Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I appreciate Deputy Deenihan's invitation to Kerry. It is always a great pleasure to visit the county and I will be visiting it shortly on an extensive visit. Notwithstanding the disappointing news about the companies we mentioned, there are companies expanding in the Kerry area. The live register is up 147 year on year but there are also a substantial number of immigrant workers in many of the companies in Kerry.

I am conscious of the need for more investment in Kerry. Last year, the IDA brought five different companies on site visits to the county and I believe the new facilities in both Tralee — the Shannon Development technology park — and Killarney — the IDA's new business and technology park — will be very valuable pieces of infrastructure to market to both overseas investors and, I hope, indigenous investors.

See this speech in context