007. These lands were identified as having the potential to be developed for utility intensive development as part of IDA's Strategic Sites Initiative.
IDA Ireland is working on the delivery of infrastructure and services to the site. Developing the access road into the site has been the immediate priority since the completion of the purchase. Access to the site is off the M6 Galway to Dublin Motorway and the construction of the access road has been divided into two phases. Phase 1 is the section off the M6 into the southern portion of the lands and works on this phase have been completed. Phase 2 involves the construction of two new bridges over the R348 and the Galway-Dublin Railway line and extension of the road northwards to service the northern portion of the site and this phase is currently at the design stage.
IDA Ireland is working with Galway City and County Councils regarding the water and waste water capacity. In relation to waste water it was established that an extension to the Mutton Island treatment plant would be required in order to cater for the Athenry site requirements. Galway City Council lodged an application with the EPA for a discharge license which Mutton Island has duly been granted and all service connections and routes have been agreed between IDA and the County and City Councils.
The site's water requirements will be met by an extension to the Tuam Regional Water Supply Scheme. Preliminary design and site investigations have been completed along the selected route. In addition Bord Gáis (BGE) has agreed to supply the site with the required capacity. This site is being marketed for new FDI investments in the Bio-Pharma, ICT and related industry sectors. To date in 2010 there has been one visit to the Athenry site.
