Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018
10. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to outline the status of progress on IDA Ireland advanced factory units being constructed in counties Sligo and Leitrim. [22878/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra42. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to outline the status of the vacant IDA Ireland property located at Oakfield, County Sligo. [22879/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPermission has been given to Deputy Billy Kelleher to take Question No. 10 in the name of Deputy Scanlon.
Deputy Scanlon sends his apologies but he feels strongly about this issue, as do many Deputies. The question relates to regional imbalance. Will the Minister indicate the status report on IDA Ireland advanced factory units being constructed in counties Sligo and Leitrim?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 42 together. I thank Deputy Kelleher and I acknowledge that I am answering the question for Deputy Scanlon.
In 2017, IDA Ireland completed an advanced technology building in Sligo as part of its regional property programme. Abbot subsequently took ownership of that facility, thereby deepening its existing investment in the county further.
The Deputies asked about the IDA Ireland-owned lands at Oakfield, Sligo. I know the area because I have visited it. IDA Ireland is in partnership with Sligo County Council on the delivery of the western distributor road to provide access to this property. I understand that works on the road have begun. Once completed, IDA Ireland will actively market the Oakfield site to its client base with a view to attracting new investment to the area.
While IDA Ireland has no plans to construct buildings in County Leitrim, I am pleased that Leitrim's existing client base has shown a remarkably strong level of commitment to the county. In fact, the level of employment by overseas companies in Leitrim has increased by 46% between 2013 and 2017. I answered a question on this point earlier for Deputy Kenny. There are now 889 people employed in IDA Ireland client companies in Leitrim, compared to 606 in 2013.
Leitrim, along with Sligo and Donegal, is marketed by IDA Ireland as part of the north-west region. Employment in the north-west region has been steadily growing in recent years. Last year, for example, IDA Ireland client companies in the north west created 330 new jobs, bringing total employment in overseas companies to 6,462 people across 40 client companies. There is a strong base of investment within Sligo and Leitrim with 28 IDA Ireland client companies employing a total of 3,073 people across the two counties. IDA Ireland is determined to grow these numbers further and it is engaging with its client base to sustain employment creation and investment.
Indigenous enterprise is also contributing to employment in Sligo and Leitrim. With regard to Sligo, a total of 1,733 people were employed in 69 Enterprise Ireland-supported enterprises in the county last year, representing an increase of 12% since 2016.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
The local enterprise office in Sligo, meanwhile, helped to create 51 new jobs last year, bringing total employment in LEO-supported companies to 969. As for Leitrim, 559 people were employed across 25 Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in the county in 2017. The Leitrim LEO also helped to create 39 new jobs, with 454 people now employed in firms it supports.
We recognise though that there is room for improvement in the north west and we are working hard across Government to further unlock the economic potential of the area. The enterprise agencies remain pivotal to this and they continue to engage with their clients and one another to create jobs and source new investment for the region.
I welcome the fact that the advance factory unit site was completed in Sligo. I welcome the partnership of IDA Ireland and the local authority to open up infrastructural development.
The key issue is to ensure that we have a proactive campaign of site visits to promote the north west. The Minister of State referred to clustering. Certainly in Sligo and the surrounding part of the region clustering is evolving. However, it has to be continually supported and sustained.
The Minister of State referred to the development of the Oakfield site. I hope he takes into account the views of Deputy Scanlon and others, who have been consistently calling for greater emphasis on site visits to the region, specifically in Sligo and Leitrim, to ensure critical capacity is created in the area. This would enable the area to sustain itself between inward investment and the local economy, which can capture the spin-offs benefits from the multinational companies.
Sligo is where we launched Project Ireland 2040. It is very much a part of our balanced regional development to ensure the north-west region grows.
In 2017 some 559 people were employed across 25 Enterprise Ireland supported companies in County Leitrim. Sligo is a strong base for foreign direct investment, where 2,184 people are employed by 23 multinational companies. It is important to point that out. Local enterprise offices, LEOs, provided 51 new jobs last year, bringing the total provided by the LEOs to 969.
The development in Oakfield, Sligo is important and this is a turning point in respect of this greenfield site, as having access is very important. Sligo County Council has started works on the road and such connectivity is important. I saw it for myself when I was there last year. A number of job announcement for Sligo have been made in recent times, and I believe more will be made in the future. The Oakfield site is a good base for attracting companies, which is very much the target of the IDA.
I want the Minister of State to convey the sentiments that I have expressed on behalf of Deputy Scanlon to ensure there is a continual proactive engagement by the IDA in attracting and encouraging multinationals to locate and invest in the Sligo-Leitrim region. The fact that the Oakfield site is now coming on stream because of the collaboration between the local authority and the IDA is a positive development. I hope the Minister of State can give a commitment that he will convey those views. We must have continual site visits and promotion of the north west as a place to do business, specifically on the Oakfield site.
Deputy McLoughlin has been bombarding our offices on this matter as well, as has Deputy Scanlon. Balanced regional development is extremely important for the Government. We want to ensure that the regions attract industry, which is why the Government has highly ambitious regional job creation targets. This is why we have provided resources to the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise offices to ensure they can grow jobs in the region. Sligo is very much on the radar; there are some really good companies there. We spoke about Abbott earlier, and there are other companies there as well, including indigenous and foreign direct investment, FDI, companies, which are all contributing to the infrastructure in Sligo town, working collaboratively with Sligo County Council and other agencies. I am satisfied that Sligo will continue to be a part of the IDA's portfolio for creating jobs and that it will benefit both from that and from tourism, which is extremely important to the region as well.
