John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Mr. O'Leary knows which region I am from. It is expected that I will take a bash at the IDA - I will not do that - regarding the reason there is not more foreign direct investment, FDI, into my region. In the Horizon 2020 document, the IDA expressed the view that 50% of FDI should be outside of Dublin and Cork, the areas that have received most of it. How will the IDA achieve that target? A tweaking of the regional aid guidelines will not move companies. They may only consider it as part of the overall picture. Some people might doubt that 50% is achievable and simply view it as a governmental document intended to appease the likes of me - that is, people who are quite cynical about expressions of future success and aspirational comments from the Government. The track record has not been great.

I know the constraints on the IDA. It cannot make up CEOs' minds. However, it inserted the figure into the Horizon 2020 document. How will it achieve the target?