IDA Ireland has informed me that County Leitrim has traditionally been regarded as a centre of manufacturing for foreign direct investment (FDI) and has been comprehensively marketed by IDA Ireland as such. In recent years, however, it has proved challenging to attract overseas manufacturing companies into the County as much of this investment globally is going to low cost destinations with the result that there has been no site visits in the past five years. Part of this locational shift has involved job reductions and losses in long established employers in the county.
IDA Ireland's Strategy for County Leitrim incorporating the North West Region is:
to progress the development of a knowledge economy, in order that the Region can compete both nationally and internationally for foreign direct investment;
to work with the existing client base in the county and to expand their presence in the county;
to provide modern property solutions with supporting infrastructure; and,
to work with local authorities and relevant infrastructure providers to influence the delivery of appropriate infrastructure to the county.
IDA Ireland has confirmed that it is currently supporting four companies in Leitrim that employ 780 people. IDA is working closely with Bank of America management in Carrick on Shannon to minimise the impact of the proposed sale of the Irish and UK credit card business on employees and to ensure jobs are maintained at the facility. The most recent investment in the County was by Mirror Controls International (MCI) in May 2010 to consolidate its European manufacturing operations into its Irish plant based in Manorhamilton. The transfer of production to the Manorhamilton facility from Montfoort, Holland created 50 jobs and the expansion of the existing facility.
IDA Ireland has assured me that it is actively engaged with its existing base of companies in Leitrim. The Agency continues to highlight the ongoing importance of upskilling/reskilling and the need to add high value activities in order to ensure sustainability and ongoing development.