Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018
14. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if her Department will liaise with the IDA to ensure that additional land may be made available for development in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22625/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCreating more jobs in the regions is a priority for both the IDA and my Department. I will certainly be focused on doing everything I can to deliver the fairest possible spread of investment across the country. Total employment by FDI companies in Ireland now stands at a landmark 210,443 people which is an increase of 5.3% from 2016. This figure surpasses the overall five-year target of 209,000 which was set in the IDA’s ‘Winning’ strategy. The fact that the IDA has now, only three years into their five-year strategy, reached its total job creation target for that period demonstrates how strong Ireland’s FDI offering continues to be for multinationals. This is the highest level of employment from overseas firms in the history of the State and will deliver wide-ranging economic benefits for the people of Ireland.
The Government is also working to ensure a more even distribution of FDI across the country. Last year, IDA Ireland delivered 99 regional investments with 45% of new jobs created outside Dublin. The last three years has seen 30,000 new FDI jobs created outside Dublin.
I can assure the Deputy that the IDA always does its utmost to ensure that overseas firms consider all potential locations when visiting Ireland, including County Wexford. It is important to remember, however, that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the company concerned.
Wexford has developed a strong base of overseas investment, with 18 IDA client companies employing a total of 2,948 people there. Employment in these firms is also growing, as evidenced by the 10% job growth figure achieved from 2016 to 2017. Total employment in overseas companies in the South-East Region now stands at 14,785 people in 75 client companies. The IDA continues to engage with its client base to help support further employment and investment growth in Wexford and the wider South-East region.
The IDA currently has both sites and buildings available for investment in Wexford. These include lands at the IDA Business & Technology Park and Whitemill Industrial Estate in Wexford Town and at the IDA Business Park in Enniscorthy. Buildings are also available at the IDA Business Park in Enniscorthy and the Whitemill Industrial Estate.
The Agency continues to draw the attention of investors considering locating or expanding in the South East to these different properties. It will also keep the property situation in Wexford under review to help ensure that companies can find the facilities or buildings they need in order to generate jobs and investment for the people of the wider area.
