James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our three sets of guests from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland. I acknowledge the great work being done by all three bodies, but particularly by the IDA, in the area of Fingal. We have had two good announcements recently in respect of the Korean company, SK Biotek, and MSD biotech.

So far, everybody has focused on the issues around our existing businesses. While that is right and proper and very important, I am wondering, too, about the opportunities that arise for the three bodies in terms of attracting new business. I am particularly focused on Dublin Airport, which has a huge impact not just on the local and regional economies but also on the national economy. It contributes around €8.7 billion to the Irish economy. There is good news from Cathay Pacific with direct flights coming in from Hong Kong from 2 June. Hainan Airlines will also commence flights from mainland China into Dublin so we will have a direct link with Beijing and the phenomenal market that represents. We are doing a lot of business with those countries at the moment, particularly China. Having those flights will offer huge opportunity.

I have raised the fact that DAA has four blocks of offices that could accommodate 4,000 workers. That represents a great opportunity, given that planning permission is in place and it can be modified to a client's needs. Further to that, there is another 75 acres of a landbank that could accommodate a huge number of additional business. We are all aware that an increasing number of people are looking to Europe as an opportunity. Ireland is very strategically positioned to afford them that opportunity as the land bridge into Europe - an air bridge, as it were. How much marketing has been done by IDA Ireland to advertise and sell that inside Europe?

An example would be Kellogg's, a household name that sells Europe-wide. Its headquarters for the EU are here in north County Dublin, where it employs 350 people. There are other companies that must have similar needs. Ireland represents an opportunity for them. I will be asking the witnesses some questions in this regard in a moment. The Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, has been out in Hong Kong doing a lot of work raising our profile for our financial services. The witnesses from IDA Ireland mentioned that as one of the areas that is strongly on their minds.

There is land zoned for 33,000 homes in Fingal, with 4,000 of them to be built in Donabate, which is within 15 minutes' walk of a train station and has access to parks, beaches, schools, sporting clubs etc. I imagine all that would make an attractive package for companies coming in. What are the three or four issues most commonly cited as a challenge for prospective customers coming to this country to set up? They are looking around the world. IDA Ireland is continually bringing people in to have a look. If we take uncertainty about Brexit out of it and consider issues like housing, transport, staffing, schools or power costs, what are the main challenges for prospective companies, big or small, that are considering relocating here to avail of the opportunities we can give them?