Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2012
91. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the consultation he has had with the Industrial Development Agency with a view to securing a new facility for County Longford. [41049/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIDA Ireland is an autonomous agency whose statutory obligation is to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Ireland and its regions. IDA Ireland’s strategy for Longford is to promote the county as part of an integrated Midlands Region. This is in accordance with the Agency’s Horizon 2020 Strategy, which aims to create 63,000 new jobs in Ireland over the period 2010 to 2014, with 50% of new investments to be in locations outside of Dublin and Cork. Traditionally Longford has been a centre of manufacturing for FDI and has been comprehensively marketed by IDA Ireland as such. Over time, with the move towards higher value added manufacturing, IDA Ireland has secured investments from 6 client companies who currently employ 692 people. These include companies such as Abbott Diagnostics, Cameron Ireland Ltd, Epicor Software Solutions Ltd and Scientific Games Worldwide. IDA Ireland has assured me that, in addition to seeking new FDI for Longford, it works with its existing company base in the area for the purpose of identifying new opportunities and maintaining competitiveness.
The Agency has pointed out; however, that as Ireland competes for high quality investments, the concept of scale is crucial. Leading global corporations require a significant population, a pool of qualified talent, world standard physical and digital infrastructure coupled with the availability of sophisticated professional and business support services. Ireland has only one Metro Region, the Greater Dublin area, so, in order to achieve regional economic development, IDA Ireland prioritises the marketing of Gateway locations within each Region as the areas of critical mass (i.e. sufficient scale of population/skills/infrastructure/companies/business services/etc.) and highlights the opportunities provided by Hub locations which are within commuting distances of these Gateways. In addition, IDA Ireland continues to promote other key locations as part of its marketing efforts and on an opportunistic basis in response to specific client requirements. In this regard, Longford currently has 0.94 ha marketable lands in the Longford Industrial Estate in Lisnamuck and 1.98 ha in Aghafad. There are a number of available industrial premises currently on the open market which might suit the needs of potential investors.
IDA Ireland has assured me that it will continue to seek to attract new FDI opportunities to County Longford in accordance with its Horizon 2020 Strategy.
